[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6318447,"mediaKeyId","2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c","parentId",2365804,"title","Committee reviews H.223: new stalking language, vehicle-tracking misdemeanor and a process for survivors to disable connected-vehicle accounts","audioSeconds",2625,"startMs",3723000,"endMs",6348000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c&start=3723&end=6348","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c/thumbnail_3723000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6318447/Vermont/Committee-reviews-H223-new-stalking-language-vehicle-tracking-misdemeanor-and-a-process-for-survivors-to-disable-connected-vehicle-accounts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318447-5a4c0d4af6b3ce87d95f61b49c4257d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1777181782&Signature=SE36xaR~vU5e0uNiIZ6Be8GUc0dWU5sFMUfK1n-CFMGSZu9kPt30X8kDKgLkQ~iHiZQdVRlTbaYER458fJyo0ZN5VWXZhiiBx1wN4v946GzFpGqCauC~I6zlpe9FKXsMAPf7P0S~ygaPqLxRBfJROTnrZf4RIe6ULCRALmyhNjo0PlZ3nAmEhZVsqLDL~5tsowD3dtLe39UUfh1~10297aj2kZKpIZvNnDTmP6YtZwujTMROADSSbUtQ5rSBwY~KyV8x4XeIIYazFr2t9SsVWc9Uq3RDoa9P7Hgdkk57A7huMdZMxivxKk~3X~IfLCvHoYFfVL-q6N91VTI2mbPu7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-21T03:34:35.403Z","article","The committee began consideration of H.223, a multi-part bill that would amend criminal stalking definitions, create a new offense for nonconsensual vehicle tracking, and add civil and administrative steps to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking disconnect abusers from connected-vehicle services.

Michelle Childs (Office of Legislative Council) summarized the bill and explained that sponsors worked with legislative staff and stakeholder groups to draft language addressing modern vehicle telematics and tracking technologies.

Stalking definition and electronic surveillance

The draft amends the statutory definition of \"course of conduct\" for stalking to explicitly include the use of electronic, digital or GPS systems to surveil a specific person or to monitor a specific person's internet or wireless activity \"continuously for 2 hours or more or on 2 or more occasions\" without the person's consent. The draft also cross-references conduct defined in a separate new section (section 10-65 in the draft) so that certain tracking and connected-vehicle conduct can constitute a \"course of conduct\" for stalking purposes.

New criminal offense for vehicle tracking

H.223 would create a misdemeanor prohibiting knowingly installing, concealing, placing or using an electronic tracking device in or on a motor vehicle without the consent of the operator and all occupants when the purpose is to monitor or follow occupants. The bill includes several exceptions:

- Law enforcement acting during a criminal investigation (presumably pursuant to statutes and warrants).
- A parent or legal guardian monitoring a vehicle solely to track a minor child, provided no protective order bars the parent.
- Tracking to locate stolen vehicles or for theft-prevention purposes.
- Dealer-installed starter-interrupt devices (e.g., for immobilization services) installed by dealers.
- Businesses tracking vehicles they own or lease and are driven by employees.
- Manufacturer-installed telematics or telematics provided to rental-car companies or insurers with the vehicle owner's permission.

Penalty: the draft sets the offense as a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year, a fine up to $1,000, or both.

Civil remedies and vehicle possession in protection orders

The draft amends the abuse-prevention chapter to permit a petitioner in a relief-from-abuse (RFA) petition to request possession of a vehicle when possession is necessary to escape abuse or future abuse. A petitioner must show ownership, primary payment responsibility, primary possession or that the defendant restricted the petitioner's access to the vehicle (examples discussed included removal of car seats).

Connected-vehicle service termination process for survivors

The bill creates a new subchapter that allows a survivor to request a \"covered provider\" terminate or disable connected-vehicle service accounts associated with an abuser. Key provisions:

- Evidence: the survivor may provide a temporary or final relief-from-abuse order, a law-enforcement affidavit showing probable cause for an abuse offense, or a notarized statement from a domestic-violence advocate confirming the survivor's situation and that termination is necessary for safety.
- Proof of possession: the survivor is asked to provide the vehicle VIN and evidence of legal possession or court orders awarding possession or exclusive use.
- Provider response timeline: covered providers must confirm receipt and, within two days, notify the survivor what actions they took or whether additional documentation is necessary. Providers must not charge a fee, require the account holder's approval, or raise rates as a precondition for executing a termination; they must treat the request and survivor data as confidential.
- Technical infeasibility: providers are exempt if they cannot operationally perform the request, but must promptly notify the survivor and explain any remedy or alternative.
- Liability protection: providers acting in compliance with the subchapter receive limited liability protection for their actions; rental cars are excluded from the subchapter.

Stakeholder process and next steps

Childs said sponsors had consulted model language (including an existing California law and model language from the automotive industry's trade group) and expected additional testimony from industry and victim-advocate witnesses. Committee members asked clarifying questions about the phrase \"indirectly\" in the stalking definition and about the chosen thresholds (two hours or two occasions) for electronic surveillance; the sponsor's office indicated the network and advocates proposed the time thresholds. The committee scheduled witness testimony after the floor session and plans additional technical work with transportation and industry stakeholders.

Ending

Committee staff asked members to return after the floor for witnesses; witnesses listed to appear included Anne, Charlie, Marshall and Tim and the committee indicated additional edits and stakeholder input were expected.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Judiciary - 2025-02-20 - 1:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members reviewed H.223, which would expand stalking coverage to certain electronic surveillance, make nonconsensual vehicle-tracking a misdemeanor, allow courts to award vehicle possession in some protection orders, and create a process for survivors to disable an abuser's connected-vehicle account.","taxTitle","Judiciary, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",35152,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6318452,"Committee recommends H.98 amendment clarifying notice and service procedures in assisted-reproduction adoptions",1116,2484000,3600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c&start=2484&end=3600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c/thumbnail_2484000.jpg","/articles/6318452/Vermont/Committee-recommends-H98-amendment-clarifying-notice-and-service-procedures-in-assisted-reproduction-adoptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318452-b1d0ce030676cc1e5c0cb827b70f8a54/orig.mp4?Expires=1777181782&Signature=o2YWqT96V85egtVrkIoU2Z0QCG-idZ4gqaLMhYWbBFYgFo-4SfROWe~JNG6O3CjMv6zxOLh20Cqw3h-7gkcozif9AztWMCXllFlK7gmc~iTX2YJ1~i24qmE22F5fsH5ZfzA3NBe~WN8Hm4~pH-AgWg30uwK61LgXnJJTso056ZvhQeYAPJfDww-NFeM5U8nFzBsjAplz1fq3kuZ54qquVVT-C4bL5aeRcsIWJPkbDjArywx2JlocGM1jIoHY0Y1~C5dcTK0uXoLpuifwTzbBlGtyITMOYLmvYnfX4D7hvbDGIsigoeGK6nLq2-hWtidXOzNDEXd9U5GOxJweAzFDmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Michelle Childs of the Office of Legislative Council walked the committee through draft 1.1 of an amendment to H.98 that adds procedural protections and timing requirements for adoptions involving assisted reproduction.

The amendment inserts a new subsection requiring, unless notice has been waived or consent previously given, that a copy of the petition and notice be served on any person entitled to notice within 30 days after the adoption petition is filed. The notice must include the court's contact information and must state that the person served must file a written appearance within 20 days after service to participate and receive further notice. Proof of service must be on file before the court acts on the petition.

Why it matters: supporters said this language clarifies the interplay between the statute's parentage provisions and the adoption notice rules so courts can promptly issue adoption decrees while ensuring potentially interested persons receive notice.

Committee discussion and action

Office of Legislative Council staff said that in most cases petitioners will already have involved relevant parties, but the new subsection is a \"belt-and-suspenders\" clarification intended for the less common cases where someone entitled to notice has not yet been identified or served. Practitioners who helped draft the language, including Meg York (not present as a witness at this point), worked with judge advisors to align the subsection with existing consent and notice sections of adoption law.

A committee member said the amended text provided useful clarity on what must be filed to show consent or notice; Childs said the amendment plugs into existing adoption statutes rather than creating novel requirements.

The committee moved, seconded and found the amendment favorable by voice vote.","The committee reviewed a draft amendment to H.98 that adds a subsection clarifying when notice must be served and what the notice must include in assisted-reproduction adoption petitions; the committee voted to find the amendment favorable.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6318457,"Defender General outlines staffing, caseload and budget pressures as FY26 request emphasizes maintenance of current services",3990,15000,4005000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c&start=15&end=4005","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2365804-deadad8fa69b6b9003cbb8c879aae56c/thumbnail_15000.jpg","/articles/6318457/Vermont/Defender-General-outlines-staffing-caseload-and-budget-pressures-as-FY26-request-emphasizes-maintenance-of-current-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6318457-08d79e7467649ed85dbe88cb9635bac3/orig.mp4?Expires=1777181782&Signature=nk41FgxoDP8Dc6WHjqkJqLdB9Ym3ShQ1RE~Uw3qN8lus6aq4~J7mF4JYXjbtDVv~pxbwNUniIpJJjnARqLPq9zXg~zkUCx4e89OtmGHoGDKlgQikCdJ1T9Tq4vQBIzcGIlu12zB5SDIz287Now3B4RzDAsX9bxohf2PzJdAH-FKuc-9xpfO0bdVIxOSAEm1~oGPyjc6T6NK2Mj0kJHH1NbSvphM5lkV2HRa~uYaveE3UWZj-eaUYXp0Hkx5FULjRyJ9W4CQpMyx3w7unGiyU4p6N4IjpaL7JGtJvEjohU4M57lZH3l0Vt4-7qatifPCNDedU8CXQEhp0-GdesjYDtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Defender General Matthew, accompanied by financial director Katrina Lumbra, told the House Appropriations Committee that the Defender General's Office (DGO) is constitutionally required to provide public defense and is seeking a FY26 budget that preserves current staffing, contracts and services.

The presentation centered on why the office asked mainly for a current-service-level budget rather than new programs, and on cost pressures that are outpacing modest increases.

The DGO director said the office represents more than 90% of criminal defendants who have counsel, and nearly all juvenile respondents. He described a separate prisoners' rights unit that investigates deaths and conditions of confinement and said that unit's statutory investigative authority allows it to obtain records without subpoenas. \"The DG's office is constitutionally mandated,\" he said, adding that the prisoners' rights work is \"very important\" but a smaller portion of the caseload.

Why it matters: the office is juggling rapid post-pandemic caseload growth, rising vendor and expert rates, and statewide shortages of criminal lawyers. Those pressures affect how much of the office's requested increases must be directed to contracted counsel, travel and other personal services the office cannot defer.

Key budget and operational points

- Governor's recommendation: The governor's recommended budget largely provides current-service funding, including salary rollouts, contract increases for primary public defense offices and support for the office's case-management subscription costs. The Defender General said the governor's budget was about $117,000 short of what the office asked for.

- Assigned counsel increase: The Defender General requested a 4% increase for assigned counsel (conflict/assigned counsel); the governor recommended 2%. He described the difference as modest in the context of a roughly $28 million-plus overall budget but said small percentages matter for recruiting and retention.

- Other personal services and vendor rates: The office reported sharp increases in rates for mental-health evaluations and mitigation services since the COVID period, with some hourly rates rising from roughly $200'$250 to about $600 per hour. Those costs are covered in part by the proposed budget increase.

- Caseload and backlog: The office described a post-pandemic rollout of cases that produced spikes: a high of about 19,000 backlog cases at one point and about 14,000 cases later in the year. Fiscal 2024 saw a roughly 7% increase in cases; the first quarter of fiscal 2025 rose another 6%. The Defender General gave county-level variation, saying smaller counties made progress while the largest counties lost ground. He warned the backlog issue is multi-year, not a short-term problem.

- Probation violations and other drivers: Probation violations rose nearly 60% year-over-year, and misdemeanors and other frequent charges (DUI, license-related matters, retail theft) are the principal caseload drivers that create sustained pressure on resources.

- Recruitment and staffing shortages: The office is facing a sustained shortage of lawyers, particularly in rural counties. The Defender General said recruitment has been difficult: where previously dozens of candidates applied for openings, recent recruitments produced few or no applicants, forcing outreach beyond New England. He said new hires are increasingly mid-career and command higher salaries, which affects budget planning.

- Contracts vs. staff offices: Primary public defense contracts typically save about 30% compared with establishing a staff office (largely because private contractors can mix public and private work). The Defender General said he is negotiating contracts that span four years, aligned with his term.

- Orleans County and Addison County issues: A long-standing primary contractor in Orleans County gave notice last year; the DGO was still negotiating several proposals and said he expected to decide on a replacement within a week of his testimony. He said that if no contractor is found the state would need to establish a staff office at an estimated additional annual cost of about $87,500 (amount given by the presenter). In Addison County the landlord is selling the building and the DGO must relocate; the new rent will be about $20,000 per year higher with one-time upfit costs estimated at roughly $30,000.

- IT and storage: The DGO chose to build and manage its own redundant server storage to hold large audio/video discovery rather than adopt a vendor's cloud subscription that he estimated would cost roughly $1.2'$1.3 million per year; the in-house approach is expected to save more than $500,000 annually. The office said it needs an additional storage tier, estimated at about $30,000, not included in the governor's recommendation.

- Training and special fund shortfalls: The presenter said statutorily required in-person training funding was removed during the pandemic and has not been restored; he asked for the training line to be returned. He also described the public defender special fund as having $5.98 million in spending authority on paper but only about $350,000 actually collected and available, a structural mismatch the office raises each year.

Committee questions and next steps

Committee members asked about the importance of the prisoners' rights investigations (the Defender General said they remain important) and about recruiting methods (the office uses job boards, bar association postings and national public defender networks and has been conducting press outreach). The Defender General said he would continue negotiating contract renewals and expected to finalize the Orleans County decision soon. He said the administration appeared likely to hold to the governor's recommended budget and ask the DGO to prioritize within that recommendation.

Ending

The presentation concluded with the Defender General repeating that most of the FY26 request was to maintain existing services and contracts, noting the continued pressure from increased caseload, market-rate rises for other personal services, and a shortage of available attorneys in rural Vermont.","The Defender General told the House Appropriations Committee that his office needs to preserve current contracts, cover rising costs for evaluations and investigators, and address a persistent backlog and attorney shortage; the governor's recommended budget covers most but not all of the office's requested increases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee reviews H.223: new stalking language, vehicle-tracking misdemeanor and a process for survivors to disable connected-vehicle accounts

Committee recommends H.98 amendment clarifying notice and service procedures in assisted-reproduction adoptions

Defender General outlines staffing, caseload and budget pressures as FY26 request emphasizes maintenance of current services