---
type: "Bill"
title: "An act relating to eliminating penalties for possession of limited amounts of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older"
description: "An act relating to eliminating penalties for possession of limited amounts of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older"
jurisdiction: "us/states/vt"
legislature: "Vermont General Assembly"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "H. 511"
citation: "Vermont H. 511 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["House Committee on Transportation"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 62
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2017-03-21"
last_action: "2018-01-22"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/83f8e9ca-f887-4232-bb97-66c5dd75386a"
source_url: "http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/loadBillDetailedStatus/2018/1183"
source_hash: "e38fec4bf3c2eefd46cbe1a0af9b0832f7b37ff34e3aaef0b5f0a7842a00a13c"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-vt"]
---

# Vermont H. 511 (2017-2018) — An act relating to eliminating penalties for possession of limited amounts of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **As Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/BILLS/H-0511/H-0511%20As%20Introduced.pdf)
2. **As Enacted** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/ACTS/ACT086/ACT086%20As%20Enacted.pdf)
3. **Official** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/BILLS/H-0511/H-0511%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20House%20Official.pdf)
4. **Unofficial** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/BILLS/H-0511/H-0511%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20House%20Unofficial.pdf)

## Votes

- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 145 to Pass -- Yeas = 60, Nays = 85 — **60–85** (fail) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 145 to Pass -- Yeas = 62, Nays = 83 — **62–83** (fail) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 74 of 146 to Pass -- Yeas = 55, Nays = 91 — **55–91** (fail) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 74 of 146 to Pass -- Yeas = 32, Nays = 114 — **32–114** (fail) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 144 to Pass -- Yeas = 58, Nays = 86 — **58–86** (fail) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 106 of 141 to Pass -- Yeas = 78, Nays = 63 — **78–63** (fail) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Passed -- Needed 73 of 144 to Pass -- Yeas = 81, Nays = 63 — **81–63** (pass) · legislature
- Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 144 to Pass -- Yeas = 59, Nays = 85 — **59–85** (fail) · legislature

## Sponsors

- House Committee on Transportation — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-03-21** Committee Bill read first time
- **2017-03-22** Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- **2017-03-28** Read Second Time
- **2017-03-28** Rep. Brennan of Colchester spoke for the committee on Transportation
- **2017-03-28** Rep. Helm of Fair Haven recommended for the committee on Appropriations
- **2017-03-28** Third Reading Ordered
- **2017-03-29** Rep. Donahue of Northfield moved to amend the bill
- **2017-03-29** Which was agreed to
- **2017-03-29** Rep. Lippert of Hinesburg moved to amend the bill
- **2017-03-29** Which was agreed to
- **2017-03-29** Rep. McCullough of Williston moved to amend the bill
- **2017-03-29** Rep. McCullough of Williston asked and was granted leave to withdraw amendment
- **2017-03-29** Read Third time
- **2017-03-29** Passed `passage`
- **2017-03-31** Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Judiciary `introduction`
- **2017-06-21** Senate Message, passed in Concurrence with proposal of amendment
- **2017-06-21** Motion to suspend rules as moved by Rep. Krowinski of Burlington disagreed to
- **2017-06-21** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 106 of 141 to Pass -- Yeas = 78, Nays = 63
- **2017-06-21** Rules suspended & taken up for immediate consideration, on motion of Senator Sears
- **2017-06-21** Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Sears for Committee on Judiciary
- **2017-06-21** Proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary agreed to
- **2017-06-21** 3rd reading ordered
- **2017-06-21** Rules suspended & bill placed on all remaining stages of passage, on motion of Senator Sears
- **2017-06-21** Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment `passage`
- **2017-06-21** Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Sears
- **2018-01-04** Senate Proposal of Amendment considered
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Savage of Swanton moved to postpone action until January 18, 2018
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 145 to Pass -- Yeas = 62, Nays = 83
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Conquest of Newbury moved to concur in the Senate prop of amend with a further amend thereto
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Donahue of Northfield moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Which was agreed to
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Harrison of Chittenden moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Which was disagreed to
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Till of Jericho moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Sibilia of Dover raised a Point of Order
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Till of Jericho asked and was granted leave to withdraw amendment
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Browning of Arlington moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Turner of Milton raised a Point of Order
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 74 of 146 to Pass -- Yeas = 55, Nays = 91
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Turner of Milton moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 74 of 146 to Pass -- Yeas = 32, Nays = 114
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Donahue of Northfield moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 144 to Pass -- Yeas = 58, Nays = 86
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Bancroft of Westford moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 145 to Pass -- Yeas = 60, Nays = 85
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Bancroft of Westford moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Which was disagreed to
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Browning of Arlington moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Failed -- Needed 73 of 144 to Pass -- Yeas = 59, Nays = 85
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Dickinson of St. Albans Town moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Which was disagreed to
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Gage of Rutland City moved to amend the amendment offered by Rep. Conquest of Newbury
- **2018-01-04** Rep. Gage of Rutland City asked and was granted leave to withdraw amendment
- **2018-01-04** Roll Call Results Passed -- Needed 73 of 144 to Pass -- Yeas = 81, Nays = 63
- **2018-01-05** House message House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment with proposal of amendment
- **2018-01-09** House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment
- **2018-01-10** House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment
- **2018-01-10** House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment concurred in
- **2018-01-11** Senate Message, House proposal of amendment concurred in `passage`
- **2018-01-16** Delivered to the Governor on January 16, 2018 `passage`
- **2018-01-22** Signed by Governor on January 22, 2018 `executive-signature`
- **2018-01-22** House message: Governor approved bill on January 22, 2018

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/83f8e9ca-f887-4232-bb97-66c5dd75386a`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Vermont legislature records).