Lawmakers Hear Multiple Panels on AI in Health Care, Habitat Mapping, Housing and Education Funding
Members of several legislative committees on Feb. 20 heard testimony and staff walkthroughs on a range of bills and policy items, with detailed discussion of proposed mandates, enforcement language, agency authorities and fiscal implications.
Health Care — AI, neurological rights and mental health chatbots
The House Health Care committee considered multiple draft bills addressing artificial intelligence in health and human services, including provisions described as an "act relating to neurological rights" and separate bills targeting AI use in mental health services.
Committee materials and testimony set out definitions for "artificial intelligence technology," "covered entity generative AI," "generative artificial intelligence" and "mental health chatbot." Witnesses and counsel described provisions that would require specific written informed consent for technologies that bypass conscious decision‑making, and said consent must be revocable as easily as it was provided. The drafts differentiate administrative uses of AI — scheduling, billing, transcription, documentation support and quality‑improvement data analysis — from clinical therapeutic judgment, which the bills would reserve to qualified human providers.
Committee discussion referenced statutory definitions aligned with federal HIPAA rules for health care providers and plans and included proposed confidentiality and consent protections tied to existing health privacy laws. Several segments identified potential enforcement language, describing violations as unfair or deceptive acts in commerce and noting civil penalties and other enforcement mechanisms in draft text.
Members reviewed findings cited by staff and witnesses about risks from chatbots, including research alleging inappropriate therapeutic responses and safety failures, and testimony about reported harms tied to use of commercial chatbots. Witnesses from the Neuro Rights Foundation and practicing neurologists described proposed Chapter 42c on neurological rights and urged legal and regulatory frameworks to protect neural data, cognitive liberty and protection from unauthorized neurotechnological manipulation.
Witnesses and counsel flagged differences across bill drafts on scope, exemptions and the strength of consent and confidentiality language, and noted some carve‑outs that would permit AI for non‑therapeutic support functions provided clinicians retain clinical responsibility.
Natural Resources & Energy — Tier‑three mapping, Act 181 and regulatory authority
The Senate Natural Resources & Energy committee received briefings on implementation elements tied to prior session laws, including references to Act 181 and Act 101 in staff remarks.
Department staff described work on identifying "tier three" areas — mapped zones of critical natural resources and habitat connectors — and said the board was given authority to determine where those areas are and what development should trigger Act 250 permitting. Officials described a two‑part effort to draft both spatial maps and rulemaking for the jurisdictional and design standards that would apply within those areas. They said the mapping and rulemaking have generated attention because habitat connectors often occur along roads where development also takes place, and the department is refining selection to focus on highest‑priority road segments and to exclude areas immediately around existing homes.
Officials said they intend public outreach for landowners in tier‑three areas but noted uncertainty about the number of affected landowners until mapping is complete and said mailing costs could make broad direct mailing infeasible if the affected population is large. Staff emphasized use of statewide data products to prioritize landscape‑scale habitat connectors rather than parcel‑level features.
The committee also reviewed draft regulatory language on wakeboat operation and lake use tied to S.20, which would limit wakeboat operation to waters authorized by the department and would require vessel registration or validation for owners or controllers of wakeboats on authorized waters.
Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs — Act 77, flexible pathways and S.207
The Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs committee heard students, foundation representatives and agency staff on implementation and funding tied to Act 77 (the Flexible Pathways law). Testimony summarized Act 77 goals to support high school completion and postsecondary readiness, including Early College and a "Free Degree Promise" supported by philanthropic grants.
Witnesses described program outcomes and funding mechanics: Early College students take academic work at community college partners, and proponents said program expansion and related free‑tuition initiatives have increased low‑income student access and program completion. Committee presenters noted ongoing efforts to secure sustainable funding, including a proposal discussed to expand the list of beneficiaries of the Higher Education Trust Fund to support these pathways.
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The committee also moved to S.207, described as an act relating to prohibiting surveillance pricing; staff and witnesses discussed pricing posting requirements and retail pricing practices. Presenters flagged legal and market implications of prohibitions on real‑time dynamic pricing and suggested potential unintended market responses.
Environment — bottle bill, redemption centers and program costs
The House Environment committee heard from redemption center operators and industry representatives about proposed changes to the bottle bill and implementation details. Redemption center owners expressed concern about removal of a statutory floor in draft language and about potential cost and operational impacts from proposed reverse‑vending machines and producer responsibility organization arrangements.
Redeemers described capital and operating cost uncertainties for reverse‑vending machines, including electricity and maintenance, and said uncertainty about floor pricing and reimbursement could threaten the financial viability of large redemption centers. Committee members and staff discussed program design elements for redemption rates, compliance costs and potential impacts on redemption behavior.
Committee members also discussed multiple budget and program priorities, including funding requests for a Healthy Homes initiative and other environment and housing‑related programs, with specific dollar figures referenced in testimony about staffing and project funding needs.
Finance and Appropriations — education funding, judiciary budget and court security costs
The Senate Finance committee received testimony on postsecondary access initiatives tied to Act 77 and the Free Degree Promise. Foundation and college representatives reported increases in low‑income student participation and persistence at Community College of Vermont since the Free Degree Promise was announced, and described grant support and advising and stipend components of early college pathways.
The Senate Appropriations committee considered the judiciary budget. Judiciary officials presented a proposed judicial budget increase and outlined composition of spending: a majority of expenses for salaries and benefits, and smaller shares for space fees, security contracts and IT. Officials requested additional positions and described turnover, training costs and security contract shortfalls. Committee discussion referenced sheriffs’ contract rates and the use of deputies and private security for courthouse safety, noting staffing and recruitment pressures and associated cost implications.
Judiciary and Government Operations — juvenile and criminal jurisdiction, municipal law enforcement retirement
Judiciary committee panels discussed bills affecting juvenile case routing and criminal plea procedures. Committee discussion examined language that would allow a child charged with certain offenses to elect to enter a plea agreement in the criminal division to an offense other than those specified in current statute, and members and witnesses explored how that would interact with existing transfer and jurisdiction rules and the confidentiality protections available in family court.
The House Government Operations & Military Affairs committee reviewed draft language on municipal law enforcement and retirement plan participation tied to H.519, including proposed eligibility and election timing for certain municipal law enforcement officers to participate in state retirement group designations. Counsel flagged vehicle and germane concerns about the choice of legislative vehicle for amended language.
General & Housing — municipal planning and housing targets
The House General & Housing committee reviewed a strike‑all amendment (draft 3.1) to H.775 addressing municipal plans and housing elements. Staff described language requiring that a municipal housing element include identification and analysis of existing and projected housing needs for the jurisdiction and, if a municipality cannot meet regional housing targets, provide an analysis of regulatory and fiscal constraints to the Department of Housing and Community Development. Committee discussion covered the level (municipal, regional or state) at which housing needs and targets should be analyzed and the role of regional planning commissions and DHCD in producing statewide assessments.
Conclusion
This report summarizes committee hearings and staff briefings held Feb. 20 in the House and Senate on topics including proposed mandates and enforcement language for artificial intelligence and neurological rights in health care, implementation of habitat connector mapping and tier‑three rulemaking under Act 181, housing and education program funding tied to Act 77 and related trust fund proposals, bottle bill implementation and redemption center concerns, and budget and operational matters for the judiciary and municipal planning. Committees involved included House Health Care, Senate Natural Resources & Energy, Senate Economic Development, House Environment, Senate Finance, Senate Appropriations, Senate and House Judiciary, House General & Housing, and others addressing the subjects above.
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