Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0194 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 02/11/2025

                            BILL AS INTRODUCED 	H.194 
2025 	Page 1 of 3 
 
 
VT LEG #379950 v.1 
H.194 1 
Introduced by Representatives Headrick of Burlington, Carris-Duncan of 2 
Whitingham, Chapin of East Montpelier, Logan of Burlington, 3 
McCann of Montpelier, and Minier of South Burlington 4 
Referred to Committee on  5 
Date:  6 
Subject: Education; State aid for capital construction costs  7 
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced:  This bill proposes to require that 8 
any nonemergency school construction project receiving State aid include the 9 
creation of a high-capacity, gender-neutral restroom. 10 
An act relating to high-capacity, gender-neutral restrooms in schools 11 
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:  12 
Sec. 1.  16 V.S.A. § 3448 is amended to read: 13 
§ 3448.  APPROVAL AND FUNDING OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 14 
              PROJECTS; RENEWABLE ENERGY 15 
(a)  Construction aid. 16 
* * * 17 
(2)  Approval of preliminary application. 18 
(A)  When reviewing a preliminary application for approval, the 19 
Secretary shall consider: 20  BILL AS INTRODUCED 	H.194 
2025 	Page 2 of 3 
 
 
VT LEG #379950 v.1 
(i)  regional educational opportunities and needs, including school 1 
building capacities across school district boundaries, and available 2 
infrastructure in neighboring communities; 3 
(ii)  economic efficiencies; 4 
(iii)  the suitability of an existing school building to continue to 5 
meet educational needs; and 6 
(iv)  statewide educational initiatives and the strategic plan of the 7 
State Board of Education. 8 
(B)  The Secretary may approve a preliminary application if: 9 
(i)  the project or part of the project fulfills a need occasioned by: 10 
(I)  conditions that threaten the health or safety of students or 11 
employees; 12 
(II)  facilities that are inadequate to provide programs required 13 
by State or federal law or regulation; 14 
(III)  excessive energy use resulting from the design of a 15 
building or reliance on fossil fuels or electric space heat; or 16 
(IV)  deterioration of an existing building; 17 
(ii)  the need addressed by the project cannot reasonably be met by 18 
another means; and 19  BILL AS INTRODUCED 	H.194 
2025 	Page 3 of 3 
 
 
VT LEG #379950 v.1 
(iii)  the proposed type, kind, quality, size, and estimated cost of 1 
the project are suitable for the proposed curriculum and meet all legal 2 
standards; and 3 
(iv)  the project includes the creation of a high-capacity, all-gender 4 
restroom with fully enclosed stalls. 5 
* * * 6 
Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE 7 
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 8