The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont S.195 transfers legal representation for involuntary commitment proceedings to the Defender General and allows court revocation of nonhospitalization orders
Last action · January 6, 2026: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on JudiciarySponsor: Nader Hashim
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What This Bill Would Do
Vermont S.195 requires the Office of Defender General to represent certain criminally involved individuals in commitment proceedings instead of Vermont Legal Aid, and allows courts to revoke or modify nonhospitalization treatment orders starting July 1, 2026.
Criminally involved individuals facing commitment proceedings will receive court-appointed counsel from a different state office, and patients under nonhospitalization orders face potential court revocation and hospitalization if alternative treatment proves inadequate.
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.
criminally involved individuals
Their appointed legal representation in commitment proceedings is shifted to the Office of the Defender General.
Office of Defender General
The office is tasked with representing individuals in commitment proceedings instead of Vermont Legal Aid.
Department of Mental Health
The department gains explicit entitlement to appear and call witnesses at commitment proceedings.
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
Who will provide legal representation for individuals in commitment proceedings under this bill?
What actions can a court take if a patient fails to comply with a nonhospitalization order?
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 6, 2026SenateIntroducedRead 1st time & referred to Committee on Judiciary
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
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance50How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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