Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 11, 2024

H 767: An act relating to increasing penalties for drug-related offenses

This bill proposes to strengthen penalties for drug-related offenses in Vermont by clarifying legal definitions and increasing punishments for specific violations. It directly affects individuals charged with drug crimes, particularly those involving minors, repeat offenders, and cases resulting in death. The legislation amends the definition of "knowingly" to include conscious disregard of risk, increases penalties for selling drugs to minors and using minors in drug crimes, doubles penalties for second and subsequent trafficking offenses with mandatory minimum sentences, and prevents defendants from using the presence of multiple drugs as a defense when a death results from drug use.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 11, 2024

H 747: An act relating to appropriating funds to reimburse the Burlington Fire Department for assisting individuals experiencing a drug overdose

This bill allocates $200,000 from the state's General Fund to reimburse the Burlington Fire Department for emergency medical services provided to individuals experiencing drug overdoses. The money is distributed through the Department of Health as a grant to the City of Burlington, with the requirement that these funds supplement rather than replace existing city funding for the fire department. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2024, and is intended to help cover the costs associated with responding to overdose incidents in Burlington.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Carolyn Branagan (R) · 45 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 11, 2024

H 761: An act relating to penalties and point assessments for using a portable electronic device while operating a moving motor vehicle and the Distracted Driving Diversion Program

This bill proposes to increase fines and add more points to driving records for using portable electronic devices like phones while driving in Vermont. It directly affects all drivers who use handheld devices or text while operating a moving vehicle on highways. The bill establishes higher penalties for violations in school zones and work zones where construction or maintenance crews are present, with fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 and additional points on driving records. It also creates a new Distracted Driving Diversion Program to offer an alternative to traditional penalties for eligible first-time offenders. The legislation applies to both junior operators and licensed drivers, with specific provisions preventing duplicate penalties for the same incident.

Topics ✓ Transportation

Brian Smith (R) · 59 co-sponsors

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 11, 2024

H 765: An act relating to health insurance coverage for obesity care

This bill requires health insurance plans in Vermont, including Medicaid, to provide comprehensive coverage for obesity treatment. It directly affects individuals with obesity and the insurance companies that serve them. The law mandates coverage for FDA-approved anti-obesity medications, lifestyle interventions like nutrition counseling and exercise planning, bariatric surgery, and ensures equal cost-sharing for obesity care compared to other medical conditions. Coverage decisions must be based on medical necessity rather than solely on body mass index calculations, and prior authorization processes should not create unnecessary barriers to care. The changes will take effect for plans issued on or after January 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 11, 2024

S 251: An act relating to State boards and commissions and State employees

This bill establishes new ethics rules for Vermont State board members and employees by prohibiting board members from holding outside positions that involve policy development or advocacy related to their official duties, and it restricts state employees from engaging in certain political activities. The legislation creates a formal complaint process managed by the Executive Director to address ethics violations, including a mechanism to remove board members who violate the new restrictions after a hearing. State employees are barred from using their official authority to influence elections, coercing colleagues into political contributions, serving as political party officers, or running for partisan office without taking an unpaid leave of absence. The bill also defines permissible and impermissible political activities for state workers and sets potential penalties including fines and imprisonment for intentional violations.

in committee · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2024

H 619: An act relating to creating reciprocal rights to landlord-tenant attorney’s fees and expenses

This bill would require written rental agreements that include clauses awarding attorney's fees to landlords to also include reciprocal clauses awarding those fees to tenants. The change applies to any lease containing provisions for enforcing the agreement or evicting a tenant, automatically adding protections for tenants in the same way landlords currently have them. If a tenant prevails in a legal dispute over the rental agreement, they would be eligible to recover their legal costs just as landlords are under current rules. The law would take effect on July 1, 2024, and directly affects residential rental agreements in Vermont.

Topics ✓ Housing