VT
Vermont House Bill H0027

Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0027 Compare Versions

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1-BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.27
1+BILL AS INTRODUCED H.27
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3-H.27
4-IntroducedbyRepresentativesLaLondeofSouthBurlingtonandNugentof
5-SouthBurlington
6-ReferredtoCommitteeon
7-Date:
8-Subject:Domesticrelations;DomesticViolenceFatalityReviewCommission
9-Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestoexpandthe
10-scopeoftheCommission’sreviewtoincludenear-fatalinstancesofdomestic
11-violence;addnewmemberstotheCommission;anddirectthepersonswho
12-haveappointingauthoritytoconsiderdiversitywhenappointingmembersto
13-theCommission.
14-AnactrelatingtotheDomesticViolenceFatalityReviewCommission
15-ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
16-Sec.1.15V.S.A.§ 1140isamendedtoread:
17-§1140.DOMESTICVIOLENCEFATALITYREVIEWCOMMISSION
18-(a)TheDomesticViolenceFatalityReviewCommissionisestablished
19-withintheOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral,inconsultationwiththeCouncilon
20-DomesticViolence,forthefollowingpurposes:
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38-18 BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.27
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5+VT LEG #378616 v.1
6+H.27 1
7+Introduced by Representatives LaLonde of South Burlington and Nugent of 2
8+South Burlington 3
9+Referred to Committee on 4
10+Date: 5
11+Subject: Domestic relations; Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission 6
12+Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to expand the 7
13+scope of the Commission’s review to include near-fatal instances of domestic 8
14+violence; add new members to the Commission; and direct the persons who 9
15+have appointing authority to consider diversity when appointing members to 10
16+the Commission. 11
17+An act relating to the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission 12
18+It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
19+Sec. 1. 15 V.S.A. § 1140 is amended to read: 14
20+§ 1140. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY REVIEW COMMISSION 15
21+(a) The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission is established 16
22+within the Office of the Attorney General, in consultation with the Council on 17
23+Domestic Violence, for the following purposes: 18
24+(1) to examine the trends and patterns of domestic violence-related 19
25+fatalities and near-fatal instances of domestic violence in Vermont; 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.27
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40-(1)toexaminethetrendsandpatternsofdomesticviolence-related
41-fatalitiesandnear-fatalinstancesofdomesticviolenceinVermont;
42-(2)toidentifybarrierstosafety,thestrengthsandweaknessesin
43-communities,andsystemicresponsestodomesticviolence;
44-(3)toeducatethepublic,serviceproviders,andpolicymakersabout
45-domesticviolencefatalitiesandnear-fatalinstancesofdomesticviolenceand
46-strategiesforinterventionandprevention;and
47-(4)torecommendpolicies,practices,andservicesthatwillencourage
48-collaborationandreducefatalitiesandnear-fatalinstancesofdomestic
49-violenceduetodomesticviolence.
50-(b)TheCommissionisintendedtoreflectcommunitiesthroughout
51-Vermontandappointingauthoritiesshallstrivetoappointpersonsfrom
52-differentracialandethnicbackgrounds,personswithadisability,andpersons
53-whoidentifyasLGBTQ+.TheCommissionshallcomprise172223
54-members,consistingofthefollowing:
55-(1)theAttorneyGeneralordesignee;
56-(2)theCommissionerofHealthordesignee;
57-(3)theCommissionerforChildrenandFamiliesordesignee;
58-(4)theCommissionerofCorrectionsordesignee;
59-(5)theCommissionerofPublicSafetyordesignee;
60-(6)theChiefMedicalExaminerordesignee;
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30+(2) to identify barriers to safety, the strengths and weaknesses in 1
31+communities, and systemic responses to domestic violence; 2
32+(3) to educate the public, service providers, and policymakers about 3
33+domestic violence fatalities and near-fatal instances of domestic violence and 4
34+strategies for intervention and prevention; and 5
35+(4) to recommend policies, practices, and services that will encourage 6
36+collaboration and reduce fatalities and near-fatal instances of domestic 7
37+violence due to domestic violence. 8
38+(b) The Commission is intended to reflect communities throughout 9
39+Vermont and appointing authorities shall strive to appoint persons from 10
40+different racial and ethnic backgrounds, persons with a disability, and persons 11
41+who identify as LGBTQ+. The Commission shall comprise 17 22 members, 12
42+consisting of the following: 13
43+(1) the Attorney General or designee; 14
44+(2) the Commissioner of Health or designee; 15
45+(3) the Commissioner for Children and Families or designee; 16
46+(4) the Commissioner of Corrections or designee; 17
47+(5) the Commissioner of Public Safety or designee; 18
48+(6) the Chief Medical Examiner or designee; 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.27
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78-(7)aState’sAttorneywithexperienceprosecutingdomesticviolence
79-cases,appointedbytheExecutiveDirectoroftheDepartmentofState’s
80-AttorneysandSheriffs;
81-(8)theDefenderGeneralordesignee;
82-(9)amemberoftheVermontCoalitionofBattererIntervention
83-Services;
84-(10)amemberoftheVermontNetworkAgainstDomesticandSexual
85-Violence;
86-(11)arepresentativeoftheVermontCouncilonDomesticViolence;
87-(12)arepresentativeoflocallawenforcement,appointedbythe
88-Governor;
89-(13)avictimorsurvivorofdomesticviolence,appointedbythe
90-VermontNetworkAgainstDomesticandSexualViolence;
91-(14)aphysician,appointedbytheGovernor;
92-(15)theExecutiveDirectoroftheVermontCriminalJusticeCouncilor
93-designee;
94-(16)theCommissionerofMentalHealthordesignee;and
95-(17)onejudge,appointedbytheChiefJusticeoftheVermontSupreme
96-Court;
97-(18)asheriffwithexperienceandinterestincombatingdomestic
98-violence,appointedbytheVermontSheriffs’Association;
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53+(7) a State’s Attorney with experience prosecuting domestic violence 1
54+cases, appointed by the Executive Director of the Department of State’s 2
55+Attorneys and Sheriffs; 3
56+(8) the Defender General or designee; 4
57+(9) a member of the Vermont Coalition of Batterer Intervention 5
58+Services; 6
59+(10) a member of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual 7
60+Violence; 8
61+(11) a representative of the Vermont Council on Domestic Violence; 9
62+(12) a representative of local law enforcement, appointed by the 10
63+Governor; 11
64+(13) a victim or survivor of domestic violence, appointed by the 12
65+Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; 13
66+(14) a physician, appointed by the Governor; 14
67+(15) the Executive Director of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council or 15
68+designee; 16
69+(16) the Commissioner of Mental Health or designee; and 17
70+(17) one judge, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme 18
71+Court; 19
72+(18) a sheriff with experience and interest in combating domestic 20
73+violence, appointed by the Vermont Sheriffs’ Association; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.27
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121-(19)arestorativejusticepractitionerfromacommunityjusticecenter,
122-appointedbytheAttorneyGeneral;
123-(20)theDirectorofVictimServicesfortheVermontStatePoliceor
124-designee;
125-(21)astate’sattorneyvictimadvocate,appointedbytheVermont
126-CenterforCrimeVictimServices;and
127-(22)theDirectorofVictimServicesfortheDepartmentofCorrections
128-ordesignee.
129-(21)theExecutiveDirectoroftheVermontCenterforCrimeVictim
130-Servicesordesignee;
131-(22)aState’sAttorneyvictimadvocate,appointedbytheExecutive
132-DirectoroftheDepartmentofState’sAttorneysandSheriffs;and
133-(23)theDirectorofVictimServicesfortheDepartmentofCorrections
134-ordesignee.
135-(c)InanycasesubjecttoreviewbytheCommission,uponwrittenrequest
136-oftheCommission,apersonwhopossessesinformationorrecordsthatare
137-necessaryandrelevanttoadomesticviolencefatalityornear-fatalincident
138-reviewshall,assoonaspracticable,providetheCommissionwiththe
139-informationandrecords.Apersonwhoprovidesinformationorrecordsupon
140-requestoftheCommissionisnotcriminallyorcivillyliableforproviding
141-informationorrecordsincompliancewiththissection.TheCommissionshall
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78+(19) a restorative justice practitioner from a community justice center, 1
79+appointed by the Attorney General; 2
80+(20) the Director of Victim Services for the Vermont State Police or 3
81+designee; 4
82+(21) a state’s attorney victim advocate, appointed by the Vermont 5
83+Center for Crime Victim Services; and 6
84+(22) the Director of Victim Services for the Department of Corrections 7
85+or designee. 8
86+(c) In any case subject to review by the Commission, upon written request 9
87+of the Commission, a person who possesses information or records that are 10
88+necessary and relevant to a domestic violence fatality or near-fatal incident 11
89+review shall, as soon as practicable, provide the Commission with the 12
90+information and records. A person who provides information or records upon 13
91+request of the Commission is not criminally or civilly liable for providing 14
92+information or records in compliance with this section. The Commission shall 15
93+review fatalities which and near-fatal incidents that are not under investigation 16
94+and fatalities and near-fatal incidents in cases that are postadjudication which 17
95+that have received a final judgment. 18
96+(d) The proceedings and records of the Commission are confidential and 19
97+are not subject to subpoena, discovery, or introduction into evidence in a civil 20
98+or criminal action. The Commission shall disclose conclusions and 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.27
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158-reviewfatalitieswhichandnear-fatalincidentsthatarenotunderinvestigation
159-andfatalitiesandnear-fatalincidentsincasesthatarepostadjudicationwhich
160-thathavereceivedafinaljudgment.
161-(d)TheproceedingsandrecordsoftheCommissionareconfidentialand
162-arenotsubjecttosubpoena,discovery,orintroductionintoevidenceinacivil
163-orcriminalaction.TheCommissionshalldiscloseconclusionsand
164-recommendationsuponrequest,butmaynotdiscloseinformation,records,or
165-datathatareotherwiseconfidential,suchasautopsyrecords.TheCommission
166-shallnotusetheinformation,records,ordataforpurposesotherthanthose
167-designatedbysubsections(a)and(g)ofthissection.
168-(e)TheCommissionisauthorizedtorequireanypersonappearingbeforeit
169-tosignaconfidentialityagreementcreatedbytheCommissioninorderto
170-maintaintheconfidentialityoftheproceedings.Inaddition,theCommission
171-mayenterintoagreementswithnonprofitorganizationsandprivateagenciesto
172-obtainotherwiseconfidentialinformation.
173-(f)Commissionmeetingsareconfidential,andshallbeexemptfrom
174-1 V.S.A.chapter5,subchapter2(openmeetingslaw).Commissionrecords
175-areconfidential,andshallbeexemptfrom1V.S.A.chapter5,subchapter3
176-(publicaccesstorecords).
177-(g)TheCommissionshallreportitsfindingsandrecommendationstothe
178-Governor,theGeneralAssembly,theChiefJusticeoftheVermontSupreme
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103+recommendations upon request, but may not disclose information, records, or 1
104+data that are otherwise confidential, such as autopsy records. The Commission 2
105+shall not use the information, records, or data for purposes other than those 3
106+designated by subsections (a) and (g) of this section. 4
107+(e) The Commission is authorized to require any person appearing before it 5
108+to sign a confidentiality agreement created by the Commission in order to 6
109+maintain the confidentiality of the proceedings. In addition, the Commission 7
110+may enter into agreements with nonprofit organizations and private agencies to 8
111+obtain otherwise confidential information. 9
112+(f) Commission meetings are confidential, and shall be exempt from 10
113+1 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 2 (open meetings law). Commission records 11
114+are confidential, and shall be exempt from 1 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 3 12
115+(public access to records). 13
116+(g) The Commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the 14
117+Governor, the General Assembly, the Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme 15
118+Court, and the Vermont Council on Domestic Violence not later than the third 16
119+Tuesday in January of the first year of the biennial session. The report shall be 17
120+available to the public through the Office of the Attorney General. The 18
121+Commission may issue data or other information periodically, in addition to 19
122+the biennial report. The provisions of 2 V.S.A. § 20(d) (expiration of required 20
123+reports) shall not apply to the report to be made under this subsection. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.27
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201-Court,andtheVermontCouncilonDomesticViolencenotlaterthanthethird
202-TuesdayinJanuaryofthefirstyearofthebiennialsession.Thereportshallbe
203-availabletothepublicthroughtheOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral.The
204-Commissionmayissuedataorotherinformationperiodically,inadditionto
205-thebiennialreport.Theprovisionsof2V.S.A.§20(d)(expirationofrequired
206-reports)shallnotapplytothereporttobemadeunderthissubsection.
207-Sec.2.EFFECTIVEDATE
208-Thisactshalltakeeffectonpassage.
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128+Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 1
129+This act shall take effect on passage. 2