Criminal Justice (Policing) in Vermont

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 22, 2026

H 747: An act relating to standards for law enforcement identification

H.747, the "No Secret Police Act," requires all Vermont local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to visibly display their agency name and either their name or badge number during public interactions. It prohibits wearing masks or disguises that conceal identity, except for specific safety-related exceptions like medical masks, fire operations, or declared weather emergencies. Law enforcement agencies must create and publicly post written policies ensuring compliance with these identification standards. The bill aims to promote transparency and trust between officers and the public during routine engagements.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 15, 2026

H 693: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington concerning the Town police department

H.693 approves charter amendments for the Town of Bennington that allow the Select Board to delegate the review of complaint materials (like video footage and transcripts) following police investigations. This directly affects the Bennington Police Department and the Community Policing Advisory Review Board (or any new board the Select Board creates). The amendment, approved by Bennington voters on March 4, 2025, gives the Select Board the authority to assign this specific duty to the designated board, streamlining how police complaint reviews are handled.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Policing

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 9, 2026

H 636: An act relating to an independent monitoring board for body-worn camera footage

H 636 would create a five-member independent civilian board to oversee police body camera footage in Vermont. The board, appointed by all three branches of government, would review public requests for footage, control access to stored recordings, and redact sensitive information before releasing any material. This directly affects law enforcement agencies (which must provide footage to the board) and the public (which can request access to recordings). The bill establishes a formal process for managing bodycam data without changing how police use the cameras.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 23, 2026

S 302: An act relating to limiting the collection of personally identifying information

S.302 prohibits Vermont public agencies from collecting or disclosing certain personally identifying information, including immigration status and religious affiliation, unless required by federal law. It specifically bans using state resources to assist federal registration programs based on such data and requires agencies continuing to collect immigration information to explain why by December 2026. The bill affects all state and local government entities, including police, schools, and social services, by restricting how they handle sensitive personal data. It includes exceptions for compliance with federal laws like 8 U.S.C. §§ 1373 and 1644, and permits sharing aggregated, non-identifiable data. The law takes effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Policing Data Privacy

introduced · Vermont · House Apr 1, 2025

H 500: An act relating to automated license plate recognition systems

This bill (H.500) prevents the repeal of existing Vermont regulations governing automated license plate recognition (ALPR) systems used by law enforcement. It specifically preserves provisions in 23 V.S.A. chapter 15, subchapter 2 that regulate how police can use ALPR data, including rules for data retention and permissible uses. The bill directly affects Vermont law enforcement agencies that deploy ALPR technology. It maintains current restrictions on how long license plate data can be stored and how it may be accessed or shared, without creating new requirements. The legislation is procedural, aiming to keep existing privacy safeguards in place.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 28, 2025

S 97: An act relating to creating municipal and regional civilian oversight of law enforcement

S 97 creates municipal and regional civilian oversight boards to handle complaints against local law enforcement agencies and officers in Vermont. These boards will independently investigate complaints (in addition to agency investigations), publish public reports, and make recommendations on disciplinary actions for the Vermont Criminal Justice Council to consider. The law mandates that agencies must report certain serious complaints to the oversight boards within seven business days and requires the Council to give deference to the boards' recommendations. The bill also establishes a $500,000 grant program to help municipalities implement these oversight structures. This affects all municipal police departments, sheriff's offices, and regional law enforcement agencies covered by the law.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

introduced · Vermont · Senate Apr 4, 2025

S 144: An act relating to secondary enforcement of certain motor vehicle violations

S.144 (An act relating to secondary enforcement of certain motor vehicle violations) prohibits police from stopping drivers solely for minor traffic violations like expired registration stickers, unobstructed license plates, or minor equipment issues (such as a single broken taillight). It requires officers to have already detained a driver for a different, more serious violation before enforcing these specific minor offenses. The bill also bans officers from asking for consent to search a vehicle or questioning drivers about unrelated matters after a traffic stop, except when detecting evidence of another crime. This takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all Vermont law enforcement.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 22, 2025

H 59: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of Burlington

This bill approves amendments to the City of Burlington's charter that reform police oversight. It directly affects the Burlington Police Department, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Chief of Police by: (1) allowing the Board and Chief to jointly propose department rules; (2) giving the Board sole authority to review all misconduct allegations and conduct independent investigations; and (3) enabling the Board to request an independent panel to resolve disagreements with the Chief over misconduct outcomes. These changes, approved by Burlington voters in November 2024, aim to strengthen civilian oversight of police conduct through clearer procedures and independent review processes. The bill does not change police staffing or funding but modifies how misconduct reviews and rule-making are handled.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Policing

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 361: An act relating to creating municipal and regional civilian oversight of law enforcement

This bill creates local civilian oversight boards in Vermont municipalities and regions to investigate complaints against police officers and agencies. These boards, which can be appointed or elected, receive complaints, conduct investigations (in addition to agency reviews), and issue public reports with recommendations that the Vermont Criminal Justice Council must consider. The bill specifically bans chokehold training except for prevention and requires law enforcement agencies to report serious incidents like officer-involved deaths to these boards within 10 business days. It directly affects all Vermont police departments, officers, and the Criminal Justice Council, which must follow board recommendations on officer discipline.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

introduced · Vermont · Senate Apr 9, 2025

S 148: An act relating to expanding good samaritan protections concerning immigration

This bill prohibits Vermont law enforcement agencies, officers, and their representatives from using state resources (including personnel, equipment, or funds) to assist federal immigration authorities in civil or criminal immigration investigations or proceedings. It specifically applies to situations covered by existing Vermont laws protecting healthcare providers (12 V.S.A. § 7306) and overdose reporting (18 V.S.A. § 4254), expanding those "good Samaritan" protections to immigration contexts. Exceptions allow cooperation when responding to a valid judicial warrant or investigating a crime unrelated to immigration enforcement. The law directly affects Vermont police and sheriff's departments by restricting their collaboration with federal immigration agencies.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

All criminal justice bills