# Vermont H.218: An act relating to fiscal year 2026 appropriations from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund Vermont H.218, An act relating to fiscal year 2026 appropriations from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund, is a 2025-2026 Session House bill sponsored by Theresa A Wood (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-14 (House message: Governor approved bill on May 13, 2025); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H218-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Vermont H.218 - State: Vermont - Session: 2025-2026 Session - Title: An act relating to fiscal year 2026 appropriations from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-13 - Last action: 2025-05-14, House message: Governor approved bill on May 13, 2025 - Sponsor: Theresa A Wood (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (206 yes, 82 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 12 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Fewer insurance barriers to opioid treatment: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, health plans cannot require prior approval for opioid use disorder drugs prescribed within FDA dosing recommendations. Plans also cannot require prior approval for related counseling and behavioral therapy when patients receive medication-assisted treatment. The law does not… - Funding for incentive-based recovery services: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, the law provides $800,000 for contingency management, an incentive-based treatment approach. Up to $35,000 goes through Corrections to a Pathways Vermont pilot in Chittenden County. The pilot serves people under Department of Corrections supervision. Health distributes the r… - Linked violence support and recovery services: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives $20,824 for Umbrella in fiscal year 2026. The money connects domestic and sexual violence providers with recovery partners in northeastern Vermont. It funds coordinated services for people receiving support from these providers. - More local opioid treatment and recovery: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives fiscal year 2026 funding for three local treatment and recovery efforts. Project Connectionworks receives $309,000 for prevention, treatment, and recovery services aimed at reducing opioid-related illness and deaths in Windham County. Connecticut Valley Addic… - More opioid prevention and treatment for youth: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives fiscal year 2026 funding for three youth-service programs. Elevate Youth Services receives $200,000 for Healthy Youth Program counselors at Kellogg-Hubbard Library’s Basement Teen Center in Washington County. Friends for Change’s Youth Center in Bellows Falls… - More outreach for people needing recovery: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives $1.976 million for 26 outreach or case management staff in its preferred provider network. They help engage people with substance use disorder at places such as police barracks, shelters, and social-service groups. Health also receives $76,000 for a Vermonter… - Parenting support for people with opioid disorder: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives $80,000 for Prevent Child Abuse Vermont in fiscal year 2026. The money supports parenting-skills instruction for people with opioid use disorder. It also funds social and emotional parenting support. - Housing and shelter help during recovery: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives $1.4 million for residences certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences. Lawmakers intend annual funding of at least that amount, unless the fund lacks enough money. Children and Families’ Office of Economic Opportunity receives $800,000 for lon… - Job help for people with opioid disorder: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living receives $850,000 for HireAbility Vermont in fiscal year 2026. The money funds specialized employment services for people with opioid use disorder. Services are funded in Burlington, Newport, Rutland, and Bennington. - Opioid training for Vermont judges: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, the Judicial Branch receives $50,000 for fiscal year 2026 training for Vermont judges statewide. Training covers opioid use disorder issues and strategies for handling court dockets. - Funding for Burlington overdose prevention center: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives $1.1 million for fiscal year 2026 grants to establish Burlington’s overdose prevention center. Burlington must submit a City Council-approved proposal that meets 18 V.S.A. § 4256 and Department of Health guidelines. Lawmakers intend continued funding for the… - Funding for syringe services and overdose response: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Health receives $850,000 for syringe services in fiscal year 2026. Lawmakers intend annual funding of at least $850,000, unless the fund lacks enough money. Health also receives $32,157 for Brattleboro Fire Department community training. Training covers opioid antidote use,… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Theresa A Wood (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-28 | House | Which was agreed to on a Roll Call Passed -- Needed 72 of 143 to Pass -- Yeas = 119, Nays = 24 | pass | 119 | 24 | 1 | | 2025-03-27 | House | Which was agreed to on a Roll Call Passed -- Needed 73 of 145 to Pass -- Yeas = 87, Nays = 58 | pass | 87 | 58 | 1 | ## Actions (50) - 2025-05-14: House message: Governor approved bill on May 13, 2025 (House) - 2025-05-13: Signed by Governor on May 13, 2025 (House) - 2025-05-07: Delivered to Governor on May 7, 2025 (House) - 2025-05-02: House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment (House) - 2025-05-01: Senate proposal of amendment concurred in (House) - 2025-05-01: Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment (House) - 2025-04-30: Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment (House) - 2025-04-29: Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment (Senate) - 2025-04-25: Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment (Senate) - 2025-04-25: Pending third reading, Senator Lyons proposal of amendment, agreed to (Senate) - 2025-04-25: New Business/Third Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-24: 3rd reading ordered (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Reported favorably by Senator Lyons for Committee on Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Reported favorably by Senator Lyons for Committee on Health and Welfare (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Favorable report by Committee on Health and Welfare (Senate) - 2025-04-24: New Business/Second Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Favorable report by Committee on Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Favorable report by Committee on Health and Welfare (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Second Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-23: Entered on Notice Calendar (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31 (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Favorable report by Committee on Health and Welfare (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Second Reading (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Entered on Notice Calendar (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Health and Welfare (Senate) - 2025-03-28: Which was agreed to on a Roll Call Passed -- Needed 72 of 143 to Pass -- Yeas = 119, Nays = 24 (House) - 2025-03-28: Passed (House) - 2025-03-28: Rep. Steady of Milton demanded yeas and nays (House) - 2025-03-28: Read third time (House) - 2025-03-28: Action Calendar: Third Reading (House) - 2025-03-27: Third Reading ordered (House) - 2025-03-27: Report of Committee on Human Services, as amended, agreed to (House) - 2025-03-27: Report of Committee on Appropriations agreed to (House) - 2025-03-27: Second division of amendment agreed to (House) - 2025-03-27: Which was agreed to on a Roll Call Passed -- Needed 73 of 145 to Pass -- Yeas = 87, Nays = 58 (House) - 2025-03-27: First division of amendment agreed to (House) - 2025-03-27: Rep. Steady of Milton demanded yeas and nays (House) - 2025-03-27: Rep. Steady of Milton asked that the question be divided (House) - 2025-03-27: Rep. Bluemle of Burlington recommended for the Committee on Appropriations (House) - 2025-03-27: Rep. Maguire of Rutland City reported for the Committee on Human Services (House) - 2025-03-27: Read second time (House) - 2025-03-27: Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment (House) - 2025-03-26: Rep. Wood of Waterbury moved to postpone action until 3/27/2025, which was agreed to (House) - 2025-03-26: Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment (House) - 2025-03-25: Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment (House) - 2025-03-11: Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a) (House) - 2025-03-11: Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment (House) - 2025-02-13: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Human Services (House) ## Bill text - As Enacted (ACT 16)Opens in a new window, 2025-05-20: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT016/ACT016%20As%20Enacted.pdf) - As Passed by Both Chambers, 2025-05-06: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Passed by Both House and Senate Official.pdf) - As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial), 2025-05-06: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Passed by Both House and Senate Unofficial.pdf) - Senate Proposal of Amendment, 2025-04-29: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 Senate proposal of amendment Official.pdf) - Senate Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial), 2025-04-29: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 Senate Proposal of Amendment Unofficial.pdf) - As Passed by the House, 2025-04-01: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As passed by the House Official.pdf) - As Passed by the House (Unofficial), 2025-04-01: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Passed by the House Unofficial.pdf) - As Introduced, 2025-02-13: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Introduced.pdf) ## Related bills - H.211: An act relating to data brokers and personal information (signed) - S.313: An act relating to transforming Vermont’s career technical education system (signed) - S.328: An act relating to housing and common interest communities (signed) - S.323: An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects (signed) - S.326: An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to laws relating to motor vehicles (signed) - S.327: An act relating to economic development (signed) ## Sources - [As Enacted (ACT 16)Opens in a new window (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT016/ACT016%20As%20Enacted.pdf) - [As Passed by Both Chambers (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Passed by Both House and Senate Official.pdf) - [As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Passed by Both House and Senate Unofficial.pdf) - [Senate Proposal of Amendment (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 Senate proposal of amendment Official.pdf) - [Senate Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 Senate Proposal of Amendment Unofficial.pdf) - [As Passed by the House (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As passed by the House Official.pdf) - [As Passed by the House (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Passed by the House Unofficial.pdf) - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0218/H-0218 As Introduced.pdf) ## Related - [H.211: An act relating to data brokers and personal information](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H211-2026) - [S.313: An act relating to transforming Vermont’s career technical education system](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S313-2026) - [S.328: An act relating to housing and common interest communities](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S328-2026) - [S.323: An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S323-2026) - [S.326: An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to laws relating to motor vehicles](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S326-2026) - [S.327: An act relating to economic development](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-S327-2026) - [Vermont bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/vermont/bills) - [Vermont state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/vermont) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H218-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).