Vermont H 841: An act relating to increasing access to a blenderized whole foods diet for individuals receiving nutrition through a feeding tube

Bill Text

No. 121 Page 1 of 15
2026

VT LEG #390167 v.1
No. 121. An act relating to miscellaneous animal welfare procedures.
(H.841)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. 20 V.S.A. chapter 190 is amended to read:
CHAPTER 190. DIVISION OF ANIMAL WELFARE
§ 3201. DEFINITIONS
As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Animal” has the same meaning as in 13 V.S.A. § 351, provided that
the animals or activities regulated under this chapter shall not apply to:
(A) activities regulated by the Department of Fish and Wildlife
pursuant to 10 V.S.A. Part 4;
(B) scientific research governed by accepted procedural standards
subject to review by an institutional animal care and use committee;
(C) livestock and poultry husbandry practices for the raising,
management, and use of domestic animals;
(D) veterinary medical or surgical procedures; and
(E) the killing of an animal as authorized pursuant to sections 3809
and 3545 of this title.
(2) “Director” means the Director of Animal Welfare and includes the
Director’s designee.
(3) “Division” means the Division of Animal Welfare.
(4) “Domestic animal” has the same meaning as in 6 V.S.A. § 1151(2).

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VT LEG #390167 v.1
§ 3202. ESTABLISHMENT OF DIVISION OF ANIMAL WELFARE;
POWERS AND DUTIES
(a)(1) The Division of Animal Welfare is established within the
Department of Public Safety. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall
appoint a Director of Animal Welfare who shall be in immediate charge of the
Division. The Director shall be qualified by education and professional
experience to perform the duties of the position. The Director shall have at
least the following minimum qualifications:
(A) experience in interpreting or knowledge of animal welfare laws
and rules;
(B) knowledge of animal welfare stakeholders in the State and
regionally; and
(C) knowledge of the causes and characteristics of animal welfare
and animal cruelty issues.
(2) The Director position shall be a classified service position in the
Department of Public Safety.
(b)(1) The Director shall develop a comprehensive plan for the
development, implementation, and enforcement of the animal welfare laws of
the State. In developing the comprehensive plan, the Director shall first review
the 2023 Report on Unification of Animal Welfare and Related Public Safety
Function and similar reports and proposed legislation. The plan shall include:

No. 121 Page 3 of 15
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VT LEG #390167 v.1
(A) how the Director shall oversee investigation and response to
animal cruelty complaints in the State in order to provide the best services to
Vermont’s animals statewide;
(B) how the Director shall coordinate administration and enforcement
of animal welfare laws in the State in a collaborative manner with those law
enforcement officers and municipalities that retain authority to enforce animal
cruelty requirements in the State;
(C) how the State should address the extent and scope of any
deficiencies in Vermont’s system of investigating and responding to animal
cruelty complaints;
(D) how the State should ensure that investigations of animal cruelty
complaints are conducted according to systematic and documented written
standard operating procedures and checklists;
(E) a proposal to house and care for animals seized in response to
complaints of animal cruelty, including how to pay for the care of seized
animals;
(F) a proposal for funding animal welfare administration and
enforcement in the State, including potential sources of public and private
funding; and
(G) recommended amendments to animal welfare statutes or rules,
including standards of care for animals housed or imported by animal shelters
or rescue organizations.

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VT LEG #390167 v.1
(2) The Director of Animal Welfare shall submit the comprehensive
plan required by this subsection and any revisions thereto to the House
Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs and the Senate
Committee on Government Operations not later than eight months after the
date of hiring of the Director.
(c) The Director of Animal Welfare shall consult with other State agencies
that respond to animal welfare complaints or with animal welfare
responsibilities to estimate the number and type of animal welfare complaints
received by State agencies and to quantify the amount of time State agency
staff expend in fulfilling animal welfare responsibilities, including the costs to
agencies of fulfilling the responsibilities.
(d) The Director of Animal Welfare shall be the sole employee of the
Division of Animal Welfare until the comprehensive plan required under
subdivision (b)(2) of this section is completed and the General Assembly
enacts legislation, as needed, to implement the comprehensive plan.
(e) The Division of Animal Welfare may adopt rules pursuant to 3 V.S.A.
chapter 25 to implement the provisions of this chapter.
(f)(1) The Director of Animal Welfare shall require that animal shelters,
rescue organizations, and pet de