Vermont Bills

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 15, 2025

H 33: An act relating to expanding employee access to unpaid leave

H.33 expands Vermont's unpaid leave protections to cover domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, bereavement, and military-related family exigencies, directly affecting employees working for businesses with 10+ employees (for parental leave) or 15+ employees (for other leave types). It redefines "family member" to include non-traditional relationships - like caregivers in non-legal bonds or LGBTQ+ families - without requiring legal documentation, and creates "safe leave" for victims of domestic violence or assault. The bill also mandates employer reporting to track how expanded leave impacts workers, particularly low-income employees and non-traditional families. These changes aim to make leave access more equitable while aligning with inclusive standards.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 14, 2025

H 30: An act relating to the use of seclusion and restraint on children and youth in the custody of the Department for Children and Families

H 30 reduces the use of seclusion and restraint on children and youth in residential programs under Vermont's Department for Children and Families (DCF). It defines these terms in law (33 V.S.A. § 3206), requires residential programs to report data consistently, and mandates DCF to update its IT system for better data collection. The bill also requires staff training on alternatives to seclusion and restraint. These changes directly affect children in DCF custody and the residential programs serving them.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 14, 2025

H 29: An act relating to replacing statutory references to Vermont Psychiatric Survivors with MadFreedom, Inc.

This bill updates Vermont statutes to replace references to "Vermont Psychiatric Survivors" with "MadFreedom, Inc." in four specific legal provisions. It affects the Vermont Land Access and Opportunity Board, Health Equity Advisory Commission, Mental Health Crisis Response Commission, and Mental Health Response Service Guidelines by changing the organization that appoints certain members. The bill makes no policy changes - only updates the official name used in these statutory references. It takes effect July 1, 2025.

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 14, 2025

S 8: An act relating to eligibility for Dr. Dynasaur for young adults up to 26 years of age

This bill expands Vermont's Dr. Dynasaur program to cover all young adults under age 26 who live in Vermont and have incomes at or below 312% of the federal poverty level. It directly affects Vermont residents aged 18-26 who currently might not qualify for the program due to age or income limits. The key change amends eligibility rules to remove previous restrictions, making coverage available to all qualifying young adults regardless of prior enrollment status. The program, administered under federal Medicaid/SCHIP rules, will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 14, 2025

H 32: An act relating to treatment for opioid use disorder in correctional facilities

This bill requires Vermont's Department of Corrections to partner with local opioid treatment programs to provide medication for opioid use disorder (like buprenorphine or methadone) in correctional facilities. It ensures inmates with opioid use disorder can continue their prescribed medication upon admission and receive at least a 28-day supply upon release to maintain treatment continuity. The law updates existing medical care standards to mandate these partnerships through memorandums of understanding with community treatment providers. It directly affects incarcerated individuals in Vermont facilities who require opioid use disorder treatment, aligning their care with community-based treatment systems. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to improve access to evidence-based treatment during incarceration and transition to community care.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 10, 2025

H 26: An act relating to guardianship proceedings

This bill consolidates all adult guardianship proceedings into a single Probate Division of the Superior Court, replacing the current split system where some cases are handled in the Family Division. It directly affects approximately 600 adults with disabilities currently under guardianship in the Family Division, who face fewer procedural protections than those in the Probate Division. Key mechanisms include standardizing requirements like mandatory annual reports, court approval for residential changes, guardian ad litem appointments, and detailed evaluations specifying manageable personal/financial tasks. The bill aims to eliminate disparities in due process, accountability, and reporting between the two divisions, ensuring all adults under guardianship receive consistent procedural safeguards.