Victim-notification, VINE improvements and marriage-license fee repeal win support in S.109 testimony

Committee testimony on April 10 included several provisions in draft S.109 that affect victims’ services and court funding. Charlie Glisserman, policy director at the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, told lawmakers the network supports language in Section 31 that would improve victim notification of earned time and supports Section 32, which creates a task force to review VINE, Vermont’s victim-notification system.

“I feel it is important that victims should have access to timely notification on earned time reduction if they choose it,” Glisserman said. He said VINE serves many victims well but also has gaps that can “negatively impact victims' experience with a criminal justice system, or even potentially compromise their safety.” Glisserman requested that “a designee of the Vermont network be added to the task force,” saying the network represents 15 member organizations that provide direct services statewide and can bring survivors’ perspectives to system design.

Glisserman also expressed appreciation that the revised bill includes repeal of the sunset on marriage-license fees; he described that change as supporting “stable funding” and thanked the committee for preserving that revenue source.

Committee members asked that the task force and any legislative recommendations clearly consider both technical fixes to VINE and the need for timely, survivor-centered notification. No formal action on these sections was taken during the hearing; committee members indicated they would incorporate feedback into drafting and membership language for the task force.

Ending: Witnesses asked the committee to ensure victims’ advocates have a designated seat or clear consultative role on the VINE task force and to keep the marriage-license fee repeal in the bill to maintain stable funding.