Sen. Terry Williams

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow prosecutors to charge individuals with murder or manslaughter if their actions result in the death of a fetus, while also permitting such charges in cases of drunk driving or grossly negligent driving that cause fetal death. The legislation specifically excludes abortions and routine medical procedures from these provisions, and clarifies that the law does not change the legal status or rights of a fetus. It would apply the same penalties for fetal deaths as for adult deaths in homicide and vehicle-related cases, including enhanced sentences for repeat offenders. The bill was introduced by Senators Williams and Starr and referred to the Judiciary Committee for review.

Maddy summaryThis bill delays the July 1, 2024 start date for expanded juvenile court jurisdiction in Vermont until the state confirms it has adequate resources to handle the increased caseload. The delay is contingent on the Secretary of Human Services notifying legislative committees that five specific conditions are met, including operating a permanent crisis stabilization program, hiring additional family services workers, expanding the Balanced and Restorative Justice budget, ensuring residential program access, and securing funding for a child welfare information system. Additionally, the bill requires that certain serious charges against youth aged 14 to 21, such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and domestic assault, begin in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court rather than the Family Division, unless the prosecutor chooses to file directly as a youthful offender petition. These changes affect how juvenile cases are processed and which court divisions handle them, while ensuring support systems are in place before expanded jurisdiction takes effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's voting rules for unified union school districts by adding a new exception to the requirement that Australian ballots be commingled. Under current law, votes from all towns within a unified union school district must be combined and counted together rather than separately by town. The proposed change would allow a district to keep ballots separate if voters explicitly rejected commingling at an annual meeting held on or before July 1, 2019, provided the district's governing articles do not specify a different counting method. The bill applies to elections for school board members, district officers, budget proposals, and other public questions within these districts. It would take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a communication fund for Vermont General Assembly members to use for conveying information about official legislative business to constituents and the public. Under the legislation, each House member would receive $500 annually and each Senator would receive $2,000, with amounts adjusted each January based on the Consumer Price Index. The funds can only be used for official communications and cannot cover personal expenses, campaign activities, or electioneering, and members must report all expenditures to the State Ethics Commission by December 31 each year. Any unspent funds must be returned to the state treasury by March 1 and cannot be carried over to the next fiscal year. The bill would take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont's Motor Vehicles Commissioner to design and issue special license plates for veterans and active military members who have received specific military decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross or Silver Star. The legislation codifies existing special plate programs for veterans and expands eligibility to include recipients of various military awards, Pearl Harbor survivors, former prisoners of war, and veterans from specific conflicts. Eligible applicants must submit an application certified by the Office of Veterans' Affairs, and plates can only be transferred to the original holder or their surviving spouse. The bill mandates that new plate designs for decorated recipients be implemented by January 1, 2025, while maintaining all currently available veteran and military plates.

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 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 House concurrent resolution honors Vermont National Guard Deputy Adjutant General Kenneth Gragg for his distinguished career in public service. The document recognizes his 46 years of military and civilian service, including his leadership in financial management, construction projects, and pandemic response efforts. It directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Gragg as a formal acknowledgment of his contributions. This is a ceremonial measure with no new laws or policy changes, serving only to publicly recognize his achievements.

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 prohibits the use of trichloroethylene in various industrial applications, including as a vapor degreaser, refrigerant, extraction solvent, or intermediate chemical in manufacturing processes. It directly affects businesses and facilities that currently use this chemical for cleaning metal parts or other industrial purposes. The legislation defines specific terms like "vapor degreaser" and "extraction solvent" to clarify the scope of the ban. The prohibition will take effect on July 1, 2026, giving industries time to adjust their operations before the ban is enforced.