H.612 establishes Vermont's own Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, modeled after the federal law. It targets organized crime groups by allowing civil lawsuits and criminal prosecutions for a "pattern of racketeering activity" involving two or more related crimes (such as drug trafficking, robbery, fraud, or domestic terrorism) within a four-year period. The law directly affects organized crime enterprises operating in Vermont and provides victims with legal avenues to seek compensation. Key mechanisms include defining "enterprise" broadly to cover both legal and illegal groups, specifying qualifying crimes, and enabling civil forfeiture of assets seized under the law.
This bill expands Vermont's Bill of Rights for Sexual Assault Survivors by guaranteeing specific protections during medical exams and criminal investigations. It directly affects survivors who report sexual assault to law enforcement, hospitals, or victim advocates, granting them the right to have a chosen support person present during exams and interviews, retain private counsel throughout proceedings, shower immediately after medical evaluations, and request a same-gender law enforcement officer for interviews. The bill also prohibits using evidence from medical exams to prosecute survivors for minor offenses like drug crimes or misdemeanors. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, and apply to all sexual assault cases reported under Vermont law.
This bill (H 547) requires Vermont courts to recognize military protective orders as valid evidence in cases involving stalking, sexual assault, or domestic abuse. It directly affects victims of abuse who have obtained military protective orders against military members (including Vermont National Guard members) by allowing those orders and related sworn statements to be used in court proceedings. The key mechanism amends court procedures to explicitly admit military orders and sworn statements (administered by authorized military officials) as evidence to establish patterns of abuse. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and is currently before the Judiciary Committee.
This bill (H.628) amends Vermont's domestic abuse protection laws to allow courts to issue orders requiring defendants under Department of Corrections supervision - convicted of specific violent crimes like domestic assault or sexual assault - to continue paying household bills they were responsible for at the time the plaintiff requested the order. It directly affects domestic abuse victims (plaintiffs) and defendants in correctional supervision who have committed certain violent offenses. The key provision adds a requirement for defendants to cover household expenses for up to three months, in addition to standard protective measures like restraining orders or housing awards. This change ensures financial stability for victims during the protection process without altering existing legal standards for abuse claims.
H 255 increases criminal penalties for assaulting public transit workers in Vermont. It adds up to one year in prison for a first assault offense and up to 10 years for repeat offenses against workers while they perform their duties. The bill also prohibits intentionally exposing transit workers to bodily fluids (like blood or vomit), punishable by up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine. "Public transit worker" is defined to include drivers (employees or volunteers) and support staff at transit centers. The law applies to all such assaults committed while workers are on duty, excluding individuals under 18 in residential facilities.
Vermont's S.116 would define an unborn child as a "person" under criminal law when bodily injury or death results from a crime, allowing prosecutors to charge perpetrators without proving they knew about the pregnancy or intended harm to the fetus. This directly affects individuals who commit crimes (like assault or homicide) causing fetal harm, while explicitly protecting pregnant women from prosecution for their own actions and legal medical procedures like abortions with consent. The bill adds a new section to Vermont law clarifying that an unborn child is deemed a person for criminal offenses involving injury or death, but excludes abortion and medical treatments from prosecution. It aims to resolve inconsistencies in past court rulings about fetal personhood under criminal statutes.
H.5 amends Vermont's evidence rules to allow statements made by children aged 12-15 who are victims of specific abuse crimes (like sexual assault, cruelty, or exploitation) to be used as evidence in court. The bill requires courts to verify that such statements are trustworthy, made before legal proceedings began, and not prepared for trial. It directly affects child victims in criminal, civil, or juvenile cases involving listed abuse offenses under Vermont law. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies only to cases where the child’s statements relate to the alleged abuse.
Bill S 9 establishes a process for individuals to seek and obtain emergency temporary orders against sexual assault outside of regular court hours, including on weekends and holidays. It directs the Court Administrator to create specific procedures for this after-hours access. Key provisions include designating authorized personnel to receive requests and allowing electronic submission of complaints and affidavits. Judicial officers can then review these submissions and issue orders remotely, which can require a defendant to stay away from the plaintiff.
