This bill requires all Vermont postsecondary schools to provide free menstrual products in a majority of gender-neutral bathrooms and bathrooms designated for female students (for students aged 8+), plus in school nurse offices or health centers. It mandates that schools cover the cost of these products, though they may seek grants or partner with nonprofits to help. The law applies to all public and approved independent postsecondary schools in Vermont and takes effect July 1, 2026. It aims to ensure immediate, no-cost access without requiring students to request products.
This bill expands Vermont's Bill of Rights for Sexual Assault Survivors by guaranteeing specific protections during medical exams and criminal investigations. It directly affects survivors who report sexual assault to law enforcement, hospitals, or victim advocates, granting them the right to have a chosen support person present during exams and interviews, retain private counsel throughout proceedings, shower immediately after medical evaluations, and request a same-gender law enforcement officer for interviews. The bill also prohibits using evidence from medical exams to prosecute survivors for minor offenses like drug crimes or misdemeanors. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, and apply to all sexual assault cases reported under Vermont law.
This bill expands Vermont's definition of "victim" to include individuals affected by officer-involved shootings when the person shot was experiencing a mental health crisis. It requires the Victims Compensation Board to provide these individuals with access to services and compensation similar to other crime victims. The bill also mandates mental health crisis training for law enforcement officers as part of certification requirements and incorporates de-escalation techniques into the state's use-of-force policy. These changes directly affect victims of such incidents and their families, ensuring they receive support previously available only to traditional crime victims.
This bill (H.719) allows Vermont hospitals and health systems to collaborate on initiatives like cost containment, improving rural healthcare access, or advancing state health goals without facing antitrust lawsuits, provided they follow a state approval process. It directly affects rural and community hospitals, health systems, and the Agency of Human Services, which must review and approve all proposed collaborations. Key mechanisms include requiring Secretary of Human Services approval before discussions begin, mandating that initiatives align with state health policy, and permitting shared data on costs and quality during approved collaborations. The state agency will also monitor these partnerships through quarterly reporting requirements.
H.815 limits health insurers and Vermont Medicaid from reducing reimbursement rates for mental health, substance use disorder, or developmental disability services below the previous year’s rate. It requires insurers to provide 90 days’ public notice, host stakeholder meetings, and publish impact analyses before changing billing, coding, or service authorization policies affecting these areas. Insurers must also monitor access metrics like provider availability and wait times for 12 months after policy changes and take corrective action if access declines. This directly affects insurers, Medicaid, and mental health providers by standardizing payment stability and increasing transparency in coverage decisions.
This bill (H 657) enables unaccompanied homeless youth aged 16+ to access key services without parental consent. It creates a certification process where youth verified as homeless by school liaisons, shelter directors, or homeless service providers receive a standardized form from the Department for Children and Families. This certification allows youth to obtain medical/dental care, mental health services, driver’s licenses, housing, school enrollment, banking services, and vital records - without needing parental permission. The bill clarifies that parental consent is not required if parents forced the youth out, neglected them, or refused support, with the Department acting in place of a guardian.
This bill appropriates $150,000 from the Vermont General Fund to the Department of Health for the Vermont Language Justice Project. The funds will be used to create multilingual informational materials about disease outbreaks or public health emergencies, specifically for Vermonters who speak languages other than English. The materials must be ready for distribution during health crises, such as pandemics or outbreaks. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and directly affects non-English speaking Vermonters during public health emergencies.
This bill requires federal immigration authorities to obtain a judicial warrant before entering nonpublic areas of Vermont's schools, healthcare facilities, polling places, public libraries, or childcare centers. It also prohibits Vermont's Department of Corrections from assisting federal immigration enforcement beyond what federal law permits and limits civil arrests in government buildings. The Human Rights Commission must create a model policy for sensitive locations by April 2027, guiding institutions on refusing warrantless access requests. These provisions directly affect federal immigration agents, Vermont schools, healthcare providers, and other sensitive location operators.
This bill eliminates a requirement for Vermont's Department of Vermont Health Access to annually compile and share lists of prescription drugs with significant price increases (50%+ over five years or 15%+ in a year). The Department would no longer need to create these lists, which previously included details on cost increases, drug types (generic/brand), and spending data for the Office of the Attorney General and Green Mountain Care Board. The change directly affects the Department's administrative duties under existing prescription drug cost transparency rules. Other provisions in the bill adjust committee memberships, update health insurance market language, and modify Medicaid eligibility and doula service coverage timelines, but the core policy change is removing the annual drug price reporting requirement.
This bill (H 585) reforms health insurance company governance and pricing in Vermont. It requires health insurers to have boards where at least 75% of members are subscribers or public representatives (not providers), with the Governor appointing two public members. The bill also mandates a compensation committee with public representatives to review executive pay and limits primary care provider exemptions from prior authorization. Additionally, it allows limited age-based pricing in individual/small group insurance markets and begins implementing site-neutral billing for certain services. These changes directly affect health insurance companies operating in Vermont’s individual and small group markets.
