Sen. Brian Collamore

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new ethics rules for Vermont State board members and employees by prohibiting board members from holding outside positions that involve policy development or advocacy related to their official duties, and it restricts state employees from engaging in certain political activities. The legislation creates a formal complaint process managed by the Executive Director to address ethics violations, including a mechanism to remove board members who violate the new restrictions after a hearing. State employees are barred from using their official authority to influence elections, coercing colleagues into political contributions, serving as political party officers, or running for partisan office without taking an unpaid leave of absence. The bill also defines permissible and impermissible political activities for state workers and sets potential penalties including fines and imprisonment for intentional violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Vermont's laws to expand the scope of practice for optometrists, allowing them to perform certain advanced therapeutic procedures under a new specialty endorsement license. The legislation defines specific advanced procedures that qualified optometrists may perform, including minor eye surgeries like chalazia excision, limited eyelid repairs, and specific laser and injection treatments, while explicitly prohibiting more invasive procedures like LASIK, corneal transplants, and general anesthesia. Optometrists seeking this specialty endorsement must complete additional continuing education hours focused on advanced procedures. The bill also clarifies definitions for therapeutic pharmaceutical agents and adverse events, and establishes continuing education requirements for all optometrists, with extra requirements for those holding the specialty license.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires municipalities in Vermont to publicly post notices for all employment vacancies. The law mandates that job postings be displayed in the municipal clerk's office, on the municipal website or through an online recruiting service, and in the state Department of Labor's job bank. Each posting must include the job title, required skills or experience, salary range, and application dates with a minimum 10-day application period. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and apply to all municipal and county government positions.

Maddy summaryThis bill restructures the governance of the Vermont State Colleges Corporation by eliminating the Chancellor position and reducing the number of legislative trustees on the Board of Trustees from two to one, while adding one faculty trustee and one staff trustee. The changes shift representation on the board to include more voices from the college community, with the student trustee being elected by students and the faculty and staff trustees being appointed by their respective unions. Additionally, the bill proposes reducing required structural deficit reductions for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 and includes various updates to related state statutes to align with these governance changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill would automatically exempt people aged 70 and older from jury service in Vermont. To qualify for this exemption, individuals must indicate their age on the juror questionnaire when they are summoned. The law requires them to request this exception during the initial screening process, and if approved, their names are removed from the jury list either permanently or for the current two-year service term. This change applies to all citizens meeting standard jury qualifications who meet the age threshold, without requiring additional proof of hardship. The legislation would take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution congratulates St. Peter Roman Catholic Church of Rutland on the 150th anniversary of its church building's construction. The document acknowledges the church's history, noting it was built in 1869 and consecrated in 1873 to serve the growing Catholic community in the Rutland area. It recognizes the contributions of parishioners who helped construct the building and subsequent restoration efforts over the decades. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to the church as a formal acknowledgment of this milestone.

Maddy summaryThis Senate concurrent resolution honors Vanessa Davison, a long-time staff member of the Vermont General Assembly, for her 45 years of dedicated service. The resolution recognizes her work ethic, professionalism, and contributions to legislative operations, including managing administrative tasks, operating early computer systems, and serving as Journal Clerk for over 30 years. It formally acknowledges her role in preparing Senate Journals and training her successor to ensure continued quality in legislative record-keeping. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to Davison as an official recognition of her retirement after concluding her career in the spring of 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands law enforcement powers by allowing warrantless arrests for certain misdemeanor crimes committed against healthcare workers in hospitals or by emergency medical treatment providers when there is probable cause. It increases penalties for criminal threats made with the intent to intimidate healthcare professionals for their work in providing medical services. The legislation also restricts law enforcement from removing patients from hospitals or emergency treatment scenes until they are stabilized or evaluated, and requires state agencies to report on de-escalation efforts and data collection related to the new arrest provisions.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution urges U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to follow the expedited asylum hearing rules established in the Afghan Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022. The bill specifically affects Afghan nationals who were paroled into the United States under Operation Allies Welcome and are seeking asylum. Under the referenced law, these applicants are entitled to have their initial asylum interviews conducted within 45 days and final decisions made within 150 days, but many cases have exceeded these timelines. The resolution requests that USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou and the Vermont Congressional Delegation receive a copy of this urging to ensure compliance with the statutory deadlines.

Maddy summaryThis Senate concurrent resolution honors Castleton Town Mechanic Robert B. Ward for his 24-year career in municipal public service. The bill formally recognizes his contributions, which included maintaining municipal vehicles, performing repairs for town departments, and designing structures to support youth programs. It directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Ward as a gesture of appreciation. This type of resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves as an official acknowledgment of an individual's service.