Rep. Butch Shaw

Maddy summaryThis bill would allow prosecutors to charge individuals with murder or manslaughter if their actions result in the death of a fetus, and it would also permit charges for drunk driving or grossly negligent driving that cause fetal death. The law explicitly excludes abortions and medical procedures performed according to standard practice, as well as actions taken by a pregnant person against their own fetus. It clarifies that these provisions do not change the legal status or rights of a fetus under Vermont law. The bill would take effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands how courts handle bail and conditions of release for defendants in Vermont, particularly those who commit new offenses while out on pretrial release. It removes the $200 maximum bail limit for repeat offenders and allows judges to consider past compliance with court orders when setting release conditions. The legislation also creates a faster hearing process for violations of release conditions, bars repeat offenders from diversion programs, and requires annual reporting on restorative justice referrals.

Maddy summaryThis bill would eliminate registration fees for personal vehicles owned by volunteer firefighters that are authorized for emergency use. It applies to individual volunteer firefighters who have written permission to use their vehicles for fire or rescue activities and have permits for emergency lights and sirens. The legislation amends Vermont state law to set the registration fee at $0 for these specific vehicles, while maintaining a $15 fee for vehicles owned by volunteer fire departments themselves. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2024, and directly benefit volunteer firefighters in Vermont who currently pay standard registration costs for their emergency response vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates an exemption to Vermont's 72-hour waiting period for firearm transfers, allowing individuals who already own a gun to transfer one without waiting if they provide proof of ownership. The law establishes a new program where the Department of Public Safety can issue proof of firearms ownership cards to current gun owners, which would serve as valid documentation for this transfer exemption. To qualify for the card, applicants must submit a form under penalty of perjury confirming they own a firearm, and the department will deny applications from people prohibited from owning guns or subject to certain protective orders. The state would charge a $25 fee for each card issued, and the card must include the owner's identifying information and photograph.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to create a single, unified process for sealing criminal history records in Vermont, simplifying the current system where different procedures apply to expungement and sealing. It would allow certain individuals with qualifying criminal convictions to have their records sealed from general public access while still permitting specific entities like law enforcement and employers to view them for legitimate purposes. The legislation removes the requirement for people requesting criminal records to provide the date of birth of the individual they are seeking and eliminates a disclaimer that currently warns requestors that name-only searches may return multiple people. By consolidating these procedures and adjusting how records are handled, the bill aims to streamline access to criminal history information while maintaining protections for individuals with certain types of convictions.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to strengthen penalties for drug-related offenses in Vermont by clarifying legal definitions and increasing punishments for specific violations. It directly affects individuals charged with drug crimes, particularly those involving minors, repeat offenders, and cases resulting in death. The legislation amends the definition of "knowingly" to include conscious disregard of risk, increases penalties for selling drugs to minors and using minors in drug crimes, doubles penalties for second and subsequent trafficking offenses with mandatory minimum sentences, and prevents defendants from using the presence of multiple drugs as a defense when a death results from drug use.

Maddy summaryThis bill restructures the governance of the Vermont State Colleges Corporation by eliminating the Chancellor position and reducing the number of legislative trustees on the Board of Trustees from two to one, while adding new faculty and staff trustee positions. The changes would shift representation to include one trustee appointed by faculty unions and another by staff unions, alongside a student trustee, to give more direct voice to college employees and students in decision-making. The legislation also proposes reducing required structural deficit reductions for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 and includes related updates to state statutes regarding definitions, management rights, and workforce development board membership. These provisions would take effect by August 1, 2024, with the two longest-serving legislative trustees being replaced by the new faculty and staff representatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Vermont's bail and release procedures by removing the $200 limit on bail amounts for individuals charged with violating court orders, skipping bail hearings, or failing to appear in court. It also expands the factors judges can consider when setting release conditions, such as whether a person is already under community supervision or has other pending charges. Additionally, the legislation creates a new criminal offense for bail jumping and adjusts evidentiary standards for certain hearings to align them with other bail proceedings. These changes directly affect judges, defendants, and law enforcement by altering how pretrial release is managed and enforced.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Vermont law enforcement agencies to temporarily use automated traffic law enforcement systems until July 1, 2027, to issue speeding tickets to vehicle owners in specific locations. The systems would operate in work zones where traditional enforcement is impractical or unsafe, and at up to two additional high-crash or high-speeding locations, provided traffic engineering analysis confirms safety standards are met. Key provisions require certified officers to operate the equipment, placement of advance warning signs before data collection, and public notice of system locations and operating hours on agency websites. The bill defines technical terms like automated license plate recognition and establishes rules for data collection and use, while explicitly stating these systems are not intended to replace human officers or fix poor road design.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution congratulates St. Peter Roman Catholic Church of Rutland on the 150th anniversary of its church building's construction. The document acknowledges the church's history, noting it was built in 1869 and consecrated in 1873 to serve the growing Catholic community in the Rutland area. It recognizes the contributions of parishioners who helped construct the building and subsequent restoration efforts over the decades. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a copy of the document to the church as a formal acknowledgment of this milestone.