Vermont H 214: An act relating to establishing the Safe Harbor Award Program for expenses related to reproductive and gender-affirming health care services

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.214
2025 Page 1 of 7

VT LEG #380486 v.1
H.214 1
Introduced by Representative Bluemle of Burlington 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Executive; State Treasurer; reproductive health care services; gender-5
affirming health care services; Safe Harbor Award Program 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish the 7
Safe Harbor Award Program to provide monetary awards to cover certain 8
costs, such as travel, lodging, and meals, incurred by Vermont residents and 9
out-of-state residents who are receiving reproductive or gender-affirming 10
health care services in Vermont. 11
An act relating to establishing the Safe Harbor Award Program for expenses 12
related to reproductive and gender-affirming health care services 13
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14
Sec. 1. 3 V.S.A. chapter 20A is added to read: 15
CHAPTER 20A. SAFE HARBOR AWARD PROGRAM 16
§ 621. DEFINITIONS 17
As used in this chapter: 18
(1) “Collateral costs” means any necessary out-of-pocket expenses that 19
are ancillary to the receipt of reproductive health care services or gender-20

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.214
2025 Page 2 of 7

VT LEG #380486 v.1
affirming health care services, or both, in this State, including costs for travel, 1
lodging, and meals but not including the cost of the reproductive health care 2
services or gender-affirming health care services themselves. 3
(2) “Gender-affirming health care services” has the same meaning as in 4
1 V.S.A. § 150. 5
(3) “Health care provider” means an individual, partnership, 6
corporation, facility, or institution licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized 7
by law to provide professional health care services in this State to an individual 8
during that individual’s medical care, treatment, or confinement. 9
(4) “Health care services” means services for the diagnosis, prevention, 10
treatment, cure, or relief of a physical or mental health condition, including 11
counseling, procedures, products, devices, and medications. 12
(5) “Health information” means information relating to the past, present, 13
or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual; the provision 14
of health care services to an individual; or the past, present, or future payment 15
for the provision of health care services to an individual. 16
(6) “Nonprofit organization” means an organization with tax-exempt 17
status under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3). 18
(7) “Patient-identifiable data” means any information, including health 19
information, that identifies or may reasonably be used as a basis to identify an 20
individual patient. 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.214
2025 Page 3 of 7

VT LEG #380486 v.1
(8) “Reproductive health care services” has the same meaning as in 1
1 V.S.A. § 150. 2
§ 622. SAFE HARBOR AWARD PROGRAM 3
(a) There is created the Safe Harbor Award Program to provide monetary 4
awards to pay for collateral costs incurred by Vermont residents and out-of-5
state residents who receive reproductive health care services or gender-6
affirming health care services, or both, in this State. 7
(b) The Safe Harbor Award Program is authorized to provide monetary 8
awards directly to: 9
(1) any health care provider in Vermont who provides reproductive 10
health care services or gender-affirming health care services, or both; and 11
(2) any nonprofit organization in Vermont whose mission includes 12
providing funding for reproductive health care services or gender-affirming 13
health care services, or both. 14
(c) Monetary awards shall be used to pay for: 15
(1) significant collateral costs, as determined by the Safe Harbor Fund 16
Board, incurred by Vermont residents in receiving reproductive health care 17
services or gender-affirming health care services, or both, in this State; and 18
(2) any collateral costs incurred by out-of-state residents in receiving 19
reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services, or 20
both, in this State. 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.214
2025 Page 4 of 7

VT LEG #380486 v.1
(d)(1) For applicants assisting Vermont patients, the Board shall give 1
priority consideration to applicants serving patients with the greatest financial 2
need and to applicants serving patients who live in underserved areas of the 3
State. 4
(2) For applicants assisting out-of-state patients, the Board shall give 5
priority consideration to applicants serving patients with the greatest financial 6
need and to applicants serving patients who live in states with limited access to 7
reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services, or 8
both. 9
(e) The monetary award process shall not require the collection or retention 10
of any patient-identifiable data. 11
(f) The Treasurer may make and enter into contracts, agreements, 12
memoranda of understanding, partnerships, and other arrangements to 13
collaborate, cooperate, coordinate, contract, or combine resources with other 14
go