Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole)

H.872 mandates minimum prison sentences for repeat violent offenders in Vermont. It requires a minimum sentence of half the maximum term (up to life) for anyone convicted of a third violent felony - defined as a felony with violence against a person - after two prior such convictions. The bill prohibits suspended sentences, probation, parole, or early release for the first three years of this mandatory term. It also amends sentencing rules to ban suspended sentences for all violent felony convictions, not just repeat offenders. This bill directly affects individuals with multiple violent felony convictions, changing their sentencing outcomes under Vermont law.

H 411 updates Vermont's public safety laws with several key changes. It extends extradition timelines to 120 days for individuals violating bail, probation, or parole in another state, and mandates a minimum five-year prison sentence for high-risk sex offenders who fail to comply with registry requirements. The bill restricts judges from using alternative sentences for repeat offenders or those violating probation without written justification, and changes the process for sealing criminal records to make sealing standard for most completed sentences with limited access for criminal justice and licensing purposes. Additionally, it transfers juvenile case jurisdiction for certain offenses from the Family Division to the Criminal Division and repeals a law that had raised the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 19.