# Vermont H.231: An act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes Vermont H.231, An act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes, is a 2025-2026 Session House bill sponsored by Larry Satcowitz (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-09 (House message: Governor approved bill on June 5, 2025); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VT-H231-2026 - 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.231 - State: Vermont - Session: 2025-2026 Session - Title: An act relating to technical corrections to fish and wildlife statutes - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-18 - Last action: 2025-06-09, House message: Governor approved bill on June 5, 2025 - Sponsor: Larry Satcowitz (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 15 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Free fishing licenses for developmental disabilities: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, Vermont residents with qualifying developmental disabilities can get a free permanent fishing license. Applicants must submit a signed statement from their treating health care provider. The statement must certify that they meet Vermont's legal definition of developmental… - Free Labor Day fishing with mentors: benefit, low. The Commissioner can designate Labor Day weekend each year as a three-day free mentored fishing weekend. During a designated weekend, one licensed angler can fish with up to four unlicensed anglers age 15 or older. The license-free opportunity applies only when the Commissioner designates the weeke… - Some wildlife charges qualify as minor: benefit, low. Some wildlife offenses not already listed as minor can now be charged as minor violations. The person must have no prior wildlife violations; no evidence can be seized, no criminal warrant used, and no forfeiture possible. Big game offenses and offenses committed under license revocation do not qua… - Higher penalties and hunting license suspensions: cost, high. Covered big game violations carry a $500–$2,000 fine, up to 60 days in prison, or both. Repeat convictions, or convictions during a hunting or fishing license suspension, carry $2,000–$5,000 fines, up to 180 days, or both. Covered offenses also include specified endangered-species, animal-trade, in… - Farmers lose wildlife damage reimbursements: cost, high. Beginning July 1, 2025, farmers lose the state reimbursement program for qualifying deer or black bear damage. The former benefit paid up to $5,000 per year. It covered specified damage to crops, livestock, poultry, bees, and bee hives. - Live wildlife permits cost $100: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2025, live-wildlife import, transport, and possession limits expressly include reptiles and amphibians. Bringing in, moving within or through Vermont, or possessing these animals requires authorization from the Commissioner or a designee. Each permit application under the live-wil… - New limits on pond slider turtles: cost, low. The law generally bans importing, possessing, or selling pond slider turtles in Vermont. Owners can keep turtles legally acquired as pets before July 1, 2025. Validly permitted pet dealers and commercial collectors can keep and sell turtles documented as possessed before that date. Owners must not… - Public water violations face $300 penalties: cost, low. People who break covered rules for using public waters face enforcement or fines of up to $300 per violation. The Judicial Bureau has jurisdiction over these rule violations. - Reptile and amphibian hunting needs permission: cost, low. The law bars intentionally taking reptiles or amphibians unless state rules allow it. Beginning January 1, 2027, the Commissioner has rulemaking authority over their taking, possession, commercial collection, export, and sale. Rules can cover common S5-ranked species, species targeted for populatio… - Tighter weapon rules in highway vehicles: cost, low. The law restricts specified weapons and projectiles in or on motor-powered vehicles, or vehicles they tow, within public-highway rights-of-way. Covered items include air rifles, arrow rifles, pre-charged pneumatic rifles, and projectiles in rifles or shotguns. Charged muzzle-loaders with enabled ig… - Tighter trade rules for endangered species: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, people cannot sell or offer threatened or endangered species for sale within Vermont without legal authorization. The law also bars delivering, receiving, carrying, transporting, or shipping them in trade within the state without authorization. Importing them into Vermont or… - Climate charges use fuel-linked emissions: cost, low. Beginning June 5, 2025, climate cost recovery counts emissions from fossil fuels extracted or refined during the covered period. It is not limited to gases released during that period. Responsible parties are fossil-fuel extractors, crude-oil refiners, or their successors linked to more than one bi… - Building protection allows limited nest removal: mixed, low. You can remove a bird nest when necessary to protect a building, but only after it has no eggs or chicks. Birds must also have stopped using the nest for feeding. These nest and egg protections do not cover rock pigeons, house sparrows, or European starlings. - Fishing tournament fees and permit exceptions: mixed, low. Required tournament permits cost $10 for up to 25 participants, $30 for 26–50, and $100 for more than 50. Tournaments limited to entrants under 15, or held as part of Special Olympics, pay no permit fee. Connecticut River tournaments need no Vermont permit when they use no Vermont access area. That… - Species locations protected but access limited: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, the Secretary generally cannot share exact threatened or endangered species locations. This protects sensitive sites but limits access to land information. Regulatory exceptions do not cover especially vulnerable species whose names and locations must remain secret. Permit a… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Larry Satcowitz (Democratic), House ## Actions (44) - 2025-06-09: House message: Governor approved bill on June 5, 2025 (House) - 2025-06-05: Signed by Governor on June 5, 2025 (House) - 2025-05-30: Delivered to Governor on May 30, 2025 (House) - 2025-05-29: House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment (House) - 2025-05-28: Senate proposal of amendment concurred in (House) - 2025-05-28: Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment (House) - 2025-05-27: Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment (House) - 2025-05-23: Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Rules suspended & bill placed on all remaining stages of passage, on motion of Senator Baruth (Senate) - 2025-05-23: 3rd reading ordered (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Proposal of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, as amended, agreed to (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Proposal of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy amended as moved by Senator(s) Douglass (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Proposal of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy amended as recommended by Committee on Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Reported favorably by Senator Perchlik for Committee on Appropriations with proposal of amendment (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Reported favorably by Senator Mattos for Committee on Finance (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Watson for Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Rules suspended & taken up for immediate consideration, on motion of Senator Baruth (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Favorable report by Committee on Finance (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Second Reading (Senate) - 2025-05-23: Entered on Notice Calendar (Senate) - 2025-05-22: Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31 (Senate) - 2025-05-22: Favorable report by Committee on Finance (Senate) - 2025-05-22: Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (Senate) - 2025-05-22: Second Reading (Senate) - 2025-05-22: Entered on Notice Calendar (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31 (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Second Reading (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Entered on Notice Calendar (Senate) - 2025-03-21: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Read third time and passed (House) - 2025-03-19: Rep. Satcowitz of Randolph, Sheldon of Middlebury, Austin of Colchester, Bartholomew of Hartland, Chapin of East Montpelier, Labor of Morgan, Logan of Burlington, Morris of Springfield, North of Ferrisburgh, Pritchard of Pawlet, and Tagliavia of Corinth moved to amend the bill, which was agreed to (House) - 2025-03-19: Action Calendar: Third Reading (House) - 2025-03-18: Third Reading ordered (House) - 2025-03-18: Report of Committee on Environment agreed to (House) - 2025-03-18: Rep. Satcowitz of Randolph reported for the Committee on Environment (House) - 2025-03-18: Read second time (House) - 2025-03-18: Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment (House) - 2025-03-14: Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment (House) - 2025-02-18: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Environment (House) ## Bill text - As Enacted (ACT 47)Opens in a new window, 2025-06-11: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT047/ACT047%20As%20Enacted.pdf) - As Passed by Both Chambers, 2025-05-30: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 As Passed by Both House and Senate Official.pdf) - As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial), 2025-05-30: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 As Passed by Both House and Senate Unofficial.pdf) - Senate Proposal of Amendment, 2025-05-23: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 Senate proposal of amendment Official.pdf) - Senate Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial), 2025-05-23: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 Senate Proposal of Amendment Unofficial.pdf) - As Passed by the House, 2025-03-25: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 As passed by the House Official.pdf) - As Passed by the House (Unofficial), 2025-03-25: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 As Passed by the House Unofficial.pdf) - As Introduced, 2025-02-14: [PDF](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 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 47)Opens in a new window (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/ACTS/ACT047/ACT047%20As%20Enacted.pdf) - [As Passed by Both Chambers (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 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-0231/H-0231 As Passed by Both House and Senate Unofficial.pdf) - [Senate Proposal of Amendment (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 Senate proposal of amendment Official.pdf) - [Senate Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 Senate Proposal of Amendment Unofficial.pdf) - [As Passed by the House (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 As passed by the House Official.pdf) - [As Passed by the House (Unofficial) (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 As Passed by the House Unofficial.pdf) - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0231/H-0231 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-H231-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).