H 702 Vermont House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An act relating to criminal trespass and residing on land or premises of another person without authority

H.702, the "Vermont Squatter Reform Act," makes it a felony to enter or reside on someone else's property without permission, with enhanced penalties if property damage exceeds $1,000. It also bans presenting fake lease agreements with false material facts for the purpose of occupying property. The bill expands fast-track court procedures for landlords to remove unlawful occupants who entered without authorization, streamlining eviction processes. This directly affects individuals occupying land or premises without legal right and landlords seeking to evict them.
Bill status introduced 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action Jan 15, 2026
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Jan 15, 2026
Introduced
Read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Debbie Dolgin
Debbie Dolgin
RRepublican
VT
Caledonia-Essex