Sen. Becca White

Maddy summaryThis bill (S 34) limits mobile home park owners in Vermont to increasing lot rents by no more than one percentage point above the U.S. Consumer Price Index for Housing, instead of a higher previous threshold. It directly affects mobile home residents and park owners by restricting rent hikes and requiring mediation if increases exceed this limit. The key mechanism establishes a mandatory mediation process: if residents dispute an increase, they can petition for mediation within 15 days, and the park owner must provide documentation justifying the hike. The mediator helps resolve disputes before the rent increase takes effect, with the process ending 10 days prior to the increase date. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryS.33 allocates $450,000 for a two-year pilot program to enhance community nursing services for aging Vermonters. Existing community nurse programs can apply for funding to create health worker positions, expand home visits without limits, fill service gaps, and improve data tracking. Participating programs must report on service outcomes, gaps, and improvements by December 2027, with the pilot starting July 2025. This directly affects aging Vermonters receiving services and community nurse programs seeking to expand their reach.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Vermont hospitals to report administrative staffing ratios and executive compensation data to the Green Mountain Care Board during budget reviews. It mandates that administrative staff ratios align with national averages for similar hospitals and caps executive pay at no more than 10 times the salary of the lowest-paid direct patient care staff. These requirements apply to all hospitals submitting budgets for fiscal years 2027 and later. The law takes effect January 1, 2026, with implementation for 2027 budgets.

Maddy summaryThis bill raises the monetary thresholds requiring a certificate of need for health care projects in Vermont. It increases the cost triggers from $1.5 million to $10 million for non-hospital facility expansions and $3 million to $10 million for hospital capital projects. The bill also adds a new $50 million threshold for large projects and exempts health care services or facilities resulting from direct state contracts. These changes apply to all health care facilities needing prior approval for major investments or service expansions, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryS 16 requires that at least one restroom in every public building and place of public accommodation (like libraries, government offices, or retail stores) must have an infant changing station. The station must be accessible to any person, regardless of gender, to change an infant's diaper. The law defines "available" to mean the restroom is usable by all, and the Commissioner of Public Safety will enforce compliance during routine inspections. The requirement takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Vermont's Dr. Dynasaur program to cover pregnant individuals with incomes up to 312% of the federal poverty level (FPL), effective January 2026. It also directs the Agency of Human Services to study expanding Dr. Dynasaur eligibility to all Vermont residents under 26 with incomes ≤312% FPL and Medicaid eligibility to adults aged 26-64 with incomes ≤312% FPL. The agency must report on feasibility, costs, federal waiver needs, and implementation timelines by January 2026. The study includes analyzing programmatic costs, technological requirements, and potential federal approval processes for broader expansions.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts U.S. military retirement income and survivor benefit income received by Vermont residents from state income tax. It directly affects Vermont veterans and their surviving spouses or dependents who receive these benefits. The bill amends Vermont's tax code to add these income types to the list of exclusions from taxable income under § 5811, specifically adding a new exclusion (vii) for military retirement and survivor benefits. The change takes effect retroactively for taxable years beginning January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Vermont's Dr. Dynasaur program to cover all young adults under age 26 who live in Vermont and have incomes at or below 312% of the federal poverty level. It directly affects Vermont residents aged 18-26 who currently might not qualify for the program due to age or income limits. The key change amends eligibility rules to remove previous restrictions, making coverage available to all qualifying young adults regardless of prior enrollment status. The program, administered under federal Medicaid/SCHIP rules, will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill would establish universal Medicaid-equivalent health coverage for all Vermont residents, phased by age group starting in 2029. It requires coverage for under-26s beginning in 2029, then progressively older age groups through 2033, regardless of income. The state must seek federal funding approval for this expansion but will cover all costs with state funds if federal approval is denied. The bill mandates detailed cost estimates, an implementation plan, and a report on payroll tax options to fund the program, with key deadlines for these actions by 2026-2027.

Maddy summaryThis Vermont bill (S.4) gives towns and villages explicit authority to decide whether to maintain legal trails and to create local rules for trail use. It clarifies that municipalities can choose to maintain trails (but aren't required to) and may adopt ordinances regulating activities like vehicle types on trails. The bill defines "trails" as public rights-of-way not classified as highways, removing them from highway maintenance obligations. It directly affects local governments, which gain new regulatory power over trail access and use, while ensuring towns aren't liable for maintenance costs or user safety on maintained trails.