[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6254188,"mediaKeyId","3175843-b2308d43c2fe5ba4209c05d528b67c0c","parentId",3175843,"title","House Judiciary staff summarize changes to S.109 draft 6.1: DUI community-service sunset, expanded sentencing-review working group, and editorial fixes","audioSeconds",665,"startMs",1335000,"endMs",2000000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3175843-b2308d43c2fe5ba4209c05d528b67c0c&start=1335&end=2000","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3175843-b2308d43c2fe5ba4209c05d528b67c0c/thumbnail_1335000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6254188/Vermont/House-Judiciary-staff-summarize-changes-to-S109-draft-61-DUI-community-service-sunset-expanded-sentencing-review-working-group-and-editorial-fixes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6254188-1833dcbe8531fed2721b05fa1e41f648/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202877&Signature=P3Xm9bnqkB~l6egYd59BK-f0mQJtozL-d~k1vWLxQP5I5FN0NqOubS630cqyTTVgQhWENU2M0iY0aQKMi33ZXFWfg7OIoeEzftmHXYGyW7qvL-RnwW8uCcyyJYihlq9HceJELAmqXhKNO-Hsegv5T1w8kHMklTvY6VC9VmuPW892PSDJbFdwTMWKdi9pawpBQXnQxarWLiVHgGrXQN7gA86O05CBj0sDLOL2SK1RBp29ZnlJKZHiIA38aYVYemQecdAZ0~BLmqOjd9rGUqAhMjdCIpjh~cAEJMF1SIjKaDalJuzttC4e8LiktveEDvcz4MpBKFbpzdSS01jz9CLnxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-01T19:30:21Z","article","At a May 1 House Judiciary Committee meeting, Patrick of the Office of Legislative Council walked members through draft 6.1 of the annual judiciary miscellaneous bill (S.109), describing a handful of mostly technical changes and several substantive proposals the committee discussed.

Patrick told the committee “there really aren’t that many changes to draft 6.1,” and then summarized the principal items beginning on page 32. The staff presentation included:

- A technical cross-reference correction in section 34 regarding a report from the court administrator and Association of County Judges about county courthouse capital budgets. Patrick said the bill previously cited the wrong section number and the draft corrects that reference.

- A new Section 36 (page 33) providing a temporary reduction in the minimum community-service alternative for a second DUI from 200 hours to 80 hours; that change would sunset in three years (effective if not repealed by 07/01/2028). Patrick explained the sunset mechanism: if the committee does nothing before 07/01/2028, the change would revert to the 200-hour minimum.

- Expansion and clarification of a sentencing-reconsideration working group (section 37). Draft 6.1 adds two membership positions: the executive director of the Network Against Domestic and [redacted] Violence (or designee) and an executive director of a Racial Equity office (or designee). The draft also adds a list of organizations and panels the working group should consult, including LWOP New England, the Racial Disparities in Criminal and Juvenile Justice System Advisory Panel, the Association of Counties (ACO) of Vermont, and, at a recent request, “impacted survivors and families” identified by the Center for Crime Victims.

- Revisions to the family forensic evaluator reporting requirement (section 38). The draft removes subsection 8 so the committee’s report back to the legislature will not preordain specific conclusions, Patrick said.

- A delayed effective date for an item tied to courthouse budget procedures so the required report returns to the committee before any substantive change takes effect.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about sunsets and effective dates; staff confirmed the bill’s content would not change materially between the version sent for editing and the final version the committee would vote on, though minor typographical edits could still occur. Committee leaders asked staff to circulate the version that will be voted on (including H.193 version 1.3 if incorporated) by the end of the day so members could review it overnight.

Why it matters: Draft 6.1 packages a set of technical corrections with a few targeted policy changes — most notably, a temporary reduction in the community-service requirement for a second DUI and the creation/expansion of working groups aimed at sentencing reconsideration and family-forensic evaluation policy.

Next steps: Committee staff will send an edited, vote-ready draft of S.109 (and related incorporations) to members for review; committee leaders signaled an intent to move the package to the calendar in the coming days.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Judiciary - 2025-05-01 - 3:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","At a May 1 House Judiciary Committee meeting, Patrick of the Office of Legislative Council walked members through draft 6.1 of the annual judiciary miscellaneous bill (S.109), describing a handful of mostly technical changes and several substantive proposals the committee discussed.","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},6254193,"Chief Justice tells House Judiciary panel delays in family-court cases leave children without permanency; backs H.193 task force review",522,16000,538000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3175843-b2308d43c2fe5ba4209c05d528b67c0c&start=16&end=538","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3175843-b2308d43c2fe5ba4209c05d528b67c0c/thumbnail_16000.jpg","/articles/6254193/Vermont/Chief-Justice-tells-House-Judiciary-panel-delays-in-family-court-cases-leave-children-without-permanency-backs-H193-task-force-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6254193-99d97f8f039fc2c68586bc5790b5b813/orig.mp4?Expires=1771202877&Signature=MCY9SKJYpkqoUZQNVhN-NuJtlAfwwWJ86FJtuBAOM2lWE8O5QCmOMkCy1cJu5qwfNh7w6jzPhhRzLLOkIJMYIMakV68v2T-tMdnydFrDWUjZcmI2ncIkr2Uq-UAuVFlJCKVGzDCDn~6Q3OJuNSScKl07qI-6wvzEe5zpOnGpZSnrSuHyQ6fL4uWzX97v-tai-WdmBiy9nHZbEYb0NTjYBka9BosrK8rwHhU8Kn8mYgj1887QkE4JemygWUR3-GlFZw1xyMCeAja2z6XNacXirlxDbIVLmKVlLIHOHM6LejDr45ufGz2eINqzs8X5dTxqq6PAmWQobXSPsMsdvnf07A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a May 1 House Judiciary Committee hearing, the Chief Justice told committee members that resource shortages and procedural complexity in family-court cases have left some children in foster care far longer than statutory timelines and supported the committee’s move toward a child-and-parent legal representation task force under H.193.

The Chief Justice said the court system is stretched: “Unfortunately, due to the dramatic increase in the juvenile docket and shortage of resources, including judges, lawyers, guardian ad litem, and courtrooms, timely decisions are sacrificed for the required process,” and urged lawmakers to consider structural fixes and regionalization of services.

The Chief Justice cited a 2016 Vermont Supreme Court decision, In re A.S. and K.S., 202 Vt. 415, as an example. In that case the Chief Justice said five different attorneys were involved and the trial court took about a year to reach a permanency decision after removal, even though statutory time limits envisioned a much faster schedule. “These two kids were taken out of their mother’s care, and it was a year before the trial court was able to get to a permanency decision,” the Chief Justice told the committee.

The Chief Justice said the court has previously ruled that certain statutory time limits are advisory rather than jurisdictional, meaning missed deadlines do not necessarily strip the court of authority to decide the case. That principle, coupled with increasing caseloads and limited courtroom and staffing capacity, creates lengthy delays, the Chief Justice said.

Committee members and staff asked questions and thanked the Chief Justice for offering to help. The Chief Justice recommended lawmakers examine options including regionalizing parts of the response to juvenile and family cases so attorneys and other professionals are less likely to be double-booked across counties.

The committee’s Chair asked for a straw poll on folding the H.193 language into the committee’s miscellaneous package; no members voiced objection during the meeting. Committee staff were directed to circulate an updated H.193 (version 1.3) for members to review ahead of a possible vote.

Why it matters: Committee members are considering legislative changes aimed at reducing delays and expanding representation for parents and children. The Chief Justice’s testimony framed delays as a systemic problem—driven by resources and process complexity—that can prolong uncertainty for children and families awaiting permanency determinations.

Next steps: The committee said it would circulate an updated H.193 and expects further work with the Chief Justice and stakeholders in coming days.","At a May 1 House Judiciary Committee hearing, the state’s Chief Justice described long delays in family-court cases, cited a 2016 Vermont Supreme Court decision as an example, and urged lawmakers to pursue the child-and-parent legal representation task force proposals in H.193 to address resource and structural gaps.","actionData","errors"]

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House Judiciary staff summarize changes to S.109 draft 6.1: DUI community-service sunset, expanded sentencing-review working group, and editorial fixes

Chief Justice tells House Judiciary panel delays in family-court cases leave children without permanency; backs H.193 task force review