Senate Health Care Committee Votes 3-2 To Reduce Number of Beds At New State Hospital From 25 To 16.

Last night, in a 3-2 vote, the Senate’s Health Committee rolled back the number of acute mental health beds at a new State Hospital from 25 to 16 beds. The senators did so after hearing the same testimony as House members who approved 25 beds. The 16-bed proposal now moves to several other Senate committees before possibly ending up on the Senate floor and then in conference committee. VSEA is hopeful the number can be raised again somewhere in the upcoming process.

Health Committee Senators voting to reduce beds from 25 to 16:
Claire Ayer (D-Addison)
Hinda Miller (D-Chittenden)
Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland)

Health Committee Senators voting to keep beds at 25:
Anthony Pollina (D-Washington)
Sally Fox (D-Chittenden)

VSEA thanks Senators Pollina and Fox for their leadership!