An act relating to coercive controlling behavior and abuse prevention orders

This bill amends Vermont's definitions of abuse to include coercive controlling behavior, expanding protection order eligibility beyond physical harm to cover patterns that unreasonably interfere with a person's free will and personal liberty. The law specifically addresses behaviors such as isolating victims from support networks, controlling finances or movements, threatening immigration status, and using threats related to sexuality or animal cruelty. It clarifies who qualifies as a household member to include people in dating relationships, using factors like relationship duration and interaction frequency to determine eligibility. The changes apply to family or household members and take effect on July 1, 2024, allowing courts to issue protection orders against individuals engaging in these controlling behaviors.