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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont Prohibits AI-Delivered Mental Health Services and Regulates Professional AI Use
Last action · January 13, 2026: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Health and WelfareSponsors: Martine Gulick and 4 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Vermont S.241 prohibits any person, corporation, or entity from offering, providing, or advertising mental health services delivered by in whole or in part, subject to civil penalties under the Consumer Protection Act. The bill restricts licensed and unlicensed mental health professionals from using AI for therapeutic decisions, communications, treatment plans, or emotion interpretation, while permitting AI for specific and transcription tasks under strict consent and confidentiality rules.
Mental health service providers face professional licensing disciplinary action and civil penalties of $10,000 per violation for unauthorized use, while patients gain statutory protections against automated therapy chatbots.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Mental health professionals
Practitioners are prohibited from using artificial intelligence for therapeutic decisions, communications, or treatment planning, and face unprofessional conduct charges for misuse, while being permitted to use AI for specific administrative support and transcription with patient consent.
Mental health service providers and corporations
Entities offering, providing, or advertising AI-delivered mental health services are barred from doing so and face Consumer Protection Act violations and $10,000 civil penalties per violation.
Patients and clients receiving mental health services
Individuals receiving mental health services are guaranteed that their care is delivered by human professionals rather than artificial intelligence, and must give explicit written consent before any AI transcription or recording of their sessions can occur.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can mental health professionals in Vermont use artificial intelligence for any tasks?
What happens if an entity offers AI-driven therapy or mental health chatbots in Vermont?
Are unlicensed mental health providers covered by this legislation?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026SenateIntroducedRead 1st time & referred to Committee on Health and Welfare
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of AI-Specific Professional Misconduct Standards
The bill establishes a novel statutory chapter (26 V.S.A. chapter 120) specifically governing artificial intelligence across regulated healthcare professions.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment15Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz75Current news / social attention level
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