An act relating to miscellaneous updates to the powers of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council and the duties of law enforcement officers

This bill updates the powers of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council and clarifies the duties and conduct standards for law enforcement officers in the state. It requires the Council to create and enforce a statewide Law Enforcement Officers' Code of Conduct that prohibits specific behaviors such as criminal conduct, untruthfulness, sexual harassment, biased enforcement, unlawful use of force, and domestic violence. The legislation also establishes clear definitions for different levels of misconduct and sets rules for how the Council can impose sanctions, ensuring that disciplinary actions align with those taken by individual law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the bill grants the Council authority to define training requirements and allows for limited waivers of annual training obligations for officers who can complete them within a specified timeframe.