H 903

 BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.903
 2026  Page 1 of 2
1H.903
2SHORT FORM
3 Introduced by Representative Boutin of Barre City
4 Referred to Committee on
5 Date:
6 Subject: Health; mental health; involuntary treatment; emergency examination
7 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to authorize a
8 licensed physician issuing a certificate pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 7504 and a
9 psychiatrist conducting an examination pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 7508 to
10 consider relevant, credible, specific behavioral information about the
11 prospective patient, including information from the days and weeks prior to
12 being seen by the licensed physician or psychiatrist, from caregivers, family
13 members, friends, peers, school employees, workplace colleagues, treating
14 providers, law enforcement, or other first responders. This bill further
15 proposes to prevent a licensed physician issuing a certificate pursuant to
16 18 V.S.A. § 7504 and a psychiatrist conducting an examination pursuant to
17 18 V.S.A. § 7508 from solely relying on a prospective patient’s presentation at
18 the time of the certification or examination to determine whether a person
19 meets the statutory definition of a “person in need of treatment.” Instead, a
20 licensed physician issuing a certificate pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 7504 and a
21 psychiatrist conducting an examination pursuant to 18 V.S.A. § 7508 shall also
                                                                   VT LEG #387315 v.1
BILL AS INTRODUCED  H.903
2026  Page 2 of 2
1 rely on information that may indicate an ongoing risk that is not observable in
2 a clinical setting, which, if relied on, shall be documented in the prospective
3 patient’s medical record.
4    An act relating to information collected by providers during first and second
5    certification
6 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
7(TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS)
                                                                   VT LEG #387315 v.1