An act relating to statements made by a child victim of an offense involving serious bodily injury

This bill modifies Vermont criminal procedure rules to protect young child victims in cases involving serious bodily injury or sexual offenses by limiting depositions and allowing certain out-of-court statements to be used as evidence. For victims under 16, depositions are generally prohibited unless both sides agree or a judge approves them only after finding the testimony is essential, not available elsewhere, and the benefits outweigh harm to the child. The bill also permits hearsay statements from children 12 or younger in specific cases if the child can still testify in court and the statements show reliability, reducing the need for repeated questioning of vulnerable witnesses. These changes apply to criminal prosecutions, juvenile proceedings, and certain civil cases involving abuse or neglect.