Overdose Prevention Centers

The 2024 Legislative session started on January 8th, and Progressives are off to a strong start introducing legislation to make things better for working people and the planet across Vermont.

This session we will once again be sending a weekly update highlighting the issues we are fighting for in the Legislature.

We are incredibly excited to get to work, and hope you will join as we fight for economic, social, and environmental justice.

Legislative Update

The House Progressive Caucus meets in public caucus every Tuesday at 12pm to discuss important legislation before the Vermont Legislature. Each week focuses on an important topic related to work we are doing to advance social, economic, and environmental justice.

Last week's public caucus was focused on Overdose Prevention Centers (OPC's). Vermont is currently facing the worst substance use epidemic in the modern history of our state, with substance use related deaths increasing more than 500% since 2010 alone.

It is clear that current strategies are not working and action is needed. Progressives recognize that OPC's are an essential and proven harm reduction strategy to save lives, move people into treatment, and improve public safety by reducing drug use in public spaces.

We know that OPC's are effective. Road Island and New York City have already implemented OPC's, and It is estimated that two OPC's in NYC have saved over 1,000 lives.

Meanwhile, 180 Vermonters are confirmed to have died of an overdoes from Jan-Sept of 2023. We know that many of these deaths could have been prevented if OPC's had been available in 2023. It is past time for our state to take the action necessary to save lives.

To move OPC's forward in Vermont, Rep. Taylor Small (P/D - Winooski) introduced H.72. When passed this bill will legalize OPC's in Vermont. We are proud that H.72 passed through the full House of Representatives on a 96-35 vote last Thursday. The bill is now in front of the Senate Committee on Health & Welfare.

You can learn more by watching our public caucus where we heard from policy experts including: