Alert or Update

As Vermont moves toward a recreational cannabis market, municipalities will need to regulate a wide range of issues: the location of establishments relative to other uses such as schools; the number and density of permitted establishments; smoking and secondhand smoke in public places; objectionable odors; neighborhood complaints; facility security and hours of operation; prevention efforts aimed at youth; and enforcement of applicable local ordinances and bylaws.

Did you feel the earth move under your feet yesterday?

Governor Scott called the legislature back for a special legislative session on May 23. In a special session, all bills under consideration are new bills with new numbers – although their content is from the regular session. The governor’s objective is to eliminate the need for property tax rate increases in the next fiscal year. Addressing the constant increase in education property taxes was an issue that he – and most legislators – campaigned on two years ago.

Legislative Action Alert, May 8, 2018. H.559 is a bill that would make numerous amendments to environmental statutes, some of which would be helpful to municipalities, but none of which must pass. The bill is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Legislative Action Alert, April 24, 2018. The Vermont Department of Liquor Control is asking the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee to revise the schedule for renewing annual liquor and tobacco licenses. Under current law, all locally issued liquor licenses expire on April 30.

Legislative Action Alert, April 24, 2018. The House is taking up a bill that looks to move Vermont towards a uniform regulation of all vehicle-for-hire companies and drivers. Several towns and cities currently regulate taxi or “jitney” businesses pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 2031. The bill, H.143, would prevent municipalities from adopting any ordinance, resolution, or bylaw that regulates transportation network companies that is inconsistent with the requirements of the bill.

Legislative Action Alert, March 21, 2018