Vermont legislation · 2025-2026 Session
Vermont H657: An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families
Status: Signed into law, May 14, 2026
What the bill says
An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families. (H.657) It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: * * * Removing Reach Up Asset Limit * * *.
From the chaptered text, June 15, 2026:
An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families. (H.657) It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: * * * Removing Reach Up Asset Limit * * * Sec. 1. 33 V.S.A. § 1103 is amended to read: § 1103. ELIGIBILITY AND BENEFIT LEVELS * * * (c) The Commissioner shall adopt rules for the determination of eligibility for the Reach Up program and benefit levels for all participating families that include the following provisions: * * * (5)(A) The asset limitation shall be $9,000.00 for families for the purposes of determining initial and continuing eligibility for the Reach Up program, and the following savings accounts shall not be considered in the calculation for determining the asset limitation: (i) a retirement account, such as an individual retirement arrangement (IRA), a defined contribution plan qualified under 26 U.S.C. § 401(k), or any similar account as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 408; and (ii) a qualified child education savings account, such as the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan, established in 16 V.S.A. § 2877, or any similar plan qualified under 26 U.S.C. § 529. VT LEG #390210 v.1 No. 136 Page 2 of 34 (B) The value of assets accumulated from the earnings of adults and children in participating families …
Sponsors
- Jubilee McGill (D, Addison-5) · primary sponsor
- Angela Arsenault (D, Chittenden-2)
- Daisy Berbeco (D, Chittenden-21)
- Doug Bishop (D, Chittenden-20)
- Tiffany Bluemle (D, Chittenden-13)
- Michelle Bos-Lun (D, Windham-3)
- Bridget Burkhardt (D, Chittenden-8)
- Conor Casey (D, Washington-4)
- Brian Cina (D, Chittenden-15)
- Esme Cole (D, Windsor-6)
- Anne Donahue (I, Washington-1)
- Abbey Duke (D, Chittenden-17)
Latest actions
- : House message: Governor approved bill on [June 15, 2026]
- : Signed by Governor on [June 15, 2026]
- : Delivered to Governor on [June 9, 2026]
- : House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment
- : Which was agreed to on a Roll Call [Passed -- Needed 68 of 135 to Pass -- Yeas = 133, Nays = 2]
- : Senate proposal of amendment concurred in
- : Rep. [Steady of Milton] demanded yeas and nays
- : Action Calendar: Action postponed until [May 20, 2026]
- : Rep. [Wood of Waterbury] moved to postpone action until [May 20, 2026], which was agreed to
- : Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment
Votes
- Which was agreed to on a Roll Call [Passed -- Needed 68 of 135 to Pass -- Yeas = 133, Nays = 2] (May 20, 2026): 133 yea, 2 nay, passed
- Roll Call, requested by Senator [Weeks], [Failed -- Needed 15 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 13, Nays = 17] (May 14, 2026): 13 yea, 17 nay, failed
- Roll Call, requested by Senator [Ram Hinsdale], [Failed -- Needed 15 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 13, Nays = 17] (May 14, 2026): 13 yea, 17 nay, failed
Common questions
- What is H657?
- H657 is a bill in the Vermont Legislature (2025-2026 Session): An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families.
- What does H657 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to various programming and requirements within the Department for Children and Families. (H.657) It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: * * * Removing Reach Up Asset Limit * * *.
- What is the status of H657?
- Signed into law as of May 14, 2026. Latest action: House message: Governor approved bill on [June 15, 2026] (May 29, 2026).
- Who sponsored H657?
- Jubilee McGill (D, Addison-5), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H657?
- On the Vermont Legislature website: https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.657
Source: official Vermont record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.