Sen. Alison Clarkson

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the State of Vermont to replace impervious surfaces like pavement and roofs with permeable surfaces or green infrastructure when redeveloping or repaving State-owned land in floodplains. The law defines impervious surfaces as manmade areas where water cannot soak in, and it specifically applies to State agencies managing land in areas prone to flooding. State agencies must complete these replacements by July 1, 2039, ensuring that new construction or repaving projects in floodplains reduce stormwater runoff rather than increase it. The bill does not apply to routine road maintenance activities like crack sealing or resurfacing that do not substantially alter the existing impervious area.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House concurrent resolution that formally congratulates the 2023 Thetford Academy Panthers' Division III baseball championship team. It recognizes the team's achievement of winning their first baseball title in 37 years with a 6-0 victory over the White River Valley School Wildcats. The resolution names the individual players and coaches who contributed to the team's success and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Thetford Academy.

Maddy summaryThis bill defines emergency management personnel to include a broad range of state, county, and local government and nongovernmental workers such as firefighters, law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, and public health staff. It requires local emergency management organizations and planning committees to incorporate information about how these personnel are utilized into their emergency management plans. The legislation also establishes regional emergency management committees with voting members from local governments and nonvoting representatives from various emergency service organizations. Additionally, it mandates that local emergency planning committees include representatives from fire departments, emergency medical services, law enforcement, hospitals, and other relevant entities to coordinate emergency response efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill would prohibit most individuals from possessing semiautomatic assault weapons in Vermont, with exceptions for law enforcement officers and active military personnel. It defines these weapons as semiautomatic rifles, pistols, or shotguns with specific features like detachable magazines and certain grip or stock configurations, while excluding manually operated firearms and those with limited magazine capacity. Violations could result in up to one year in prison, a $500 fine, or both. The law would take effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to update how Vermont manages and delivers its workforce development programs based on recommendations from a special oversight committee. It directs the state to implement changes to the Vermont Workforce Expansion and Development Board's structure and operations as outlined in previous legislation. The act would take effect immediately upon passage, allowing the state to reorganize its workforce system without waiting for a new fiscal year.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program within the Agency of Human Services to help municipalities and other organizations acquire or renovate existing buildings for permanent supportive housing. The program provides up to $4.5 million in funding for fiscal year 2025 and requires participating sites to include multiple studio apartments with kitchens and bathrooms, along with on-site support services from two staff members available at least eight hours daily. Eligible projects must prioritize individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, those recovering from mental health or substance use disorders, and other vulnerable populations, while also incorporating energy-efficient renovations and ensuring access to community services. The bill directs the agency to select proposals based on the greatest need for housing and the health and safety benefits for residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Vermont municipalities to create and enforce local rules requiring owners to maintain buildings that pose risks to public health and safety. It allows towns and cities to compel cleaning or repairs of dangerous properties and establish specific health and safety standards for buildings within their jurisdiction. If a municipal official determines a building is uninhabitable or hazardous, the municipality can recover maintenance costs by placing a tax lien on the property, provided the owner receives proper notice and has access to an appeals process. The legislation applies to all incorporated towns, cities, and villages in Vermont and takes effect immediately upon passage.

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 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 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.