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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont prohibits solitary confinement for children in secure facilities except for immediate safety risks
Last action · February 12, 2025: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Human ServicesSponsors: Angela Arsenault and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
Vermont bill H.192 prohibits the use of for children in secure facilities for discipline, punishment, or retaliation, allowing it only as a temporary measure when a child poses a serious and immediate risk of physical harm. The legislation mandates de-escalation attempts, staff check-ins every 15 minutes, strict time limits for confinement, and an effective date of July 1, 2025.
Children in secure juvenile facilities gain strict statutory limits on isolation, forcing staff to use verbal de-escalation and mental health interventions and capping room confinement at three hours for harm to others and 30 minutes for harm to self.
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.
children in secure facilities
Children cannot be placed in solitary or room confinement except under strict temporary conditions, with mandated check-ins and release timelines.
facility staff
Staff must attempt less restrictive de-escalation techniques, provide explanations to the child, and conduct physical checks every 15 minutes during any permitted room confinement.
Key Facts
- Prohibits solitary or room confinement for children in secure facilities for discipline, punishment, retaliation, or any reason other than a temporary response to behavior posing a serious and immediate risk of physical harm.
- Requires facility staff to attempt less restrictive techniques before placement, including talking to de-escalate and permitting a qualified mental health professional to talk with the child.
- Mandates that room confinement release occur immediately when self-regain occurs or no later than three hours if the child poses a risk of physical harm to others.
- Caps room confinement at no more than 30 minutes if the child poses a serious risk of physical harm to the self.
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- Requires staff to check on a child at least once every 15 minutes while the child is in room confinement.
- Requires a child to be transferred to another facility or location if behavior continues to pose a risk after time limits expire.
- Defines solitary or room confinement as physical separation in a locked room or cell for approximately 20 hours or more out of a 24-hour period.
- Specifies that the restriction does not apply to single-person rooms or cells used during regular sleeping hours or when only one child is housed in a facility.
- Sets an effective date of July 1, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is room confinement allowed under this bill?
How long can a child be kept in room confinement?
How often must staff check on a child in room confinement?
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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- Feb 12, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time and referred to the Committee on Human Services
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.
Establishment of Strict Confinement Limits for Juveniles
The bill shifts policy by instituting hard time caps (30 minutes for self-harm risk, 3 hours for harm to others) and mandatory check-ins for juvenile room confinement.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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