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H.2
IntroducedbyRepresentativesLaLondeofSouthBurlington,Arsenaultof
Williston,DolanofEssexJunction,andRachelsonof
Burlington
ReferredtoCommitteeon
Date:
Subject:Delinquencyproceedings;minimumage
Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestoincreasethe
minimumageatwhichachildmaybesubjecttojuveniledelinquency
proceedingsfrom10to12.
Anactrelatingtoincreasingtheminimumagefordelinquencyproceedings
ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
Sec.1.33V.S.A.§ 5102isamendedtoread:
§5102.DEFINITIONSANDPROVISIONSOFGENERALAPPLICATION
Asusedinthejuvenilejudicialproceedingschapters:
***
(2)“Child”meansanyofthefollowing:
***
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(C)Anindividualwhohasbeenallegedtohavecommittedorhas
committedanactofdelinquencyafterbecoming1012yearsofageandprior
tobecoming22yearsofage,unlessotherwiseprovidedinchapter52or52A
ofthistitle;provided,however:
(i)thatanindividualwhoisallegedtohavecommittedanact
beforeattaining1012yearsofagethatwouldbemurderasdefinedin
13 V.S.A.§2301ifcommittedbyanadultmaybesubjecttodelinquency
proceedings;and
(ii)thatanindividualmaybeconsideredachildfortheperiodof
timethecourtretainsjurisdictionundersection5104ofthistitle.
***
Sec.2.EFFECTIVEDATE
Thisactshalltakeeffectonpassage.
***FamilyDivisionDelinquencyJurisdiction***
Sec.1.33V.S.A.§ 5102isamendedtoread:
§5102.DEFINITIONSANDPROVISIONSOFGENERALAPPLICATION
Asusedinthejuvenilejudicialproceedingschapters:
***
(2)“Child”meansanyofthefollowing:
***
1
2
3
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(C)anindividualwhohasbeenallegedtohavecommittedorhas
committedanactofdelinquencyafterbecoming1012yearsofageandprior
tobecoming22yearsofage,unlessotherwiseprovidedinchapter52or52A
ofthistitle;provided,however:
(i)thatanindividualwhoisallegedtohavecommittedanact
beforeattaining10yearsofagethatwouldbemurderasdefinedin13 V.S.A.§
2301ifcommittedbyanadultmaybesubjecttodelinquencyproceedings;and
(ii),thatanindividualmaybeconsideredachildfortheperiodof
timethecourtretainsjurisdictionundersection5104ofthistitle.
***
Sec.2.33V.S.A.§ 5103(c)isamendedtoread:
(c)(1)Exceptasotherwiseprovidedbythistitleandbysubdivision(2)of
thissubsection,jurisdictionoverachildshallnotbeextendedbeyondthe
child’s18thbirthday.
(2)(A)Jurisdictionoverachildwithadelinquencymaybeextended
untilsixmonthsbeyondthechild’s:
(i)19th20thbirthdayifthechildwas16or17yearsofagewhen
heorshethechildcommittedtheoffense;or
(ii)20th21stbirthdayifthechildwas18yearsofagewhenheor
shethechildcommittedtheoffense.
*** BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.2
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***RaisetheAge***
Sec.3.2024ActsandResolvesNo.125,Secs.7–11areamendedtoread:
Sec.7.[Deleted.]
Sec.8.[Deleted.]
Sec.9.[Deleted.]
Sec.10.[Deleted.]
Sec.11.[Deleted.]
Sec.4.2024ActsandResolvesNo.125,Sec.21isamendedtoread:
Sec.21.EFFECTIVEDATES
***
(b)Secs.7–11shalltakeeffectonApril1,2025.[Deleted.]
Sec.5.33V.S.A.§ 5201(d)isamendedtoread:
(d)Anyproceedingconcerningachildwhoisallegedtohavecommitted
anyoffenseotherthanthosespecifiedinsubsection5204(a)ofthistitleor
subdivision(c)(2)or(3)ofthissectionbeforeattaining1920yearsofage
shalloriginateintheFamilyDivisionoftheSuperiorCourt,providedthat
jurisdictionmaybetransferredinaccordancewiththischapter.
Sec.6.33V.S.A.§ 5203isamendedtoread:
§5203.TRANSFERFROMOTHERCOURTS
(a)IfitappearstoaCriminalDivisionoftheSuperiorCourtthatthe
defendantwasunder1920yearsofageatthetimetheoffensechargedwas BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.2
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allegedtohavebeencommittedandtheoffensechargedisanoffensenot
specifiedinsubsection5204(a)orsubdivision5201(c)(2)or(3)ofthistitle,
thatcourtshallforthwithtransfertheproceedingtotheFamilyDivisionofthe
SuperiorCourtundertheauthorityofthischapter,andtheminorshallthenbe
consideredtobesubjecttothischapterasachildchargedwithadelinquent
act.
***
(c)IfitappearstotheState’sAttorneythatthedefendantwasunder1920
yearsofageatthetimethefelonyoffensechargedwasallegedtohavebeen
committedandthefelonychargedisnotanoffensespecifiedinsubsection
5204(a)orsubdivision5201(c)(2)or(3)ofthistitle,theState’sAttorneyshall
filechargesintheFamilyDivisionoftheSuperiorCourt,pursuanttosection
5201ofthistitle.TheFamilyDivisionmaytransfertheproceedingtothe
CriminalDivisionpursuanttosection5204ofthistitle.
***
Sec.7.33V.S.A.§ 5204isamendedtoread:
§5204.TRANSFERFROMFAMILYDIVISIONOFTHESUPERIOR
COURT
(a)Afterapetitionhasbeenfiledallegingdelinquency,uponmotionofthe
State’sAttorneyandafterhearing,theFamilyDivisionoftheSuperiorCourt
maytransferjurisdictionoftheproceedingtotheCriminalDivisionofthe BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.2
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SuperiorCourtifthechildhadattained16yearsofagebutnot1920yearsof
ageatthetimetheactwasallegedtohaveoccurredandthedelinquentactset
forthinthepetitionisafelonynotspecifiedinsubdivisions(1)–(11)ofthis
subsectionorifthechildhadattained12yearsofagebutnot14yearsofage
atthetimetheactwasallegedtohaveoccurred,andifthedelinquentactset
forthinthepetitionwasanyofthefollowing:
***
Sec.8.33V.S.A.§ 5103(c)isamendedtoread:
(c)(1)Exceptasotherwiseprovidedbythistitleandbysubdivision(2)of
thissubsection,jurisdictionoverachildshallnotbeextendedbeyondthe
child’s18thbirthday.
(2)(A)Jurisdictionoverachildwithadelinquencymaybeextended:
(i)untilsixmonthsbeyondthechild’s:
(i)(I)20thbirthdayifthechildwas16or17yearsofagewhen
thechildcommittedtheoffense;or
(ii)(II)21stbirthdayifthechildwas18yearsofagewhenthe
childcommittedtheoffense;or
(ii)untilthechild’s22ndbirthdayifthechildwas19yearsofage
whenthechildcommittedtheoffense.
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Sec.9.33V.S.A.§ 5206isamendedtoread:
§5206.CITATIONOF16-TO18-YEAROLDS19-YEAR-OLDS
(a)(1)Ifachildwasover16yearsofageandunder1920yearsofageat
thetimetheoffensewasallegedtohavebeencommittedandtheoffenseisnot
specifiedinsubsection(b)ofthissection,lawenforcementshallcitethechild
totheFamilyDivisionoftheSuperiorCourt.
***
Sec.10.AGENCYOFHUMANSERVICESPROGRESSREPORTS
(a)OnorbeforeJuly1,2026andDecember1,2026,theAgencyofHuman
ServicesshallreporttotheJointLegislativeJusticeOversightCommittee,the
SenateandHouseCommitteesonJudiciary,theHouseCommitteeon
CorrectionsandInstitutions,theSenateCommitteeonInstitutions,theHouse
CommitteeonHumanServices,andtheSenateCommitteeonHealthand
Welfareonitsprogresstowardimplementingtherequirementofthisactthat
theRaisetheAgeinitiativetakeeffectonJuly1,2027.Theprogressreports
requiredbythissectionshalldescribeprogresstowardimplementationofthe
RaisetheAgeinitiative,asmeasuredbyqualitativeandquantitativedata
relatedtothefollowingpriorities:
(1)establishingasecureresidentialfacility;
(2)expandingcapacityfornonresidentialtreatmentprogramstoprovide
community-basedservices; BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.2
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(3)ensuringthatresidentialtreatmentprogramsareusedappropriately
andtotheirfullpotential;
(4)expandingcapacityforBalancedandRestorativeJustice(BARJ)
contracts;
(5)expandingcapacityfortheprovisionofservicestochildrenwith
developmentaldisabilities;
(6)establishingastabilizationprogramforchildrenwhoare
experiencingamentalhealthcrisis;
(7)enhancinglong-termtreatmentforchildren;
(8)programmingtohelpchildren,particularly18-and19-year-olds,
transitiontoadulthood;
(9)developingdistrict-specificdataandinformationonfamilyservices
workforcedevelopment,includingturnover,retention,andvacancyrates;times
neededtofillopenpositions;trainingopportunitiesandneeds;andinstituting
apositivecultureforemployees;
(10)installationofacomprehensivechildwelfareinformationsystem;
and
(11)plansforandmeasurestakentosecurefundingforthegoalslisted
inthissection.
(b)Thereportrequiredbythissectionshallprovideutilizationdataforthe
RedCloverTreatmentFacility,includinghowmanyyouthsutilizetheFacility BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.2
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onamonthlyandannualbasis,thelengthofstay,thetreatmentneedsofthe
youthswhoareplacedattheFacility,racialandgenderdemographicdatafor
youthswhoareplacedattheFacility,andanyotherdatadeemedrelevantby
theDepartment.
(c)Failuretomeetoneormoreoftheprogressreportelementslistedin
subsection(a)ofthissectionshallnotbeabasisforextendingthe
implementationoftheRaisetheAgeinitiativebeyondJuly1,2027.
***EffectiveDates***
Sec.11.EFFECTIVEDATES;APPLICABILITY
(a)Secs.1,2,and10shalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.
(b)Secs.3and4andthissectionshalltakeeffectonMarch31,2025.
(c)Secs.5–9shalltakeeffectonJuly1,2027.