The proposed bill S.120 aims to combat the public health crisis of drug overdoses in Vermont by creating the Community Care, Health, and Safety Special Fund, which will provide grants for community-based harm reduction services and support for individuals with substance use disorders. The funding for this initiative will come from 40 percent of cannabis excise tax revenue and a portion of the Opioid Abatement Special Fund. A significant aspect of the bill is the decriminalization of possessing and dispensing personal use amounts of regulated drugs, which is intended to reduce stigma and encourage individuals to seek help. The bill also establishes the Drug Use Health and Safety Advisory Board to determine benchmark personal use supplies for regulated drugs and oversee grant distribution.

Key changes in the bill include the insertion of definitions for "benchmark personal use supply" and the establishment of the Drug Use Health and Safety Advisory Board, which will consist of experts in substance use and harm reduction. The bill amends existing laws to ensure that individuals found in possession of amounts equal to or less than the benchmark personal use supply will not face criminal or civil penalties but will receive health needs screening information. Additionally, the bill creates two special funds: the Substance Use Prevention Special Fund and the Community Care, Health, and Safety Special Fund, with specific provisions for managing unspent cannabis excise tax funds. The bill's effective dates are staggered, with certain sections taking effect upon passage and others on January 1, 2026, allowing for a structured implementation of the new regulations.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 18-4201, 18-4202, 18-4231, 18-4232, 18-4233, 18-4233a, 18-4233b, 18-4234, 18-4234a, 18-4234b, 18-4235, 18-4235a, 18-4774, 32-7909