Vermont Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · Vermont · House May 21, 2026

H 270: An act relating to confidentiality in peer support sessions for emergency service providers

This Vermont bill (H.270) establishes confidentiality for peer support counseling sessions provided to emergency service providers, including firefighters, EMTs, police officers, and others in critical response roles. All communications - oral or written - during these sessions must remain confidential, with exceptions for threats of suicide/homicide, child or vulnerable adult abuse, criminal conduct, or plans to commit a crime. Written records related to sessions are exempt from public disclosure under Vermont’s Public Records Act. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, and applies to both paid and volunteer emergency service providers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Emilie Krasnow (D) Debbie Dolgin (R) Barbara Rachelson (D) Kate McCann (D) Edye Graning (D)

passed both · Vermont · House May 20, 2026

HCR 298: House concurrent resolution recognizing the importance of the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife’s fish culture program for the continued success of aquatic-resource sustainability and the availability of abundant recreational fishing opportunities in Vermont

This bill is a formal recognition by the Vermont legislature of the value of the Department of Fish and Wildlife's fish culture program. It highlights how the state's five fish hatcheries produce over 1.5 million fish annually to support sustainable populations and provide recreational fishing opportunities. The resolution notes that these efforts also benefit local economies, promote public health, and encourage conservation education. Ultimately, the bill directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of this acknowledgment to the department.

Topics ✓ Environment

passed both · Vermont · House May 20, 2026

HCR 300: House concurrent resolution in memory of gay rights advocate, political activist, culinary bibliophile, and chocolatier maven Terje Anderson

This bill is a House concurrent resolution that honors the memory of Terje Anderson, a gay rights advocate and political activist who passed away in 2026. It recognizes his significant contributions to social justice, including his leadership roles in AIDS service organizations and his service as chair of the Vermont Democratic Party. The resolution formally expresses the General Assembly's condolences to Anderson's family and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to his survivors and the Vermont Democratic Party.

vetoed · Vermont · House May 20, 2026

H 674: An act relating to the creation of the Vermont Sister State Program

H.674 creates the Vermont Sister State Program to establish formal partnerships between Vermont and foreign regions (such as cities or states abroad), focusing on cultural exchange, economic development, and education. The program is overseen by a Committee within the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, which will review applications using a standardized scoring system and confidential internal review by the Agency. Applications must meet minimum eligibility requirements, and the Committee must act within 30 days to recommend partnerships to the Governor. The bill also repeals the Vermont-Ireland Trade Commission.

signed · Vermont · Senate May 20, 2026

S 255: An act relating to establishing a pilot Law Enforcement Governance Council in Windham County

This bill establishes a pilot Law Enforcement Governance Council in Windham County to provide regional law enforcement and related services (including dispatch and animal control) to participating municipalities. To join, towns must vote at a town meeting to become "member municipalities," pay a special property tax based on population, and receive services through the Council. The Council, governed by one representative per member town, sets annual budgets, service levels, and performance standards, with funding collected solely from participating towns until June 2034. Non-member municipalities are not affected by the tax or service provisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Vermont · Senate May 20, 2026

S 89: An act relating to expanding survivor benefits

S.89, "Jessica’s Law," expands Vermont's survivor benefits to cover families of law enforcement officers, Department of Corrections employees (in direct security/treatment roles), Family Services Division staff, and employees at state-operated therapeutic communities or inpatient psychiatric hospitals who die while on duty or from work-related illnesses. The bill adds these groups to the existing definition of "emergency personnel" under Vermont law, ensuring they qualify for the same survivor benefits previously available to firefighters and emergency medical staff. Benefits would be paid to surviving spouses, then children, then parents if no immediate family remains, following current distribution rules. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Vermont · Senate May 20, 2026

S 157: An act relating to recovery residence certification

Vermont's S.157 establishes a voluntary certification program for recovery residences (temporary housing for people recovering from substance use disorders) through the Department of Health. To become certified, residences must meet standards including peer-support certification, compliance with health/safety rules, transparent complaint procedures, and annual reporting of resident data like stay length and employment outcomes. The bill also requires certified residences to follow specific exit policies for residents violating safety or substance use rules, with strict conditions for immediate transfers. This applies directly to recovery residences seeking certification, not to residents themselves, and mandates annual data reporting to both the Department of Health and state legislative committees.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed both · Vermont · Senate May 19, 2026

SCR 13: Senate concurrent resolution honoring Middlebury College Professor Jessica Holmes for her exemplary public service as a member and interim chair of the Green Mountain Care Board

This legislative bill is a Senate concurrent resolution that formally honors Professor Jessica Holmes for her public service on Vermont's Green Mountain Care Board. The document recognizes her contributions to healthcare regulation, including her work on reducing wait times and managing resources, as well as her role as interim chair during leadership transitions. It highlights her professional background in health economics and her academic achievements at Middlebury College, Yale, and Colgate. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the honor to Professor Holmes, serving as a commemorative gesture rather than a change in law or policy.

passed both · Vermont · House May 19, 2026

HCR 303: House concurrent resolution extending best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery to the indomitable Representative Anne de la Blanchetai Donahue of Northfield

This bill is a House concurrent resolution that expresses the General Assembly's best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery to Representative Anne Donahue. It directly affects Representative Donahue, who recently suffered a brain aneurysm but is recovering well as of March 2026. The resolution highlights her long-standing contributions to mental health care, including her work on the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital and efforts to address historical injustices related to eugenics. Additionally, it directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to Representative Donahue.

passed both · Vermont · House May 19, 2026

HCR 304: House concurrent resolution celebrating the State House display of Julian Scott’s Civil War masterpiece, The Fourth Vermont Forming Under Fire, and thanking those individuals who facilitated this historic artistic event

This legislative resolution celebrates the return of Julian Scott's Civil War painting, The Fourth Vermont Forming Under Fire, to the Vermont State House. It acknowledges the efforts of several individuals, including historian Tyler Alexander and collector Lyman Orton, who worked together to purchase the artwork for $110,000 and secure its display in the Cedar Creek Room. The bill formally thanks these contributors and directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the resolution to each person involved in facilitating the event.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Vermont · House May 19, 2026

H 582: An act relating to adult protective services

This bill updates Vermont's definition of "neglect" for vulnerable adults (elderly or disabled individuals needing care), clarifying that it includes failure to provide essential care like food, medicine, or supervision, or to report health changes. It requires reports of alleged neglect in state-licensed facilities or by licensed providers to be submitted directly to the relevant licensing agency (e.g., Office of Professional Regulation) instead of only to Adult Protective Services. The bill also extends timelines: the Human Services Board must hold a fair hearing within 90 days (up from 30) and issue findings within 30 days (up from 7) when an alleged perpetrator requests relief after a substantiated report. These changes directly affect vulnerable adults, their caregivers, licensed facilities, and oversight agencies.

signed · Vermont · House May 19, 2026

H 814: An act relating to neurological rights and the use of artificial intelligence technology in health and human services

This bill establishes "neurological rights" in Vermont, protecting individuals from unauthorized use of neural data (like brain activity measurements) and preventing AI from bypassing conscious decisions without consent. It requires written consent before collecting or sharing neural data from brain-computer interfaces, bans "consciousness bypass" (using tech to manipulate brain activity without awareness), and regulates AI in mental health chatbots and patient communications. The law directly affects patients, healthcare providers, and AI developers in Vermont's health/human services sector. It also extends the AI Advisory Council's mandate and mandates reports on ethical AI use in healthcare, education, and human services.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology