Sen. Becca White

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution honors Heidi Baitz for her nearly 40 years of service as an elementary school teacher in the Town of Ludlow, Vermont. The document recognizes her educational contributions, including developing a living history project with local students and leading wellness programs such as healthy lunch initiatives and yoga classes. It formally acknowledges her personal achievements and community involvement before her retirement in June 2023. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to Baitz as an official recognition of her work.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the Town of Hartford's tax increment financing district authority for three years starting March 31, 2021, and allows the town to keep additional tax revenue from municipal and education taxes until December 31, 2036. The legislation directly affects the Town of Hartford by modifying existing state laws to provide longer timeframes for the town to use special tax revenue for development projects. The changes take effect on July 1, 2023, and do not alter how much tax revenue can be retained, only the duration of the authority to incur debt and retain those funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary Legislative Energy Storage Study Committee to evaluate the costs and benefits of energy storage for electricity customers, utility providers, and the energy storage industry in Vermont. The committee will include representatives from the legislature, energy storage industry, municipal and cooperative utilities, businesses, investor-owned utilities, renewable energy developers, and an academic expert. Its main tasks are to assess current policies and markets, examine different storage technologies, recommend policy changes, and determine whether Vermont should set energy storage goals for the next five years. The committee must submit a written report with findings and recommendations by December 15, 2023, and will cease to exist on December 31, 2023. The bill appropriates $10,000 to cover per diem compensation and expenses for committee members attending up to six meetings.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates August 31 as Overdose Awareness Day in Vermont to raise awareness about drug overdoses and honor those affected by them. The legislation requires the Vermont State flag to be flown at half-staff on all state-owned flagpoles each August 31 to mark the observance. It also adds these provisions to the state code and includes a clause that will repeal the designation in 2033. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2023, and is based on findings about rising opioid-related deaths in the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution honoring Marshall Webb, a nonprofit cofounder and environmental advocate who passed away in 2022. It recognizes his contributions to Shelburne Farms, a Vermont center for sustainability education, and acknowledges his personal connection to the organization and the state. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy to Webb's family and Shelburne Farms as a formal expression of appreciation. This measure does not change laws or policies but serves to publicly acknowledge Webb's legacy and impact on the community.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires legislative approval from the Vermont General Assembly before the Vermont State Colleges can close, reduce, or convert any physical library that existed on January 1, 2023. It also prevents the colleges from reducing library staff positions, employees, or work hours below the levels established on that same date without state approval. The law affects the Vermont State Colleges Corporation and its library operations across all campuses. If passed, the colleges would need explicit permission from lawmakers before making changes to their library facilities or staffing levels.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for nominating candidates to Vermont unified union school district boards by standardizing the signature requirements across all three representation models. Under the new provisions, a nomination petition must be signed by either 30 voters or one percent of the legal voters in the relevant area, whichever number is smaller. The changes apply to proposed districts, existing unified districts using modified at-large systems, and fully at-large representation models. The bill also specifies filing deadlines and requirements for candidate consent to appear on the ballot.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a formal resolution that congratulates the 2023 Hartford High School Hurricanes boys' indoor track team for winning their first Division II state championship. The resolution recognizes the team's historic achievement, which included first-place finishes in the 300-meter run and long jump, along with relay victories, resulting in a 101-82.5 final score. It specifically names the 20 team members, head coach Mike Perry, and assistant coach Fatimah Shabazz who earned the title. The General Assembly directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of this resolution to Hartford High School to formally acknowledge their accomplishment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, would regulate kratom products in Vermont by establishing labeling requirements and an age restriction. It directly affects processors and retailers who sell kratom, requiring them to label products with specific alkaloid content and prohibiting sales to anyone under 18 years old. The legislation mandates that kratom products be tested by independent laboratories, prohibits the sale of products containing dangerous contaminants or synthetic alkaloids, and requires annual registration fees for processors. Additionally, the bill removes kratom from the state's list of regulated drugs, clarifying its legal status while implementing consumer safety measures.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts Vermont employers from conducting criminal history checks, credit checks, and drug tests on job applicants and employees unless the information has a direct relationship to the specific job duties. It prohibits employers from asking about credit history on initial applications and requires criminal background checks to occur only after an applicant has been deemed qualified for a position, with narrow exceptions for roles involving financial responsibility, law enforcement, emergency medical services, or positions where federal or state law mandates disqualification based on certain convictions. Drug testing is allowed only after a conditional job offer is made, with written notice provided to the applicant, and for current employees only when there is probable cause of drug use on the job, provided the employer offers an assistance program and the employee is not terminated if they successfully complete rehabilitation. The legislation also protects applicants and employees from retaliation if they file complaints or cooperate with investigations regarding unlawful employment practices related to these screening procedures.