Sen. Wendy Harrison

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Vermont state law to expand the legal definition of a mobile home park to include communities where mobile home owners own their individual lots rather than renting them. The change clarifies that such owner-occupied communities should be treated similarly to traditional mobile home parks under existing housing regulations. It also specifies exclusions, such as storage lots, agricultural employer housing, and seasonal vacation sites, which remain outside the definition. The legislation would take effect on July 1, 2024, and primarily affects mobile home park owners, operators, and residents in Vermont.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes municipal stormwater utilities in Vermont to form cooperative agreements with other municipalities to share financial resources and establish joint ratemaking structures. It allows these utilities to collaborate on administrative matters and develop rates based on equivalent residential units calculated from impervious surface areas. The legislation also creates a grant program providing up to $100,000 to groups of cooperating municipalities outside Chittenden County for technical assistance in establishing utility governance and ratemaking. A total of $400,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025 to fund these grants, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires that nonprofit public transit systems in Vermont have a majority of their governing board members appointed by the legislative bodies of the municipalities they serve. It defines nonprofit public transit systems as domestic corporations where board membership is proportional to the population of served municipalities and includes the Secretary of Transportation as a nonvoting member. The legislation sets a July 31, 2024 deadline for existing transit systems to update their bylaws to comply with these requirements and mandates that the Agency of Transportation oversee compliance with state and federal laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's Act 250 land use regulations by clarifying when developers must obtain a jurisdictional opinion for certain exempt projects. It requires a jurisdictional opinion only for specific development projects that will not be finished by June 30, 2026, while maintaining the exemption for those completed by that date. The legislation also mandates that projects seeking exemption must be substantially complete by June 30, 2029, to retain their exempt status. This change affects developers and land use planners working on projects under Act 250 exemptions, streamlining the process for shorter-term developments while ensuring oversight for longer-term projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Vermont municipalities to require public transit amenities, such as bus stops and shelters, to be included in zoning regulations and site plan reviews for new developments. It amends state zoning laws to allow local governments to mandate connections to existing transit infrastructure and to include public transit facilities in official maps and transportation master plans. The legislation applies to municipalities reviewing development projects beyond single-family homes and aims to integrate transit planning into local land-use decisions. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and give communities more tools to ensure new developments support public transportation access.

Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit Vermont state employees from being enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans through state insurance contracts and restrict the inclusion of such plans in state employee health coverage unless all certified employee organizations agree. It also requires health insurance companies to guarantee acceptance of Medicare supplemental insurance applications for individuals who switch from Medicare Advantage plans, provided they meet specific enrollment timing requirements. Additionally, the legislation would limit advertising and sales of Medicare Advantage plans to people enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare Savings Plans, and ban commissions and fees for selling these plans to Vermont residents.

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 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.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally honors Richard DeGray for his volunteer work beautifying downtown Brattleboro with flowers. The resolution recognizes DeGray's decade-long effort to maintain over 200 flowerpots and plants, which he waters daily before dawn during warmer months. It also acknowledges Ahmed Rashed of Rashed's Garden Center as a primary supplier for the project's gardening materials. The General Assembly directs the Secretary of State to send copies of this resolution to both DeGray and Rashed as a gesture of appreciation.

Maddy summaryThis bill introduces three main safety measures for Vermont drivers, vehicle buyers, and road users. It requires all new driver's license applicants aged 18 and older to complete a driver education course with at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of driving practice, while also setting new qualifications for driver education instructors including experience and testing requirements. The legislation mandates that new car manufacturers share crash-test data and information about the specific crash-test dummies used with dealers, who must then make this information available to consumers online or in person. Additionally, the bill directs the state transportation agency to update its complete streets guidance to better prioritize the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.