Sen. Richard McCormack

Maddy summaryThis bill schedules a joint session of Vermont's Senate and House of Representatives to vote on whether to retain three state judges for additional six-year terms. The judges in question are Superior Judges John R. Treadwell and Lisa A. Warren, and Magistrate Barry E. Peterson, who have each submitted declarations seeking retention. The resolution sets the vote for March 26, 2024, following a required evaluation process by the Judicial Retention Committee that included public hearings and review of comments from the bar and public. This procedural measure ensures the legislative branch fulfills its constitutional role in approving judicial retention votes as mandated by state law.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a ceremonial resolution that honors Sergeant at Arms Janet Miller for her service to the Vermont General Assembly. It recognizes her long career, which includes managing security, coordinating events, and overseeing the Legislative Council before she was elected to her current role five times. The resolution also acknowledges her specific contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, including helping the legislature transition back to in-person meetings. The bill directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of this honor to Janet Miller, who has announced her retirement effective March 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Vermont Fair Repair Act to require manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide repair information, tools, and parts to independent repair shops and consumers. The law mandates that original equipment manufacturers make available at no charge the documentation, software, and tools needed to diagnose and repair their products, while also ensuring replacement parts are offered at fair and reasonable terms equivalent to those given to authorized repair providers. The legislation specifically defines key terms like independent repair providers and equipment, and includes provisions to prevent manufacturers from retaliating against authorized providers who sell parts to independent repairers. Exemptions are included for medical devices and motor vehicles, and the act applies to equipment originally manufactured for sale in the United States.

Maddy summaryThis bill would require law enforcement officers in Vermont to detain a driver for a separate violation before issuing a ticket for specific motor vehicle infractions. It directly affects drivers who are pulled over and the officers who enforce traffic laws by changing how certain violations are handled. The law lists ten specific offenses, such as driving without a license, operating an uninspected vehicle, and having broken taillights, that can only be enforced as secondary violations. This means an officer must have a reason to stop the driver for another issue, like speeding or a broken taillight, before they can cite them for these particular offenses. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a commemorative resolution honoring the life and legacy of former Representative John C. Candon, who served in the Vermont General Assembly from 1983 to 1986. It recognizes his contributions as a legislator, attorney, and community leader, including his role in creating the first father-son pair to serve concurrently in the state legislature. The resolution expresses the General Assembly's condolences to his family and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to them.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Vermont's Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur programs to include income-eligible young adults up to age 26, aligning Medicaid eligibility thresholds with the Dr. Dynasaur program over time. It requires higher reimbursement rates for providers delivering primary care, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, long-term care, and dental services to Medicaid beneficiaries. The legislation also modifies the duties of the Clinical Utilization Review Board, increases income eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs, and mandates coverage for mental health services for children and young adults who have experienced adverse life events without a specific diagnosis. Additionally, the bill directs the Agency of Human Services to develop a public option proposal for small business health coverage and requires proposals for sliding-scale cost-sharing in Medicaid.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Community Care, Health, and Safety Fund to provide grants for community-based services that reduce harm from drug use and support people with substance use disorders. It eliminates misdemeanor criminal penalties for possessing or dispensing a personal use supply of regulated drugs, requiring instead that individuals be offered information about available services and access to needs assessments. The legislation designates 40 percent of cannabis excise tax revenue and a portion of opioid abatement funds to finance these services, while establishing an advisory board to determine what constitutes a benchmark personal use supply. The bill also authorizes monetary incentives for participation in needs assessments and aims to shift resources from prosecution toward prevention, treatment, and harm reduction strategies.

Maddy summaryThis bill would ban the sale, lease, or operation of motor vehicles with tinted windows on the windshield, vent windows, or side windows located immediately to the left and right of the driver in Vermont. It requires dealers to stop selling or leasing vehicles with these tinted windows and mandates that vehicles with such tint fail the annual safety inspection. The law includes exemptions for medical reasons, emergency vehicles, and specific areas on the windshield for stickers and toll transponders, allowing tint only on side and rear windows if the vehicle has proper mirrors. Dealers and vehicle owners would face administrative penalties for violations, and the Department of Motor Vehicles must update inspection procedures to enforce these rules starting January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a temporary pause on approving new facilities for disposing of development soils and on dumping these soils at existing receiving sites in Vermont. The moratorium remains in effect until the Agency of Natural Resources creates and adopts specific rules for managing these soils, unless the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules objects to those rules. The proposed rules must include protections for water sources, require regular site monitoring, and mandate financial guarantees for site closure or cleanup. Once the rules are finalized and accepted, the ban on new certifications and disposal activities will end automatically.

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.