H.581 exempts medications prescribed for reproductive health care or gender-affirming care from being reported to Vermont’s Prescription Monitoring System (PMS), unless the Commissioner of Health determines reporting is necessary for public health. It also prohibits sharing any existing PMS data about these medications with other states’ monitoring systems. This directly affects healthcare providers prescribing these medications in Vermont, removing a reporting requirement for their patients’ care. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, modifying Vermont law (18 V.S.A. §4283 and §4288).
This bill requires towns, cities, and villages in Vermont that receive Opioid Abatement Special Funds to publicly post detailed reports on their websites about how they spent those funds. The key provision mandates that each municipality must make these utilization reports accessible online, ensuring transparency for residents. It directly affects all local governments receiving these specific state funds allocated to address opioid use disorder. The bill aims to provide clear, public accountability for how communities use opioid-related funding without altering the funds' purpose or allocation.
S 168 (An act relating to the aggregate value of stolen property in certain crimes) changes how Vermont courts classify theft offenses. It allows the total value of multiple stolen items or separate thefts within 180 days to be added together to determine if a crime is a felony (grand larceny or felony retail theft) or misdemeanor. Specifically, if the combined value of stolen property exceeds $900, it upgrades the charge from petit larceny/misdemeanor retail theft to grand larceny/felony retail theft. This directly affects individuals committing repeated thefts (e.g., multiple shoplifting incidents) where the cumulative value meets or exceeds $900 within the 180-day window. The bill amends Vermont statutes §2501 (grand larceny) and §2575-2577 (retail theft penalties).
This bill (S.164) makes members of Vermont's General Assembly eligible for the same health insurance benefits as state employees. It amends state law to include legislators under the definition of "employees" for health coverage, requiring them to pay the same cost-sharing portion (premium) as Executive Branch employees. The change applies to group hospital-surgical-medical expense insurance, employee assistance programs, and flexible spending accounts already offered to state workers. The policy takes effect January 1, 2027, extending existing benefits to legislators without creating new coverage or altering benefit levels.
H 572 would repeal Vermont's current law prohibiting public access to electronic criminal case records. This change would allow anyone to view digital court files related to criminal cases, which are currently unavailable to the public. The bill's key mechanism is removing the existing legal barrier that restricts access to these electronic records. It has been referred to the Judiciary Committee for further review.
S 200 transfers sole authority for Vermont's Medicaid school-based services program from the current shared arrangement to the Agency of Human Services (AHS), requiring AHS to ensure all federal Medicaid compliance. It establishes a School-Based Medicaid Reimbursement Fund managed by AHS, directing 55% of federal reimbursement funds to supervisory unions (groups managing multiple schools) based on submitted cost reports, and up to 25% to cover administrative costs for both the Agencies of Education and Human Services. The bill also mandates AHS to adopt rules for service eligibility, documentation, and provider requirements to meet federal standards. This directly affects supervisory unions receiving funds, the Agencies of Education and Human Services in their administrative roles, and students eligible for Medicaid-covered school health services.
This bill requires Vermont motor vehicle insurance companies to offer a discount to policyholders who complete a state-approved driver safety or defensive driving course. It directly affects Vermont drivers who take such courses and their insurance providers. The key provision mandates that insurers provide this discount as a standard benefit, with the program designed to be revenue neutral for the state. The bill does not change insurance rates for drivers who don't complete the courses.
This bill requires Vermont Medicaid to cover vitamin D deficiency testing for its beneficiaries. It directly affects Vermont residents enrolled in Medicaid who need testing for vitamin D deficiency. The key provision mandates that Medicaid must pay for this specific diagnostic test, removing a potential financial barrier to screening. The bill does not change broader Medicaid coverage rules but adds this testing as a required benefit.
This bill establishes the Vermont Prescription Drug Discount Card Program, administered by the State Treasurer, to help residents reduce prescription drug costs. It creates a program that pools Vermont's purchasing power with other states and organizations to negotiate lower prices directly with drug manufacturers, aiming to lower costs for all Vermont residents. The program will require the Treasurer to collect reasonable fees to cover costs, report annually on participation and savings, and submit an implementation report by 2027. The bill also allocates $50,000 for initial program development in fiscal year 2027.
This bill (H 543) would allow a diagnosed case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to count as "actual injury" in negligence lawsuits, directly affecting plaintiffs who suffer PTSD due to others' negligence. It amends Vermont law (12 V.S.A. § 1036a) to explicitly state that a PTSD diagnosis satisfies the legal requirement for proving injury in such cases. The bill aims to reverse a recent Vermont Supreme Court ruling (Zeno-Etheridge v. Comcast Corp.) that previously required additional proof beyond a PTSD diagnosis. This change would streamline negligence claims for PTSD victims without altering other elements of negligence law.
S.177 establishes an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for waste motor vehicle tires in Vermont, requiring manufacturers to cover collection and recycling costs. It directly affects tire manufacturers, retailers, and waste tire collection facilities by mandating annual collection rates based on prior sales data. Key provisions include defining "waste tires," setting minimum collection targets (calculated by dividing collected tires by average prior sales), and addressing "legacy waste tire piles" (50+ tires accumulating on non-farm property). The law also clarifies definitions for terms like "covered entity" and excludes certain vehicles (e.g., e-bikes, farm equipment) from the scope.
This bill (S.166) authorizes Vermont's Commissioner of Health to issue immunization recommendations for children and adults and create standing orders allowing healthcare providers to administer vaccines without individual patient consent. It requires health insurers to cover all recommended vaccines with no patient cost-sharing (no co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles) and gives the Commissioner authority to purchase vaccines at the lowest cost from CDC or other vendors. The bill also establishes an advisory committee to determine annual vaccine costs and assessments for insurers. It directly affects Vermont residents (by ensuring free vaccine access), healthcare providers (with liability protection when following standing orders), and health insurers (mandating coverage without cost-sharing).
