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Vermont House approves affirmation option for oaths, amends bail-revocation bill and introduces 23 measures
Summary
The Vermont House approved H 28 to add an affirmation option to oath requirements across Titles 1–10 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated, amended and passed H 409 to clarify its title and scope on appeals of orders denying bail revocation, and introduced 23 bills by number-only suspension of rules.
The Vermont House of Representatives approved two bills and introduced 23 measures during a legislative session that concluded with an adjournment until Jan. 14, 2026 at 3 p.m.
H 28, described in the clerk’s reading as “an act relating to including an affirmation option in oath requirements and Titles 1 through 10 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated,” was taken up on third reading. After the presiding officer asked, “Shall the bill pass?” the body responded by voice vote and the ayes prevailed, passing the bill.
Later in the session lawmakers considered H 409, initially framed as “an act relating to the procedures for bail revocation.” The member from Brattleboro offered a textual amendment to change the bill’s title to “an act relating to the appeals of orders denying bail revocation,” characterizing the change as a clarification. “This is a much, more accurate, sort of representation of what this bill is doing,” the member from Brattleboro said while introducing the amendment. The House voted to adopt the amendment and then, on third reading, passed the bill by voice vote.
Earlier in the session the House suspended its rules to permit the clerk to introduce 23 bills by number only; the clerk recited measures assigned to a range of committees including Human Services; Commerce and Economic Development; Education; Health Care; Judiciary; Ways and Means; Government Operations and Military Affairs; Energy and Digital Infrastructure; and Environment.
Members also used the floor for recognitions and scheduling. The member from Derby marked Farm to School Early Childhood Awareness and School Nutrition Day and noted a five-year milestone for universal school meals, saying it means “1,000 days of kids having access to free [meals]” and that the program helps children arrive “well fed and ready to learn.” The member from Westminster introduced the Garvey family and said they had helped develop legislation that became H 613 following an officer-involved shooting in Putney.
The presiding officer closed routine business with reminders about caucus meetings and a chamber photo, and the member from Poltenay moved that the House stand adjourned until Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 at 3 p.m.; the motion carried on a voice vote.
Actions recorded on the floor were voice votes with the presiding officer announcing “the ayes appear to have it” on each contested procedural question; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
