Criminal Justice (Courts)

H 221 creates a temporary working group to develop a uniform process for ensuring compliance with court orders requiring individuals to surrender firearms, primarily affecting domestic violence victims and safety systems. The group, composed of officials from law enforcement, courts, domestic violence advocates, and firearm storage entities, will study current challenges and recommend legislative or policy changes by November 2025. It will focus on creating statewide accountability for firearm surrender orders in both family and criminal courts, assessing resource needs for courts and law enforcement, and consulting with existing domestic violence programs. The working group will disband on January 15, 2026, after submitting its recommendations to the legislature.

Vermont's H 299 prevents Family Court cases from being transferred to criminal court when the person involved is a child or youth victim of human trafficking. The bill requires Family Court to retain jurisdiction over such cases if the court finds clear evidence the child was a victim of human trafficking, sexual assault, or related crimes defined in state law. Key provisions mandate that courts hold hearings to verify victim status and explicitly prohibit transferring cases involving these specific offenses. This directly affects minors in Family Court proceedings who are identified as trafficking victims, keeping their cases in the juvenile justice system. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025.

H.186 would require courts to impose a minimum two-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of selling or dispensing a regulated drug that causes a death, removing the judge's current ability to sentence below that term if they determine it serves "the interests of justice." This bill directly affects defendants in drug-related homicide cases where the death resulted from the sale or distribution of a regulated substance. The key provision eliminates judicial discretion in sentencing for these specific offenses, mandating the two-year minimum term without exception. The bill is currently under review by Vermont's Judiciary Committee after its initial introduction.

H 380 proposes two key changes to Vermont's criminal justice system. It upgrades penalties for violating release conditions (like missing court appearances) from misdemeanors to felonies, with maximum penalties of up to 3 years in prison or $5,000 fines. The bill also directs the Department of Corrections to hire 12 new Pretrial Supervision Officers and 2 administrative staff by fiscal year 2026 to fully staff the pretrial supervision program. These changes directly affect individuals released under court supervision and the Department of Corrections, with the law taking effect July 1, 2025.

Bill S 9 establishes a process for individuals to seek and obtain emergency temporary orders against sexual assault outside of regular court hours, including on weekends and holidays. It directs the Court Administrator to create specific procedures for this after-hours access. Key provisions include designating authorized personnel to receive requests and allowing electronic submission of complaints and affidavits. Judicial officers can then review these submissions and issue orders remotely, which can require a defendant to stay away from the plaintiff.

This bill amends multiple Vermont statutes to adjust court procedures and criminal justice policies. It creates an adult court diversion program allowing prosecutors to refer eligible defendants (post-charge, with court probable cause) to restorative options instead of prosecution, while expanding the definition of "victim" to include family members and certain professionals. Key provisions include restricting public internet access to court records (allowing limited access for attorneys and law enforcement), adding a $100 surcharge for criminal cases to fund investigative units, and establishing automatic expungement for certain switchblade knife convictions prior to July 2025. These changes directly affect courts, prosecutors, defendants, victims, and law enforcement agencies. The bill is now law after being signed by the governor on June 12, 2025.