Legislative View

2021 VCP Legislative Agenda

 

2021 VCP Legislative Updates

2021 Legislative Committees by DA/SSA

Legislative Update for May 4, 2021 – Full Senate Approves FY23 Budget Proposal; Senate Health and Welfare Committee Approves S.120; Bill Updates in House Health Care; Bill H.225 on Decriminalizing Small Amounts of Buprenorphine in the Senate for Consideration; House Human Services Review Bill of Working Group on Services to Adults with Autism; Senate Health and Welfare Committee Approves H.210 with Improvements; House Health Care Committee Learns about Global Commitment Waiver; House Health Care Learns more about OneCare Vermont; Senate Judiciary Committee Completes S.3 on Competency and Insanity

Legislative Update for April 27, 2021 – Senate Appropriations Committee Finalizes FY22 Budget Proposal;Senate Health and Welfare Makes Recommendation of the Budget; Highlights of Final Work by Senate Health and Welfare on Health Reform Bills S.120 and S.132; Senate Health and Welfare Take Further Testimony and Finalizes Health Equities Bill H.210; House Health Care Studies Children Waiting in Emergency Departments; Medicaid 101 and Global Commitment in House Appropriations (link); Facilitation of Interstate Practice Using Telehealth Workgroup in Senate Health and Welfare; Senate Government Operations Committee Considers Eugenics Resolution

Legislative Update for April 20, 2021 – Appropriations Bill Heading into the Final Stretch; H.315 the Quick One-time Bill Becomes Law; House Committees Continue Consideration of S.3; Senate Health and Welfare Continues Work on Health Reform; S.16 on Exclusionary Discipline Reform in House Education Committee; Senate Health and Welfare and Judiciary Committees Study Residential Care for Youth; Mental Health Related Topics in Senate Health and Welfare – Friday April 16, 2021; Senate Health and Welfare Reviews Miscellaneous Mental Health Bill; H.210 on Health Equity

Legislative Update for April 14, 2021 – H.315 the Quick One-time Bill Passes the Full Legislature; Senate Health and Welfare Hears Proposal on Secure Residential; House Judiciary Committee Continues Testimony on S.3; Senate Health and Welfare Learns about All Payer Model Improvement Plan; Senator Health and Welfare Considers Health Reform Options; Joint Resolution Related to Racism as a Public Health Emergency by House Human Services; House Human Services Committee Passes H.225; House Education Hears Testimony on S16, Creating a Taskforce on Exclusionary Discipline Reform

Legislative Update for April 6, 2021 – ARPA; Senate Health and Welfare Reviews House Budget Bill with Joint Fiscal Office’s Stephanie Barrett; House Judiciary Committee Takes on S.3 on Competency and Insanity Defense; Senate Health and Welfare Takes up H.153 on Rates for Medicaid Community Based Services; Senate Health and Welfare Presents Report on Managing Health Expenditures; Senate Health and Welfare Hears from Representative Lippert on Health Equity Bill; House Education Committee Takes Testimony on School Exclusionary Discipline; Senate Health and Welfare heard testimony on H.104 on Interstate Telehealth; House Human Services Takes Up Decriminalizing Small Amounts of Buprenorphine with H225; H. 329 – Amending the Prohibitions Against Discrimination Reviewed by House General Committee

Legislative Update for March 30, 2021 – Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Budget Bill Passes House of Representatives; H.153 Passes the House as Amended by the House Appropriations Committee; H.315 Quick One-Time Bill Passed by Full Legislature; Steve Klein Provides Senate Health and Welfare with Overview of ARPA; H.438, The Capital Bill Passes House of Representatives; House General, Housing and Military Affairs Passes Resolution Offering Eugenics Apology; Senate Health and Welfare Hears update on All Payer Model (APM); H.210 Health Equity Bill Passes House of Representatives; S.117 Health Care Flexibilities Bill Ready for Governor’s Signature; Senate Passes S.3

Legislative Update for March 23, 2021 – House Appropriations Committee Completes Work on FY22 Budget Bill; House Appropriations Adjusts Medicaid Rate Review for Community-based Providers; Senate Passes H.315 Quick One-Time Appropriations Bill; Administration’s Response to Senate on H.315; Substance Use Disorder System of Care Redesign Reviewed by House Human Services; Corrections and Institutions Considers Proposal for Secure Residential; House Health Care Completes Testimony on Secure Residential Residence; Senate Institutions Committee Receives Testimony on Secure Residential Residence; Regulatory Flexibilities Bill is Reviewed by House Health Care Committee; Senate Judiciary Committee Continues Consideration of S.3; House General, Housing and Military Affairs Continues Work on Eugenics with JRH2; Disability Advocacy Day Legislative Panel

Legislative Update for March 17, 2021 – Briefing on Federal Relief Funding; House Appropriations Committee Marks Up the FY22 Budget; House Human Services Addresses Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Community-based Providers; Senate Appropriations Committee Reviews H.315 – One-time Bill; Senate Health and Welfare Reviews One-time Bill H.315; House Health Care Committee Listens to Proposal for New Expanded Secure Residential Facility; Senate Judiciary Committee Finalizes S.3 on Competency to Stand Trial and Insanity Defense; House Health Care Committee Hears More Testimony on H.210 the Racial Disparities Bill; House Health Care Committee Passes Bill on Interstate Practice of Telehealth; Senate Addresses Regulatory Flexibilities; House General, Housing and Military Affairs Considers Eugenics Apology and Next Steps to Address It

 

Legislative Update for March 3, 2021 – House Health Care Committee Recommendations to the Appropriations Committee; House Human Services Reviews Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Community-based Services; Mental Health Commissioner Squirrell Presents Residential Needs to House Health Care Committee; House Committee on Corrections and Institutions on Sequential Intercept; Senate Health and Welfare Looks at Audio-Only; House Health Care Committee Considers Legislative Priorities; House Health Consider H.104 to Allow use of Telemedicine Across State Lines for Mental Health Care; Representative Donahue Introduces H.46 to Expand Reporting on Involuntary Mental Health Procedures; House Health Care Testimony on Health Disparities and H.210 the Health Equity Bill

Legislative Update for February 24, 2021  – House Human Service Committee FY22 Budget Requests; House Health Care Committee Receives Testimony on One-time investments from DMH Commissioner; House Health Care Budget Discussion; The House Appropriations Adopts Recommendations of Health Care Committee for One-time Funding; Senate Appropriations Committee Hears Further Testimony from Department of Mental Health; Senate Health and Welfare on Audio-Only; House Health Care Committee Accepts Testimony on Health Equity Bill

 

Legislative Update for February 16, 2021 – Department of Mental Health Budget Presented to Senate Appropriations and House Health Care; Senate Health and Welfare Receives Update on Federal COVID Funds; Disability Rights Vermont Testifies in House Health Care Committee; House Health Care Learns about Health Care Disparities; House Health Care Considers Bill to Address Health Care Disparities; House Health Care Committee Discusses FY22 Budget; Extending COVID-19 Flexibilities, including Audio-Only Care ; School Discipline Advisory Council; House Human Services Committee Walks through Bill on Involuntary Sterilization; What’s happening next: Recovery Day February 17, 2021; VHCC Legislative Kick off February 17, 2021

Legislative Update for February 10, 2021 – Mental Health Advocacy Day – A Virtual Success; House Human Services Receives Overview of Agency of Human Services Budget Request; Department of Disabilities Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) Budget Request ; House Appropriations Committee Hears Mental Health Budget; Department of Children and Families (DCF) Budget Testimony to House Appropriations Committee; Vermont Care Partners Provides Overview of DA/SSAs to House Health Care Committee; Senate Institutions Committee Accepts Mental Health Advocacy Day Testimony; House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare Listen to Testimony on Extending Flexibilities; House Health Care Learns about Mental Health; Audio-Only Care in House Health Care; Senate Health and Welfare on Continuing COVID-19 Flexibilities; Joint Hearing of Senate Judiciary and House Human Services: Roundtable Discussion on “Aggressive Behavior of Juveniles/Danger to Staff” ; Senate Health and Welfare Take Testimony in Honor of Mental Health Advocacy Day; Justice Reinvestment II Report Presented to Multiple Committees; Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs take Mental Health Advocacy Day Testimony

Legislative Update for February 2, 2021  –  Senate Health and Welfare Hears Overviews from Health Care Providers; House Appropriations Committee Hears Agency of Human Services Budget Overview; House Appropriations Committee Hears DAIL Budget Overview; Senate Health and Welfare Hears Overview of Health Reform; House Health Care Committee Studies Health Reform; Woodside Update 1/26/2021 in Senate Judiciary ;Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) Discussed in House Human Services; Audio-Only Care in House Health Care 1/26/21 and 1/29/21; Homelessness Awareness Day 1/27/21; ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITY – Public Hearing on the FY22 Budget; Information on Your Senators and Representatives; Action Circles Calendar

Legislative Update for January 25, 2021  – Senate Institutions Committee Receives Update on Mental Health Plans; House Human Services, House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare Briefed on Federal Funds; House Appropriations Committee Reviews Revenue Forecast; Senate Health and Welfare Receives Overview from AHS Secretary Mike Smith; House Human Services Learns about Addiction; The Senate Extends Timeframe for CRF Appropriations; ADVOCACY EVENTS and INFORMATON

 

Legislative Update for January 19, 2021 – New Biennium; Pressures and Challenges of 2022 the Budget – Expect a State of Flux; House Appropriations Receives Overview of AHS CRF Expenditures; House and Senate Committees on Health and Human Services Learn about CRF; House Human Services Hears Introductory Remarks by AHS Secretary Mike Smith; Human Service Committee Review of Potential Legislation; Senate Judiciary Committee Plan to Return to Insanity and Competency Issues; Advocacy Events and Information (Mental Health Advocacy Day – Monday, February 1, 2021 / Vermont Virtual Homelessness Awareness Day and Vigil Wednesday, January 27, 2021); Information on Your Senators and Representatives; Action Circles Calendar

__________________________________________________________________________________

2020 VCP Legislative Updates

Legislative Wrap Up for 2020:

Overview of Progress and Achievements

1. FY21 Appropriations – Act 154 (H.969)
2. Health Care and Human Services Appropriations from the Coronavirus Relief Fund Act 136 (H.965)
3. CRF Resources for Broadband Connectivity, Housing, and Economic Relief Act 137 (H.966)
4. Health Reform – Act 140 (S.160)
5. Vermont’s Response to COVID-19 – Act 91 (H.742)
6. Governmental Structures Protecting the Public Health, Safety and Welfare – Act 166 (S.124)

Summary of Budget and Policy Legislation

Appropriations

Budget Overview – Act 154 (H.969); Mental Health Budget Remains in DMH; Corona Virus Relief Funds (CRF); Mental Health and Public Safety; Woodside Juvenile Detention Facility

Policy Legislation

Health Care and Human Services Appropriations from the Coronavirus Relief Fund Act 136 (H.965); COVID-19 Funding and Assistance for Broadband Connectivity, Housing, and Economic Relief Act 137 (H.966); Miscellaneous Health Care Bill – Act 140 (H.960); Vermont’s Response to COVID-19 – Act 91 (H.742); Justice Reinvestment Act 148 (S.338); Governmental Structures Protecting the Public Health, Safety and Welfare – Act 166 (S.124); Workers Compensation and COVID Act 150 (S342)

2020 VCP Legislative Agenda

Fact Sheet Designated and Specialized Service Agencies

Fact Sheet Mental Health

Fact Sheet Developmental Services

3% Fact Sheet 

Legislative Update for October 7, 2020 – Legislature Finalizes the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget – Budget Overview; Fiscal Year 2022 Pressures; Corona Virus Relief Funds (CRF); Mental Health Budget Remains in DMH; Mental Health and Public Safety; Justice Reinvestment; Woodside Juvenile Detention Facility / Other Legislation – S.124 Directs the Criminal Justice Council to Address Racism and Improve Mental Health Supports

Legislative Update for September 24, 2020 – Legislature Focuses on Finalizing the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget; Senate Health and Welfare Reviews DAIL Budget; House Health Care Reviews Public Safety Proposal for Mental Health Workers in State Police Barracks; Senate Health and Welfare Considers Public Safety Proposal; House Health Care Committee Develops Budget Amendment for DPS Proposal; Senate Adjusts Woodside Proposal in the Budget; CRF for Designated and Specialized Service Agencies; House Appropriations Hears Commissioner Greshin’s Opinion on Senate Budget Bill; Senate Health and Welfare and House Health Care Joint Meeting on CRF; Senate Health and Welfare and Senate Appropriations Reviews OneCare Funding for Primary Care; Senate Finance Committee Addresses Broadband

Legislative Update for September 2, 2020 – Legislature Reconvenes with a Focus on Finalizing the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget; Scott Administration Proposes FY21 Budget Restatement with Few Changes; House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare Committees Take Testimony on the FY21 Budget; Appropriations Committees Deliberates Budget and Takes Public Testimony; Department Budget Testimony – Department of Mental Health Overview; DAIL Budget Overview; DVHA Budget Overview; Department of Health Budget Overview; Joint Fiscal Oversight Committee Considers Woodside; House Health Care Committee Considers Mental Health Funding; Senate Committees Supportive of Embedded Workers at State Police Barracks; Senate Appropriations Considers Hazard Pay; Education

VCP FY21 Budget Request

Legislative Update for July 1, 2020 –  Legislative and Funding Overview; Legislature Approves First Quarter Appropriation Bill H.961; Senate Adjusts the House CRF Bill H.965 for Health and Human Services; Legislature Passes H.966 to fund Broadband, Housing and Economic Relief with CRF; Legislature Passes Miscellaneous Health Care Bill; Workers Compensation Legislation Passes Legislature; Secretary of Education Dan French Addresses How Schools Shall Reopen

 

Legislative Update for June 23, 2020 – House Passes CRF Bill for Health Providers H.965; Senate Health and Welfare Committee Begins Deliberation of CRF for Health Providers in H.965; Senate Appropriations Committee Reviews the work of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on H.965; Senate Amends First Quarter of FY21 Budget with Plan for Mental Health Workers in State Trooper Barracks; Senate Judiciary Committee Take Testimony on S.219 Law Enforcement Bill; Senate Plans to Amend S.218 on the DMH 10-year Plan to an Act Establishing the Mental Health Integration Council; House of Representatives Passes H.966 CRF (corona virus relief fund) for Broadband, Connectivity and Housing; Senate Health and Welfare Amends Health Care Bill Further

Legislative Update for June 16, 2020 – House of Representatives Considers Appropriation of Corona Virus Relief Funds CRF; Vermont Care Partners Advocacy on CRF; House Appropriations Works Through CRF Appropriations Recommendations; House Appropriations Receives Proposal from House Health Care Committee; House Health Care Committee Recommendations on CRF to House Appropriations Committee; Broadband Discussed by Senate Finance; CRF to address Housing and Homelessness; Senate Health and Welfare Begins Consideration of CRF; Mental Health Commissioner Squirrell Presents to Senate Health and Welfare on Brattleboro Retreat; Senate Judiciary Committee Begins Work on Addressing Police Brutality Concerns; House Education Committee Learns about Success Beyond Six Challenges; Legislative Process for FY21

Legislative Update for June 8, 2020 – Legislative Process for Fiscal Decisions; CRF Appropriation Deliberations; House Health Care Committee Takes Testimony from the Chair of the Green Mountain Care Board; Coalition of Health Care Providers Make Recommendations to the House Health Care Committee on June 3^rd ; Secretary Smith Testifies about the CRF to Human Service and Health Care Committees on June 3^rd and 4^th; House Health Care Committee Continues Deliberations of CRF Expenditures on June 5^th;Brattleboro Retreat to Receive Additional Funding; Judiciary Committee

Legislative Update for June 2, 2020 –  Opportunity for Further COVID-19 Funding; Health Care Providers Testify to the House Health Care Committee and Senate Health and Welfare Committee; Highlights of Information Presented to Appropriations Committees; Finance Commissioner Adam Greshin Presents FY21 First Quarter Skinny Bill to House Appropriations Committee; AHS CFO Sara Clark Presents to House Appropriations Committee; House Appropriations Committee Budget Discussions; Budget Adjustment Bill Ready for Governor Scott’s Signature; Telehealth Options Studied by Senate Health and Welfare; House Human Services Hears DCF testimony on Woodside and COVID Residential Programs

Legislative Update for May 19, 2020 – House Appropriation Receives Briefing on FY21 Budget Request; Updates of Federal Funding; Budget Adjustment Bill at Finish Line in the House; House Human Services Learns about the New Budget Adjustment Proposal for AHS; Senate Health and Welfare and House Health Care Committees Receive Budget Update from AHS; Senate Health and Welfare Considers Extension of COVID-19 Health Care Measures

Legislative Update for May 11, 2020 – Update of the New Fiscal Realities; Essential Employee Hazard Grant Program Gains Support; Health Committees Review Telehealth; House General, Housing and Military Affairs Addresses Homelessness; Senate Health and Welfare Develops Legislation to Plan for After the Pandemic is Past the Disaster Stage; Senate Caucus

Legislative Update for April 28, 2020 – The Legislature Makes Adjustments in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic; Update of the New Fiscal Realities; Joint Fiscal Committee Adopts Conditions for the Acceptance of the Coronavirus Relief Funds to Vermont; Special Education Discussed by House Education Committee; Children’s Integrated Services

Legislative Update for April 17, 2020  – The Legislature Makes Adjustments to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic; Act 95 Addresses COVID-19; Legislature Explores New Financial Realities; House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare Hear from Secretary Smith on Response to Covid-19; DMH Testimony at House Health Care on March 27th; Senate Health and Welfare Returns to S.290; House Health Care Committee House Education Hears Testimony from Four School Superintendents; House Education Hears Testimony on School Mental Health; AOE Special Ed Guidance; Justice Reinvestment Bill Continues Moving Forward

Legislative Update for March 6, 2020  –  House Appropriations Committee Deliberates the FY21 Budget Recommendations; Senate Health and Welfare Returns to Rutland Mobile Response Bill; Justice Reinvestment Bill Passes the Senate; S.183 on Insanity and Competency Ready for Passage by the Senate

Legislative Update for February 25, 2020 – Senate Health and Welfare Hears Vermont Care Partners Request for Financial Review; House Appropriations Committee Takes Testimony from Human Service Advocates; House Health Care Budget letter; House Human Services Committee Budget Letter; Senate Health and Welfare Reviews S.302 Mobile Response Bill; Senate Judiciary Committee at the Finish line with S.183 on Insanity and Competency; Senate Health and Welfare Reviews S.183 on Insanity and Competency Legal Issues; Senate Appropriations Committee Reviews Justice Reinvestment Bill S.388; Senate Judiciary Considers Closure of Woodside; House Human Services Studies Woodside; Senate Health and Welfare Hears Vision 2030 Report Presented by Mental Health Commissioner

Legislative Update for February 18, 2020 – House Appropriations Committee Discusses Public Hearing Testimony; Senate Appropriations Hears Budget Testimony on Mental Health; House Health Care Hears about Department of Mental Health (DMH) Performance Measures; Senate Judiciary Committee Continues to Study Insanity and Incompetency Legislation; House Health Care Committee Learns about the Mental Health Residential Continuum; House Health Care Studies Suicide; Board of Education & Agency of Education Rule Making Authority Under Study; Budget Adjustment Bill, H.760, Nears Finish Line with House and Senate Amendments

Legislative Update for February 10, 2020 – House Committee on Appropriations Hears Mental Health Budget Proposal for FY20; Mental Health Budget Presented to House Health Care Committee; Senate Judiciary Committee Finalizes the Justice Reinvestment Bill; Senate Appropriations Committee Hears Health Department Budget Proposal; Senate Health and Welfare Takes First Testimony on S.302 Mobile Response for Youth in Rutland; New version of S.183 Taken up by Senate Judiciary Committee; S. 290 on Health Care Reform Implementation Reviewed by Senate Health and Welfare Committee

Legislative Update for February 4, 2020 –  Save The Dates; Mental Health Advocacy Day Make a Strong Statement of Support for Community Mental Health; House Human Services Takes a full Morning of Testimony on Mental Health; Senate Institutions Learns about Intensive Residential Recovery Proposal; House Human Services Learns about experiences with Developmental Disability and Substance Use; House General, Housing and Military Affairs Learns about the Experience of Homelessness; Senate Judiciary Begins Work on Justice Reinvestment Bill; Human Services Secretary Mike Smith Presents FY21 Budget to House Appropriation Committee; AHS Budget Highlights: Initiatives (base funding will annualize, one time funding will not); Two Committees look at Use of Force by Law Enforcement; House Appropriations Committee Hears Department of Children and Families FY21 Budget Proposal; House Health Care Committee Receives Update on Secure Residential Development

Legislative Update for January 27, 2020 – Save the Dates; Governor Scott’s Budget Address; Senate Judiciary Committee Continues Testimony on Insanity Plea; House Health Care Learns about Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMDs);Council of State Government Presents Justice Reinvestment II; House Human Services Hears OneCare Overview

Legislative Update for January 21, 2020 – House Human Services Learns about Developmental Disability Services; Senate Judiciary Committee Begins Study of Insanity Defense as Proposed in S.183; House Corrections and Institutions Studies Woodside; GMCB Reviews their Analysis of the Brattleboro Retreat Finances at House Health Care; House Appropriations and Health Care Committee Learns about All Payer Model; House Health Care and Senate Health and Welfare Jointly Receive Testimony from OneCare; Senate Health and Welfare Hears Rural Health Task Force Report; Senate Institutions Gets Update on Secure Residential facility; State Revenue Forecast increases by $44 Million

Legislative Update for January 13, 2020 – Save the Dates; House Corrections and Institutions Hears from Incoming Human Services Secretary Mike Smith; Mental Health Commissioner Squirrell Updates the House Corrections and Institutions Committee; AHS Secretary Smith Presents Budget Adjustment Request to Senate Appropriations Committee; Governor’s Scott Presents State of the State Speech; House Appropriations Hears Mental Health Overview on January 9^th; Senate Education Committee Plans Revisions to State funding of Schools; Justice Reinvestment

Legislative Update for January 6, 2020 – Vermont Care Partners Legislative Agenda; Mental Health Advocacy Day and Advocacy Webinar; Budget Adjustment and Fiscal Issues; OneCare and Delivery System Reform Funding; Woodside Juvenile Detention Center Discussed at Justice Oversight; Save the Dates

Make Your Voice Heard! Mental Health Advocacy Day is January 29th Please join us at the State House on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 @ 8:00 a.m.

---

2019 Legislative Wrap Up

VCP Legislative Agenda 2019

2019 Legislative Updates

* 2019 Legislative Wrap Up

*  Update for May 18, 2019

*  Update for May 7, 2019

*  Update for April 30, 2019

*  Update for April 23, 2019

*  Update for April 16, 2019

*  Update for April 9, 2019

*  Update for April 2, 2019

*  Update for March 25, 2019

*  Update for March 19, 2019

*  Update for March 9, 2019

*  Update for February 26, 2019

*  Update for February 20, 2019

*  Update for February 12, 2019

*  Update for February 5, 2019

*  Update for January 29, 2019

*  Update for January 23, 2019

*  Update for January 15, 2019

 

---

---

 

2018

2018 VCP Legislative Wrap Up