This bill (H 569) updates Vermont's hospital licensing and patient rights laws to explicitly allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to serve as the primary coordinator of a hospital patient's care, alongside physicians. It amends the Patients' Bill of Rights (18 V.S.A. § 1852) to state patients have the right to "an attending physician or APRN" responsible for care coordination, and revises hospital licensing requirements (18 V.S.A. § 1905) to require patients be under care of "a licensed physician or an APRN." The changes directly affect hospitals (which must now permit APRNs to coordinate care), patients (who gain the right to choose APRNs as primary care coordinators), and APRNs (who gain expanded scope under hospital licensing). The bill does not alter APRN practice standards but clarifies their role in hospital settings.
S 184 creates a Community Justice Center Working Group to identify available support services for pretrial diversion and transitional needs, including behavioral health services, across Vermont's community justice centers. The group, composed of representatives from community justice centers, courts, mental health, health, corrections, and the Attorney General's office, will assess service gaps and develop mechanisms to share this information with courts and stakeholders. The Working Group must submit findings and recommendations to the Vermont General Assembly by December 1, 2026. This bill does not make direct policy changes but establishes a process to improve service coordination for individuals navigating the justice system.
H 561 increases fees for small-scale electric generation projects in Vermont. It doubles the application fee for facilities under 50 kW (like rooftop solar or small hydro) from $100 to $200, and raises modification fees from $25 to $200. Larger projects not qualifying for these lower rates will pay $8 per kW (up from $5) plus a $400 modification fee. The bill affects residential and small business energy project developers seeking permits, effective July 1, 2026.
This bill (H.560) amends Vermont's Cybersecurity Advisory Council membership by adding three new positions: the Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Institutions, and a representative from the Judiciary appointed by the Chief Justice. The Council advises the state on cybersecurity infrastructure, best practices, communications protocols, and safeguards. These changes aim to strengthen legislative and judicial input into cybersecurity planning. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.
This bill establishes time limits for criminal trials in Vermont: defendants charged with nonviolent misdemeanors can seek dismissal if trial hasn't started within one year, and those charged with nonviolent felonies can do so after two years. Prosecutors must respond to such dismissal motions within 14 days, explaining delays using specific factors like offense seriousness or defendant history. The bill excludes certain delays from these timelines, such as mental competency evaluations, defendant absence, or court-ordered continuances with documented justification. It directly affects defendants facing criminal charges and prosecutors managing case timelines.
This bill removes an expiration date (sunset) for the Vermont Public Utility Commission's authority to approve telecommunications facilities under 30 V.S.A. § 248a. It directly affects telecom companies seeking permits for infrastructure and the Public Utility Commission, which would no longer face a deadline for processing new applications. The key provision deletes the existing clause stating that no new applications could be considered after July 1, 2026. The change takes effect on July 1, 2026, ensuring the Commission's authority to issue certificates of public good for telecom facilities continues indefinitely.
H.580 would create a unified public employees' health plan covering current and retired State, school, municipal, and university workers in Vermont. It establishes an independent commission to design the plan and set cost-sharing between employers and employees, while removing health care from collective bargaining. The bill requires all public employee health insurance costs to be tracked in a single budget line item, mandating annual transparency reports on total costs, cost per covered person, and year-over-year trends. It also directs the Governor’s budget to present public employee health benefits and Medicaid costs together, along with detailed breakdowns of expenditures for other state health programs.
This bill requires mental health officials to notify crime victims at least 10 days before discharging someone committed after being found incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity. Victims can then request a court hearing within 10 days to share their views on the discharge, which would pause the release until the hearing concludes. The court must issue its decision within 15 days after the hearing. This applies to all cases where the defendant was found incompetent to stand trial, including those where the criminal case remains pending.
This bill changes where appeals of Act 250 land use permits are heard. It moves these appeals from the Environmental Division of the Superior Court to the Land Use Review Board. The key change requires anyone appealing a District Commission permit decision to file directly with the Board within 30 days, instead of the court. The Board will hold a new hearing (de novo) on the appeal, considering the original permit decision but not bound by it. This affects developers, landowners, and environmental groups involved in Act 250 permit disputes across Vermont.
Vermont's H.524 adopts the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, enabling licensed respiratory therapists from Vermont to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects respiratory therapists seeking to work across state lines and improves patient access to respiratory therapy services, particularly for military families relocating or addressing workforce shortages. The compact establishes a standardized process for licensure portability while maintaining each state's authority to protect public health through existing licensing rules. It creates a "Compact privilege" allowing therapists to practice in member states where patients are located, streamlining administrative requirements.
H 522 would require enhanced oversight, informed consent processes, and accountability measures for prescriptions of psychotropic medications (medications affecting mood or behavior) for children and youth enrolled in Vermont's Dr. Dynasaur program. The bill mandates that healthcare providers obtain specific, documented informed consent from parents or guardians before prescribing these medications and establishes clearer reporting requirements for providers. It directly affects children and youth in the Dr. Dynasaur program and the healthcare providers who prescribe these medications within it. The bill aims to strengthen safeguards around the use of such medications for vulnerable young people.
This Vermont bill (S 195) requires the Office of Defender General to provide legal representation for individuals involved in criminal cases who are subject to mental health commitment proceedings (e.g., those found incompetent to stand trial or acquitted due to insanity). It also gives courts authority to review and modify orders for treatment outside hospitals (nonhospitalization) if the treatment isn't working or the person isn't complying, potentially switching to hospitalization. The law applies directly to criminal defendants in mental health cases and changes how courts handle treatment plans for up to 90 days. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
