Sen. Andrew Perchlik

Maddy summaryHCR 83 is a House concurrent resolution that congratulates the 2024 Green Mountain Council Class of Eagle Scouts for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. It formally recognizes the dedication and accomplishment of 55 named individuals and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to each honored Eagle Scout and the Green Mountain Council.

Maddy summaryHCR 90 is a ceremonial resolution congratulating the 2025 Burlington High School girls' basketball team on winning their Division I championship - their first title in 49 years. It expresses the Vermont General Assembly's recognition of the team's achievement and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Burlington High School. The resolution has no legal effect or policy changes; it is purely symbolic recognition of the team's athletic success. This type of resolution does not affect any laws, funding, or regulations.

Maddy summaryHCR 91 is a House concurrent resolution that congratulates the 2025 Burlington High School Seahorses boys' basketball team for winning the Division I championship. It also recognizes the team's coaches and managers for their successful 2024-2025 season.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts certain forestry vehicles from Vermont's vehicle use tax. It provides full tax exemption for specific equipment used in timber cutting, removal, and processing (like skidders, feller bunchers, and log loaders), and a 50% tax exemption for heavier vehicles used in transportation (such as semi-trailers and trucks over 10,000 pounds). Businesses purchasing these vehicles must certify their use at purchase, and the Department of Motor Vehicles must provide application guidance. The exemptions begin July 1, 2025, and expire July 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHCR 77 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing April 2025 as Fair Housing Month in Vermont. It does not create new laws or policies but formally acknowledges Vermont’s longstanding protections against housing discrimination under its 1987 Fair Housing Act, which covers more categories than federal law. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to share it with the Vermont Human Rights Commission, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, and Vermont Legal Aid’s Housing Discrimination Law Project. It aims to raise awareness about housing equity during a time when the state’s enforcement agencies are handling increased fair housing complaints. The resolution has no direct impact on residents or housing providers, as it serves only to honor existing protections.

Maddy summaryThis Senate concurrent resolution (SCR 4) commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal Sport Fish Restoration Act (1950) and recognizes the success of the American System of Conservation Funding. It does not create new laws or change funding; instead, it formally acknowledges how federal excise taxes on fishing equipment have supported conservation projects for decades. The resolution directs Vermont's Secretary of State to send copies to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Vermont's congressional delegation. It specifically honors the historical role of these federal acts in funding fish habitat restoration, including efforts relevant to New England's Atlantic salmon recovery.

Maddy summaryS 137 would require Vermont primary and general election ballots to include a new "None of these candidates" option. Voters selecting this option would have their vote counted specifically as a valid vote for "None" rather than as a blank or invalid ballot. The bill amends election laws to add this option after candidate names on ballots and specifies that such votes must be recorded separately on tally sheets. This change directly affects all Vermont voters participating in primary and general elections starting July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryS 136 adds two faculty or staff trustees to the boards of trustees for both the Vermont State Colleges Corporation and the University of Vermont. This increases the Vermont State Colleges board from 15 to 17 members and the UVM board from 25 to 27 members. The new trustees will be elected by the faculty and staff of each institution, with the Vermont State Colleges board required to elect its new faculty/staff trustee by August 1, 2025. The bill aims to enhance representation from academic staff on these governing bodies.

Maddy summaryThis Vermont bill (S.135) prohibits credit card companies from charging merchants fees on the tax or gratuity portion of a transaction and requires retailers to accept cash for all purchases under $500. It directly affects merchants, who must report tax and gratuity amounts during payment processing to avoid fees, and consumers, who gain guaranteed cash payment options for smaller purchases. Key mechanisms include mandating that payment networks exclude tax/gratuity from interchange fees and allowing merchants to correct reporting errors within 30 days. Violations carry $1,000 penalties per transaction, and the law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryS.29 establishes Vermont's Chloride Contamination Reduction Program under the Agency of Natural Resources to train commercial salt applicators (paid professionals) and municipal salt applicators (town/municipal employees) in best practices for efficient salt or salt alternative use. The program requires certification, sets standards to minimize salt runoff into waterways, mandates record-keeping of application details, and establishes annual salt usage data collection and reduction targets. Certified applicators are presumed compliant with water quality laws when following program guidelines, and the program includes liability protections for certified users who implement these practices. The bill aims to reduce chloride pollution in Vermont's water systems through standardized training, reporting, and measurable salt reduction goals.