Sen. Andrew Perchlik

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a legal right for tenants and homeowners in Vermont to install electric vehicle charging equipment at their residence, affecting landlords, property managers, and residents of rental properties and common interest communities. The law requires landlords to approve written tenant requests for charging equipment installation, provided the property already has at least 10% of parking spaces equipped with chargers, offers parking as part of the lease, or has fewer than five parking spaces. Tenants must cover installation costs, pay for electricity usage, and maintain liability insurance, while landlords cannot be forced to create new parking spaces or provide additional infrastructure beyond existing property rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill would ban the sale, lease, or operation of motor vehicles with tinted windows on the windshield, vent windows, or side windows located immediately to the left and right of the driver in Vermont. It requires dealers to stop selling or leasing vehicles with these tinted windows and mandates that vehicles with such tint fail the annual safety inspection. The law includes exemptions for medical reasons, emergency vehicles, and specific areas on the windshield for stickers and toll transponders, allowing tint only on side and rear windows if the vehicle has proper mirrors. Dealers and vehicle owners would face administrative penalties for violations, and the Department of Motor Vehicles must update inspection procedures to enforce these rules starting January 1, 2025.

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 creates a working group to explore ways to bring more international medical school graduates into Vermont's healthcare workforce. The group will examine models like Tennessee's temporary licensing system and develop proposals for an expedited licensure process that prioritizes patient safety. Additionally, the bill appropriates $50,000 in fiscal year 2025 to reimburse international medical school graduates for study materials and books needed to obtain Vermont medical licenses. The working group must submit its findings and recommendations by January 15, 2025, and the license reimbursement funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until depleted.

Maddy summaryThis proposal seeks to amend the Vermont Constitution to establish a legal right for citizens to have a clean environment, including clean air and water. It would declare the state's natural resources as common property belonging to all people and require the government to conserve and maintain them for the benefit of everyone. The amendment would become part of the state constitution if approved by voters in November 2026, giving citizens a stronger legal foundation to protect environmental quality.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Vermont Agency of Transportation to use only non-fossil fuel heating systems as the primary heat source in all newly constructed buildings and when replacing existing fossil fuel heating systems. The legislation defines non-fossil fuel systems as those that do not use fossil fuels or exclusively use renewable liquid fuels, with provisions allowing fossil fuel systems only as backup during peak heating periods. While the bill mandates these changes, it includes an exemption mechanism that permits the Secretary to approve fossil fuel replacements if they are deemed financially impracticable, with annual reporting requirements for any exemptions granted. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and aims to support Vermont's renewable energy goals while potentially reducing heating costs and supporting the local wood heating industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new review board and creates a $50,000 survivor benefit for family members of Vermont public works and emergency personnel who die in the line of duty or from an occupation-related illness. The Emergency and Public Works Personnel Survivors Benefit Review Board would be composed of state officials and two public members appointed by the Governor, with decisions requiring unanimous approval and a 60-day timeline for claims. The bill expands the definition of "line of duty" to include specific hazardous work conditions for public works employees and clarifies that domestic partners and civil union partners qualify as spouses for benefit purposes. A special fund would be created in the State Treasurer's office to finance these payments, funded through legislative appropriations and other contributions.

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 prohibits credit reporting agencies from including medical debt in consumer credit files, directly affecting individuals with unpaid medical bills and the agencies that compile credit reports. It prevents hospitals, outpatient clinics, surgical centers, and medical debt collectors from reporting or selling medical debt information to credit reporting agencies. The law defines medical debt according to existing state statutes and applies to large healthcare facilities and their associated debt collection activities. If passed, these restrictions would take effect on July 1, 2024, ensuring medical debt does not appear on credit reports.

Maddy summaryThis bill would limit hospital liens on patient injury settlements in Vermont by prohibiting hospitals from claiming liens when patients have health insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, or plans where the hospital is a participating provider. It would cap hospital liens at 25 percent of the net amount received by the patient and require hospitals to pay a fair share of legal and administrative costs associated with obtaining the settlement. The changes would apply to patients injured in accidents not covered by workers' compensation and would take effect on July 1, 2023.