Rep. Wood: Wrapping up a thorny biennium; running to continue in 2027

June 15, 2026  |  By Rep. Theresa Wood

The 2026 legislative session ended with the budget, yield bill and the education bill wrapping up one of the more difficult biennium sessions in my 11 years of service to the citizens of Bolton, Buel’s Gore, Huntington and Waterbury. Even with that difficulty, I am prepared to continue this work going forward. I am seeking another term to represent you and do this important work if the voters make that decision in November. I consider it not only an honor but an immense responsibility to represent the residents of this district, and I do not take that responsibility lightly. 

I am providing a brief summary of some of the important bills from the House Human Services Committee, which I chair, that made it all the way through the arduous legislative process.

H.545 – Immunization Recommendations

This bill authorizes the Vermont Department of Health to recommend immunization schedules that may differ from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines, informed by the Vermont Immunization Advisory Council. The bill does not mandate or prohibit vaccination; Vermonters retain access to immunizations on the schedule at no cost and make their own decisions to be vaccinated or not.

H.938 – Vermont Homelessness Response Continuum

After years of work trying to address the needs of Vermonters experiencing homelessness, this bill overhauls the state's approach for roughly 4,000 unhoused Vermonters by creating a tiered system moving households from prevention and diversion through various shelter options to permanent supportive housing, with motels as a last resort. Motel use is capped at 700 rooms nightly in warmer months and 1,000 in winter, with individual households limited to 70 motel days per year in the warmer season. The bill also includes a focus on supportive services, including case management and housing navigation. Lastly, the bill establishes a state-funded rental assistance program as a bridge to the currently closed Section 8 federal rental subsidies. The total spending of approximately $83 million matches the total proposed in Gov. Phil Scott’s budget.

H.660 – FY2027 Opioid Abatement Special Fund

This bill allocates approximately $7.6 million received as part of a national settlement and will be used for opioid-related services including outreach, recovery residences, syringe services, peer coaching in corrections, harm reduction, treatment beds, EMS buprenorphine training, and employment services. Additional provisions include a suspension of new FY2028 proposals pending an outcomes review, required quarterly spending reports, and approximately $640,000 is appropriated for youth prevention programs out of the Substance Misuse Prevention Fund.

S.198 — Regulation of Tobacco Products and Tobacco Substitutes

This bill modernizes Vermont's tobacco laws by expanding the definition of “tobacco substitute,” banning deceptive tobacco products (including vapes disguised as everyday items like markers or clothing or embedded in games to target youth), broadening licensing requirements, increasing fees and penalties, decoupling tobacco and liquor licensure, transferring regulation and enforcement of wholesale tobacco companies from the Department of  Taxes to the Department of Liquor and Lottery, and replacing criminal penalties for minors with stronger civil penalties on sellers.

H.657 – Department for Children and Families (DCF) Omnibus Bill

This bill allows certified unaccompanied homeless youth (ages 16–17) to consent to medical care, housing, employment, banking, and school enrollment without parental consent; strengthens standards for transportation, restraint, and seclusion of youth in state custody; and prohibits DCF from using foster youth's Social Security benefits to offset state costs, except in limited circumstances, aligning Vermont with most other states.

Updates on other key legislation that passed will be forthcoming as we await the final actions by the governor. 

And finally, huge congratulations to the graduating seniors from Harwood Union and Mount Mansfield Union high schools. The weather cooperated with plenty of sunshine to match the smiles and accomplishments of these young people and their families/guardians and teachers.

Rep. Theresa Wood, D-Waterbury, represents the Washington-Chittenden House district, which covers Waterbury, Bolton, Huntington and Buel’s Gore. She chairs the House Human Services Committee. Contact her at twood@leg.state.vt.us.