Bill > S0120

This bill proposes a comprehensive shift in Vermont's approach to drug possession and substance use, moving from a criminal justice model to a public health-centered strategy. The bill establishes the Community Care, Health, and Safety Special Fund, which will be financed by 40 percent of cannabis excise tax revenues and a portion of opioid settlement funds, to provide grants for community-based services aimed at reducing drug use harm. It eliminates criminal penalties for possessing or dispensing personal use quantities of regulated drugs, instead requiring individuals found with such amounts to receive health needs screening and access to support services. A newly created Drug Use Health and Safety Advisory Board will determine the benchmark personal use supply for different drugs, with the goal of preventing criminalization. The bill emphasizes that the current punitive approach has been ineffective in reducing overdose deaths and has disproportionately impacted communities of color, and argues that a health-based approach focusing on harm reduction, treatment, and support will better serve individuals struggling with substance use disorder. The legislation includes provisions for establishing community care resource centers, peer counseling, low-barrier treatment services, and mobile outreach teams to provide comprehensive support for individuals with substance use-related needs.

Justice

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/S.120