VermontH.6572025-2026 SessionHouseWALLET

An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families

Sponsored By: Jubilee McGill (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

10 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Children gain stronger restraint and search protections

The law bars the Department from using or authorizing face-down, chemical, or mechanical restraints and strip searches, with narrow secure-program exceptions. A brief mechanical restraint may allow relocation to a less restrictive measure to prevent serious, immediate harm; restrictive garments remain banned. A secure-program strip search requires a pat search showing probable cause of contraband threatening serious bodily harm and refusal to surrender it. The child must have chances to surrender it before and during the search; body-cavity searches are always banned. Physical restraint or seclusion is a last-resort safety measure—not punishment—after less restrictive options fail or cannot work. Trained staff must explain the action, protect privacy, limit trauma, and end it when the danger ends.

Homeless teens gain independent service access

Certified homeless youth ages 16–17 outside a parent’s or guardian’s physical custody can get listed services without parental consent. They must show certification from a school homeless liaison or another authorized person or entity. Covered services include health care, shelter, housing help, employment, education, banking, victim services, specified diversion programs, IDs, driving credentials, and vital records. Health-care consent also covers the youth’s child when the youth is unmarried, is the child’s parent, and has actual custody. The Department must contract with a Vermont youth organization to create and post the form and eligibility information online; certifiers must confirm human-trafficking training within two years. People reasonably relying on certification receive liability protection, and authorized helpers are exempt from specified prohibitions against sheltering or helping runaway children.

Reach Up families lose asset limit

Families applying for or receiving Vermont’s Reach Up cash assistance no longer face the $9,000 asset limit. The law also repeals that limit’s related rules for retirement accounts and child education savings accounts. This removes an asset-based barrier to starting or keeping assistance, without changing other eligibility requirements.

Children’s restraints trigger oversight and notice

Restraint or seclusion beyond 10 minutes requires supervisor approval and oversight; beyond 30 minutes requires clinical and administrative consultation, approval, and oversight. Beyond one hour, continued use requires an in-person clinician assessment and authorization from the on-duty administrator. A familiar, qualified staff member must continuously supervise a child in seclusion. For children in Department custody, programs must notify the Department, parent or guardian, court-appointed guardian, and attorney, as applicable, within 24 hours. Records must describe the behavior justifying each use and reach the child advocacy office within two business days. Requested recordings must be sent securely and blurred to protect other children outside Department custody; the Department must publish annual restraint and seclusion rates.

Safer transportation rules for children

Beginning January 1, 2027, covered child transportation must prevent physical and emotional trauma, protect privacy, and use the least restrictive safe method. The Commissioner designates transporters, authorizes transport methods, puts safeguards in contracts, and verifies that designated transporters reviewed legal training materials. Officers without transport contracts may transport children only in emergencies or by court order. Secure transport requires a documented, individual risk assessment finding it necessary to prevent serious physical harm. Soft restraints must be the first restraint choice; stronger restraints cannot replace them when soft restraints are adequate. Waist shackles are banned through age 12; at age 13 or older, only designated law enforcement agencies may use them as the sole way to prevent serious physical harm. Contracted transporters must document restraint necessity and why less restrictive options failed, were unavailable, or were inadequate; waist-shackle records must explain why no alternative prevents serious harm. Documentation is required before travel unless the need arises during travel, followed by Department supervisory review and annual public secure-transport counts.

Stronger safeguards for foster children’s benefits

The Department for Children and Families cannot use foster children’s Social Security benefits to repay state care costs, except to preserve SSI eligibility. When managing benefits, it may fund unmet needs beyond state care payments at the child’s or foster provider’s request. Beginning July 1, 2028, account requirements include a separate account for each child and a qualified ABLE savings account for SSI recipients. The Department must act in the child’s best interests, monitor federal asset limits, and appeal denied SSI applications. It must give annual benefit-use accountings to the child, designated representatives, the Family Division, and the child advocacy office.

Certified teens get free official documents

Certified unaccompanied youth get an initial nondriver ID and certified copies of vital event certificates at no charge. They also pay no fee for operator’s licenses or operator privilege cards, including additional motorcycle endorsement fees. Waivers cover learner’s permits, duplicate permits, permit renewals, motorcycle learner’s permits and renewals, and motorcycle exams. These waivers require the law’s unaccompanied-youth certification; the provided provisions do not state the usual fee amounts.

Paid participation in children’s correctional review

The corrections and children’s departments must jointly report on restraint and seclusion of minors in correctional facilities by January 1, 2027. A stakeholder work group includes advocacy groups and a young adult with lived experience. Beginning June 15, 2026, members participating outside their professional roles receive daily meeting pay and expense reimbursement for up to five meetings. Payments come from funds appropriated to the child advocacy office; no payment rate is stated.

Paid participation in prenatal support review

The Prenatal Engagement and Family Support Working Group studies the Department’s pregnancy-calendar practice and recommends family supports. Its report is due November 15, 2026, and the group ends February 1, 2027. Beginning July 1, 2026, members not otherwise paid for attendance receive daily meeting pay and expenses for up to five meetings. Members participating outside their professional roles also qualify for daily pay and expense reimbursement for up to five meetings. Those payments come from Department appropriations; no payment rate is stated.

Stronger safety checks for children’s placements

Beginning July 1, 2028, the Department must review five years of child-safety records before contracting for children’s care. Reviews include licensing violations and steps taken to fix them. Out-of-state contracts must require compliance with the law’s restraint and seclusion rules. When an out-of-state provider violates those contract standards or its state’s licensing rules, the Department must remove Vermont children from risk of harm. It must also search for alternative providers.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Jubilee McGill
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Abbey Duke
Democratic • House
Angela Arsenault
Democratic • House
Anne B. B Donahue
Independent • House
Barbara Rachelson
Democratic • House
Brian J Cina
Democrat/Progressive • House
Bridget M Burkhardt
Democratic • House
Chloe Tomlinson
Democrat/Progressive • House
Conor Casey
Democratic • House
Daisy Berbeco
Democratic • House
Doug Bishop
Democratic • House
Edward "Teddy" Waszazak
Democratic • House
Esme Cole
Democratic • House
Gayle S Pezzo
Democratic • House
Herb Olson
Democratic • House
Kate Logan
Democrat/Progressive • House
Michael Mrowicki
Democratic • House
Michelle Bos-Lun
Democratic • House
Rebecca Holcombe
Democratic • House
Saudia LaMont
Democratic • House
Tiffany Bluemle
Democratic • House
Troy Headrick
Independent • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 159 • No: 36

House vote • 5/20/2026

Which was agreed to on a Roll Call Passed -- Needed 68 of 135 to Pass -- Yeas = 133, Nays = 2

Yes: 133 • No: 2 • Other: 1

Senate vote • 5/14/2026

Roll Call, requested by Senator Weeks, Failed -- Needed 15 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 13, Nays = 17

Yes: 13 • No: 17