The Vermont legislature has officially wrapped up their work for the 2026 session, marking the end of a two-year lawmaking period called a biennium.
Protecting Vermonters from federal abuses of power
This session, Vermont passed some of the most comprehensive and potentially impactful legislation in the country to guard against federal overreach, increase police accountability, and protect immigrant communities. These victories included enacting the Constitutional Accountability Act, safeguarding access to essential public service locations, and funding for access to legal counsel for immigrants.
Under the Constitutional Accountability Act, Vermonters will be able to hold federal agents accountable for state constitutional violations. A pair of bills passed by lawmakers will limit warrantless arrests in important community spaces, such as schools and hospitals. And although we must continue to expand these efforts, lawmakers secured some funding to enable greater access to counsel for immigrants held in detention here in Vermont. With this package of protections, Vermont positioned itself on the vanguard of states willing to stand up against federal abuses of power.
Ensuring our communities have the resources to thrive
There is still significant work needed to ensure that Vermont lives up to our obligations to meet the basic needs of the people who call this state home. This year we once again saw cuts to programs which have served as a critical backstop to addressing unsheltered homelessness. Though ultimately defeated, we also saw continued pushes to criminalize and incarcerate people experiencing poverty, homelessness, substance use disorder, and people with mental health conditions. While we did not see the legislature advance the type of comprehensive solutions needed to address these problems, our persistent advocacy had a meaningful impact which either stopped harmful proposals or added important protections for vulnerable populations.
Moving forward
Below you will find a summary of bills that the ACLU of Vermont engaged with during this legislative session and an overview of our impact this session. If you want to learn more, join us for our end-of-session legislative wrap up webinar on June 11 from 6:00-7:30 pm.