An act relating to miscellaneous judiciary procedures
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
16 provisions identified: 11 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.
Broader legal coverage for state employees
Beginning June 18, 2026, Vermont's coverage for state employee legal liability includes similar state-law claims alongside covered federal civil-rights claims. The State pays covered judgments or settlements when the Attorney General or a designee defends the case. The employee's actions must have been within their job duties. State payment limits remain $500,000 for one person and $2 million for all people affected by one occurrence.
Eviction legal help reaches renters statewide
Beginning June 18, 2026, the two-year tenant legal help pilot expands from Lamoille and Windsor Counties to all Vermont counties. Vermont Legal Aid can fully represent tenants who receive an eviction summons and complaint and agree to help. Tenants qualify through any one test: income at or below 120% of State area median income, rent at least 30% of income, or expenses above income. Implementation depends on the fiscal year 2025 appropriation to the Agency of Human Services for Vermont Legal Aid. The $1.025 million appropriation carries forward each budget year until spent or taken back by the Legislature.
Broader protection against abuse and stalking
Beginning June 18, 2026, the protective-order rule covers defendants under corrections supervision, rather than requiring incarceration. Courts must find abuse plus either a danger of further abuse or a listed serious conviction with corrections supervision. The law also clarifies that stalking can involve two or more acts over any period, even on the same day. A stalking threat does not have to be direct or openly stated.
New recovery path for crime victims
The law creates a new crime-profit recovery process, replacing the old civil actions repealed beginning June 18, 2026. Entities knowingly paying or agreeing to pay crime profits to someone charged or convicted must promptly notify the Attorney General in writing. The Attorney General must notify known victims at their last known addresses. Victims can sue the convicted person or their legal representative within three years after discovering the profits, for up to their value. Within that period, the Attorney General can enforce the State's rights to recover payments it made. The State can seek counsel and incarceration costs from profits victims leave unclaimed after three years.
Broader fraud protection for property owners
Beginning June 18, 2026, home and land improvement fraud rules cover written or oral contracts, agreements, and change orders. The thresholds are $1,000 for a contract or agreement with one owner, or $2,500 total for covered deals with multiple owners. Covered conduct includes knowingly making promises the provider does not intend to keep, material false statements, and unfair or deceptive practices. During a declared emergency, the rules also cover prices above twice the average price when added costs do not explain the increase.
More creditor protection for spouses' trusts
Beginning June 18, 2026, qualifying property transferred to spouses' trusts is protected from a spouse's separate creditors. The property must have been held by the spouses as tenants by the entirety, a form of joint ownership. Transfers can be to jointly or separately held trusts, whether revocable or irrevocable. The rule covers trusts created and property transferred before, on, or after April 24, 2025, subject to other trust laws. It also covers trust court cases started on or after April 24, 2025.
Victims get priority but lower advances
When collections from an offender exceed $5,000, money above that amount goes to victims until their ordered restitution is fully paid. Any remaining excess goes to two victim funds in proportion to their payments. The limit for additional advance payments to a victim falls from $10,000 to $5,000. Beginning June 18, 2026, the maximum court-directed Restitution Fund payment to a victim's estate also falls from $10,000 to $5,000. That estate payment covers future uninsured material losses caused by a crime-related death.
Automatic license return after youth suspensions
Driving licenses or privileges return automatically after suspensions for the covered alcohol- or cannabis-related civil violations. The suspension lasts 30 days for a first offense and 90 days for a second or later offense. No separate reinstatement step is required when that period ends.
Crime victims learn about release alerts
After first contacting a crime victim, law enforcement must promptly provide written information about custody and release information rights. This covers learning where a defendant is held and whether they are released when held in a correctional facility. The agency must also explain the Vermont Offender Locator website and how to register for automatic release alerts.
Faster custody reviews for civil contempt
Beginning June 18, 2026, courts must review covered contempt custody every 14 days instead of every 15 days. This applies while a person remains in corrections custody under court-set conditions for ending the contempt.
Lower bail limits for qualifying misdemeanors
Beginning June 18, 2026, bail and appearance-bond restrictions extend to misdemeanors eligible for sealing at covered initial appearances or temporary releases. Courts can impose bail only when needed to address flight risk, and bail cannot exceed $200. The $200 cap does not apply when the alleged offense occurred while the defendant was released pending trial for another offense.
Final discrimination reports become publicly accessible
Beginning June 18, 2026, reports from the covered Human Rights Commission complaints lose confidentiality after a final decision and notice to parties. The Commission cannot proactively release them. Protected nonparty witness identities and information legally barred from release without a court order remain withheld. Identifying details also stay private when the Commission finds no reasonable grounds to believe discrimination occurred. The change applies to pending investigations too.
Shorter restricted access for pretrial records
Beginning June 18, 2026, the restricted-access period for pretrial risk assessments and needs-screening records falls from three years to two. During those two years, only the Director of Pretrial Services and pretrial service coordinators can access them. Afterward, other state records-retention laws apply. The law does not require automatic destruction of the records.
New renewal rules for family judgments
The Family Division alone handles actions on its judgments, and renewal motions must be filed in the county that issued them. Money or property judgments must be renewed within eight years after entry or by the last required payment or action, whichever is later. Filing a renewal motion pauses the time limit. A signed written acknowledgment, an obligor's payment or compliance action, or a third-party payment specifically toward the judgment restarts it. Orders awarding or transferring real estate have no statutory time limit.
Court record access changes for attorneys
Courts must give licensed Vermont attorneys in good standing online access to nonconfidential family and probate records. That attorney-access requirement no longer includes criminal records. The general rule bars public online access to criminal, family, and probate records. Court-issued rules govern public online access to criminal records.
Financial guardianship controls and safeguards repealed
Beginning June 18, 2026, Vermont repeals several spendthrift guardianship rules concerning a guardian's control over a person's finances. The repealed rules cover hearings and notice, court orders and appeals, guardians' control, duties, and expenses. The provided provisions do not identify replacement procedures or protections.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
House message: Governor approved bill on June 18, 2026
5/29/2026HouseSigned by Governor on June 18, 2026
5/29/2026HouseDelivered to Governor on June 12, 2026
5/29/2026HouseHouse message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment
5/27/2026HouseSenate proposal of amendment concurred in
5/22/2026HouseRules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
5/22/2026HouseNotice Calendar: Senate Proposal of Amendment
5/22/2026HouseSenate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment
5/21/2026SenateRules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
5/21/2026SenateRead 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendment
5/21/2026SenatePending third reading, motion to amend Senate proposal of amendment by Senator(s) Hashim agreed to
5/21/2026SenateNew Business/Third Reading
5/21/2026Senate3rd reading ordered
5/20/2026SenateProposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary agreed to
5/20/2026SenateReported favorably by Senator Norris for Committee on Appropriations
5/20/2026SenateRead 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Hashim for Committee on Judiciary
5/20/2026SenateFavorable report by Committee on Appropriations
5/20/2026SenateFavorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary
5/20/2026SenateUnfinished Business/Second Reading
5/20/2026SenateFavorable report by Committee on Appropriations
5/19/2026SenateFavorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary
5/19/2026SenateUnfinished Business/Second Reading
5/19/2026SenateFavorable report by Committee on Appropriations
5/15/2026SenateFavorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary
5/15/2026SenateUnfinished Business/Second Reading
5/15/2026Senate
Bill Text
As Enacted (ACT 165)Opens in a new window
6/19/2026
As Passed by Both Chambers
6/5/2026
As Passed by Both Chambers (Unofficial)
6/5/2026
Senate Proposal of Amendment
5/22/2026
Senate Proposal of Amendment (Unofficial)
5/22/2026
As Passed by the House
4/1/2026
As Passed by the House (Unofficial)
4/1/2026
As Introduced
3/16/2026
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