An act relating to removal of court discretion in sentencing a defendant for selling or dispensing a regulated drug with death resulting

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.