H.560 as introduced would require manufacturers selling household products containing hazardous substances, with certain exemptions, to register and report detailed information about every such product by UPC code or European Article Number, and pay $100 annual for each individual UPC/EAN report, with the money raised going to ANR and solid waste districts. These reports would […]
ALERT | Legal and Financial Liabilities Related to Chemicals
Legislation, S.197, was introduced for the new legislative session that contains provisions addressing two of the three legal and financial liability provisions that had been included in the original version of S.103, the wide ranging chemical bill introduced last year. Specifically, S.197 would (1) expose any person who releases a toxic substance strictly, jointly, and […]
UPDATE & FEEDBACK REQUEST | Marijuana Legalization Legislation Signed Into Law | Next Steps and Need to Address Workplace Drug Testing
This week the Governor signed H.511 into law. The bill, which was passed by the Legislature earlier this month, legalizes possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and cultivation of two mature marijuana plants and four immature plants. The bill falls short of more aggressive proposals to legalize and regulate the sale and purchase […]
ALERT & FEEDBACK REQUEST | Vermont Fair Repair Act and Access to Product Information
The Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs is reviewing S.180, which proposes to require manufacturers to make repair manuals and other information, including potentially proprietary or other sensitive information, available to independent repair service providers in addition to authorized repair operations. Certain categories of manufacturers would be exempt, at least under the […]
ALERT & FEEDBACK REQUEST | Ban on Mandatory Arbitration, Inconvenient Venue Clauses?
The Senate Judiciary Committee is reviewing S.105, which proposes to prohibit forced arbitration of consumer disputes. The current draft and other information about the bill can be reviewed here. AIV encourages manufacturers to review the bill and provide feedback to us about potential concerns and recommendations as we consider potential testimony and related engagement. Companies […]
Budget Address
The following is the Governor’s press release and link to the full text for his budget address: Governor Phil Scott Delivers Balanced Budget Without Raising Taxes or Fees for Second Consecutive Year 23 January 2018 Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott delivered his budget address Tuesday, reaffirming his commitment to fiscal responsibility and ensuring the […]
UPDATE | Pregnancy Accommodation Law Is In Effect; Compliance Poster Available
H.136, addressing reasonable accommodation for pregnancy, was signed into law by the Governor last May, but has now gone into effect this month. The nominal intent of the law as first proposed was to ensure that employees who have a performance related disability owing to pregnancy are treated the same as an employee similarly disabled […]
State Workforce Development System Report and Recommendations
The Legislature last year directed the Commissioner of Labor and the Chair of the State Workforce Development Board to convene a working group on the state’s workforce development system. The S.135 Working Group was formed and produce a report for the legislature. For the final report and recommendations from the S.135 Working Group, as required […]
Broad Review of Chemical Regulation in Vermont: Interagency Committee on Chemical Management
Governor Scott last summer signed an Executive Order to address several chemical regulatory issues that should be of interest to manufacturers, retailers, and other companies in Vermont and nationally. AIV had been and continues to be actively engaging on these issues with a coalition of Vermont manufacturers and national trade associations, and we encourage Vermont […]
Phone Lines for Employer Services & Program Integrity Units Repaired and Fully Functioning
The Vermont Department of Labor’s Employer Services and Program Integrity Units within the Unemployment Insurance Division experienced technical difficulties last week involving public phone lines. Those technical issues have been resolved, and all phone lines have been repaired and are functioning. The Program Integrity Unit can be contacted by calling 802.828.4333, and the Employer Services […]