Vermont Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 323: An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

This bill prohibits municipalities from regulating farming activities already covered by Vermont's Required Agricultural Practices Rule, clarifying that local bylaws cannot restrict farm structures or operations. It provides income, capital gains, and property transfer tax exemptions for qualifying farmers and agricultural property sales, and establishes "farm kitchen operations" as a new type of food processing establishment. The bill also allows milk producers to request administrative hearings for purchasing disputes and gives the Agency of Agriculture flexibility to use contracts (not just grants) for farm-to-school programs. These changes directly affect Vermont farmers, local governments, and food processing businesses by reducing regulatory barriers and offering financial incentives.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 648: An act relating to banking, insurance, and securities

This bill amends Vermont's licensing requirements for financial service providers. It specifically adds a $200 registration fee and $300 application fee for consumer litigation funding companies seeking to operate in Vermont. The bill also clarifies licensing approval criteria, requiring applicants to demonstrate financial responsibility (including checks for recent judgments, tax liens, foreclosures, or delinquent accounts) and criminal history review (particularly for fraud or money laundering convictions). These changes directly affect businesses applying for or renewing licenses in banking, insurance, securities, and consumer litigation funding sectors, as well as the Commissioner who enforces these standards.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 841: An act relating to miscellaneous animal welfare procedures

H.841 creates a new Division of Animal Welfare within Vermont's Department of Public Safety, establishing a Director position with specific qualifications in animal welfare law and regional expertise. The Director must develop a comprehensive plan within eight months covering how to handle animal cruelty complaints, coordinate with local law enforcement, improve investigation procedures, and address funding for seized animals. The bill also requires outdoor cats to be vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and licensed (with indoor cats exempt), and implements a certified rabies vaccinator program. This directly affects animal shelters, pet dealers, rescue organizations, and municipal animal control officers by centralizing enforcement and adding new requirements for outdoor cat management.

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 326: An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to laws relating to motor vehicles

Vermont's S.326 clarifies that residents cannot hold both a non-driver ID card and an operator's license simultaneously. It permits incarcerated individuals to renew licenses or learner's permits upon release without fees and allows the DMV to temporarily suspend licenses for unpaid registration or license fees. The bill also prohibits altering license plate colors or numbers and increases penalties for operating prohibited vehicles in Smugglers' Notch. Additional provisions include permitting electronic signatures for salvage titles and allowing duplicate title certificates at DMV offices.

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 328: An act relating to housing and common interest communities

This bill requires Vermont municipalities to include detailed housing target analyses in their development plans, identifying needed housing types and sites while addressing zoning and infrastructure constraints. It extends tax credits to help first-time homebuyers with down payments and closing costs for primary residences, and caps mobile home lot rent increases to protect residents. The bill also prevents homeowner associations from banning rentals, family child care homes, or electric vehicle chargers in units. These changes directly affect local governments, homebuyers, mobile home park residents, and community associations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 142: An act relating to a pathway to licensure for internationally trained physicians

Vermont's S.142 creates a new licensure pathway for internationally trained physicians (those educated outside the U.S. but licensed in their home country) to practice medicine in Vermont. It establishes two license types: a **provisional license** (valid for two years with mandatory supervision at approved facilities) requiring proof of prior practice, U.S. medical exam scores, and employment with a participating health care facility. After two years of supervised practice under this provisional license, physicians become eligible for a **limited license** (valid for up to two years), which leads to full licensure after two more years. The bill directly affects foreign-trained doctors seeking to work in Vermont and requires participating hospitals to provide mentorship, evaluation, and malpractice coverage during the supervised training period.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2026

S 64: An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

This Vermont bill (S 64) creates a new "advanced therapeutic procedures specialty" for optometrists, allowing them to perform specific eye treatments currently restricted to ophthalmologists. It permits optometrists with this specialty to conduct procedures like removing superficial eye foreign bodies, minor lesion excisions (e.g., chalazia), corneal crosslinking, certain laser treatments (capsulotomy, iridotomy), and targeted injections (e.g., for chalazia or subconjunctival therapy). The bill explicitly prohibits optometrists from performing complex surgeries such as LASIK, corneal transplants, retinal procedures, or injections into the vitreous chamber. This directly affects licensed optometrists in Vermont who pursue the specialty and expands patient access to certain eye care services within defined boundaries.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 293: An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to the Department of Health’s reporting and programming requirements

H 293 changes Vermont's health equity reporting requirements by reducing the frequency of Department of Health reports from annual to every three years starting in 2028. It also updates disclosure rules for cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) registries, requiring written confidentiality agreements before sharing identifiable health data with researchers or other registries. The bill ensures that any shared data must be minimized to what's necessary for research, while maintaining privacy protections under state and federal law. These changes take effect July 1, 2025, and directly affect the Department of Health, healthcare researchers, and state registries managing cancer and ALS patient data.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 294: An act relating to telecommunications services and wages in correctional facilities

This bill requires Vermont correctional facilities to provide free telephone, video, and electronic communication services to incarcerated individuals at no cost to them. It caps commissary prices at no more than 10% above fair market value for comparable community products. The bill mandates that incarcerated individuals receive at least the federal minimum wage for their labor, with wages held in a separate fund and subject to limited deductions for maintenance or victim restitution. Additionally, the Department of Corrections must evaluate contracts with Global Tel Link and the Keefe Group by January 1, 2026, to ensure pricing does not exceed community rates or competitor offerings.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 211: An act relating to data brokers and personal information

This bill (H 211) requires data brokers in Vermont to notify consumers if their personal information is involved in a security breach, certify that data is used for legitimate purposes, and provide an accessible way for consumers to request deletion of their information. It directly affects Vermont residents whose personal data is collected and sold by businesses without a direct customer relationship (e.g., companies selling addresses, phone numbers, or biometric data). Key provisions define "data brokers" narrowly to exclude businesses with direct customer ties (like retailers or employers) and clarify that publicly available business information isn’t covered. The bill aims to strengthen protections for consumer data by adding specific obligations for brokers handling sensitive information like Social Security numbers or biometric identifiers.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Vermont · House May 27, 2026

H 635: An act relating to eliminating Department of Corrections supervisory fees

H 635 eliminates a $30 monthly supervisory fee previously charged to individuals on probation, furlough, supervised community sentences, or parole in Vermont. The bill prohibits the Department of Corrections from assessing, collecting, or pursuing outstanding fees, including through wage garnishment or tax offsets. It requires the department to forgive all existing fees, remove fee references from records, and stop all collection efforts. Failure to pay this fee will no longer be considered a violation of supervision terms.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed both · Vermont · House May 27, 2026

H 772: An act relating to residential rental agreements, eviction procedures, and the creation of the positive rental payment credit reporting pilot program

This bill (H 772) updates Vermont's residential rental laws to protect tenants and clarify landlord obligations. It bans application fees for residential rentals, limits security deposits to two months' rent, and requires specific notice periods for evictions (14 days for nonpayment, 21 days for other breaches). The bill also creates a pilot program through the State Treasurer's office to allow tenants to report on-time rent payments to credit bureaus, helping build credit history. These changes directly affect all landlords and tenants in Vermont rental agreements, with additional technical assistance available via the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity.

Topics ✓ Housing