Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Passed House 1 D cosponsors

H 573 — An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination

Last action — Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Health and Welfare

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 06, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 28% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Moderate

How often bills like it became law.

  • Passed House

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

104 added · 53 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill H 573 includes a significant amendment to the certification process for mental illness. Previously, only board-eligible or board-certified psychiatrists were required to make these certifications, but now the bill allows the Commissioner to designate other licensed physicians to complete these certifications if psychiatrists are not available in certain areas. This change is important because it aims to ensure that individuals in need of emergency mental health care can access necessary certifications more readily, especially in underserved regions.

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AS PASSED BY HOUSE H.573 Page 1 of 3 H.573 An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.573 Page 1 of 5 H.573 Introduced by Representative Berbeco of Winooski Referred to Committee on Date:
Subject:
Health;
mental health;
emergency examination;
first certification Statement of purpose of bill as introduced:
This bill proposes to expand the types of health care professionals that the Commissioner of Mental Health can designate to complete the first certification of an emergency examination.
An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
§ 7110 is amended to read:
§ 7110 is amended to read:
CERTIFICATION OF MENTAL ILLNESS A certification of mental illness by a licensed physician required by section 7504 of this title shall be made by a board-eligible psychiatrist, a board- certified psychiatrist, or a resident in psychiatry, under penalty of perjury.
CERTIFICATION OF MENTAL ILLNESS (a) A certification of mental illness by a licensed physician required by section 7504 of this title shall be made by a board-eligible psychiatrist, a board-certified psychiatrist, or a resident in psychiatry, under penalty of perjury.
In areas of the State where board-eligible psychiatrists, board-certified psychiatrists, or residents in psychiatry are not available to complete admission certifications to the Vermont State Hospital or its successor in interest, the Commissioner may designate other licensed physicians as appropriate to complete certification for purposes of section 7504 of this title.
In areas of the State where board-eligible psychiatrists, board- certified psychiatrists, or residents in psychiatry are not available to complete admission certifications to the Vermont State Hospital or its successor in interest, the Commissioner may designate other licensed physicians health care BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.573 Page 2 of 5 professionals as appropriate to complete certification for purposes of section 7504 of this title.
(b) As used in this section, “health care professional” means a physician licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 23 or 33, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 28, a physician assistant licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 31, a master’s social worker licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 61, a clinical mental health counselor with a master’s degree or greater licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 65, or a marriage and family therapist licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 76.
Sec.
2.
18 V.S.A.
§ 7504 is amended read:
§ 7504.
APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATE FOR EMERGENCY EXAMINATION (a) Upon written application by an interested party made under the pains and penalties of perjury and accompanied by a certificate by a licensed physician health care professional as defined in section 7110 of this title who is not the applicant, a person shall be held for admission to a hospital for an emergency examination to determine if he or she the person is a person in need of treatment.
The application and certificate shall set forth the facts and circumstances that constitute the need for an emergency examination and that show that the person is a person in need of treatment.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.573 Page 3 of 5 (b) The application and certificate shall be authority for transporting the person to a hospital for an emergency examination, as provided in section 7511 of this title.
(c) For the purposes of admission of an individual to a designated hospital for care and treatment under this section, a head of a hospital, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, may include a person designated in writing by the head of the hospital to discharge the authority granted in this section.
A designated person must be an official hospital administrator, supervisory personnel, or a licensed physician on duty on the hospital premises other than the certifying physician health care professional under subsection (a) of this section.
Sec.
3.
EFFECTIVE DATE This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
Sec.
1.
18 V.S.A.
§ 7110 is amended to read:
§ 7110.
CERTIFICATION OF MENTAL ILLNESS A certification of mental illness by a licensed physician required by section of this title shall be made by a board-eligible psychiatrist, a board- certified psychiatrist, or a resident in psychiatry, under penalty of perjury.
In areas of the State where board-eligible psychiatrists, board-certified psychiatrists, or residents in psychiatry are not available to complete admission certifications to the Vermont State Hospital or its successor in BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.573 Page 4 of 5 interest, the Commissioner may designate other licensed physicians as appropriate to complete certification for purposes of section 7504 of this title.
§ 7504 is amended read:
§ 7504 is amended read:
APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATE FOR EMERGENCY EXAMINATION (a) Upon written application by an interested party a qualified mental health professional made under the pains and penalties of perjury and accompanied by a certificate by a licensed physician health care professional who is not the applicant, a person shall be held for admission to a hospital for an emergency examination to determine if he or she the person is a person in VT LEG #387898 v.1 AS PASSED BY HOUSE H.573 Page 2 of 3 need of treatment.
APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATE FOR EMERGENCY EXAMINATION (a) Upon written application by an interested party a qualified mental health professional made under the pains and penalties of perjury and accompanied by a certificate by a licensed physician health care professional who is not the applicant, a person shall be held for admission to a hospital for an emergency examination to determine if he or she the person is a person in need of treatment.
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(b) The application and certificate shall be authority for transporting the person to a hospital for an emergency examination, as provided in section 7511 of this title.
(b) The application and certificate shall be authority for transporting the person to a hospital for an emergency examination, as provided in section of this title.
(c) For the purposes of admission Admission of an individual to a designated hospital for care and treatment under this section, shall be overseen by a head of a hospital, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, who may include a person designated designate a person in writing by the head of the hospital to discharge the authority granted in this section subsection.
(c) For the purposes of admission Admission of an individual to a designated hospital for care and treatment under this section, shall be overseen by a head of a hospital, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, who may include a person designated designate a person in writing by the head of the BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE H.573 Page 5 of 5 hospital to discharge the authority granted in this section subsection.
chapter 23 or 33, an advanced practice VT LEG #387898 v.1 AS PASSED BY HOUSE H.573 Page 3 of 3 registered nurse licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
chapter 23 or 33, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A.
VT LEG #387898 v.1
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How this bill changes current law

6 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill updates the certification requirements for emergency examinations and expands the definition of eligible health care professionals for this purpose.

  • 18 V.S.A. § 7110

    [Repealed.]

    The repeal of the previous certification requirement clarifies the process for designating physicians.

  • 18 V.S.A. § 7504

    a licensed physician → a licensed physician health care professional

    This change broadens the category of professionals that can provide the required certificate for emergency examinations.

  • 18 V.S.A. § 7504

    is a person in need of treatment → is a person in need of treatment.

    This correction clarifies the grammatical structure of the sentence.

  • 18 V.S.A. § 7504

    Admission of an individual to a designated hospital for care and treatment under this section, shall be overseen by a head of a hospital, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, who may include a person designated → For the purposes of admission, the admission of an individual to a designated hospital for care and treatment under this section shall be overseen by a head of a hospital, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, who may designate a person

    This restructuring improves readability and clarifies the oversight process for hospital admissions.

  • 18 V.S.A. § 7504

    health care professional under subsection (a) of this section. → health care professional under subsection (a) of this section to discharge the authority granted in this section.

    This change specifies that the designated person cannot be the certifying health care professional, reinforcing checks and balances.

  • 18 V.S.A. § 7504

    advanced practice registered nurse licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A. chapter 28, or a physician assistant licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A. chapter 31. → advanced practice registered nurse licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A. chapter 28, or a physician assistant licensed pursuant to 26 V.S.A. chapter 31.

    This definition formalizes the roles of various licensed practitioners in the context of emergency examination certifications.

Action History

  1. Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Health and Welfare

  2. Read third time and passed

  3. Action Calendar: Third Reading

  4. Third Reading ordered

  5. Report of Committee on Health Care agreed to

  6. Rep. Berbeco of Winooski reported for the Committee on Health Care

  7. Read second time

  8. Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment

  9. Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment

  10. Read first time and referred to the Committee on Health Care

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 189 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (189)

189 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety healthcare
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors H 573?
H 573 is sponsored by Daisy Berbeco (Democrat).
What is the current status of H 573?
This bill has passed the House. Introduced January 06, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track H 573?
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