Committee reviews bill to let hate-crime enhancement apply when crime targets property or groups

Daniel Prodzinski, staff from the Office of Legislative Council, explained to the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 19 that a bill before the committee would expand the scope of Vermont—s hate-crime enhancement to cover conduct motivated "in whole or in part by another person's or group of person's actual or perceived membership in a protected category."

Prodzinski said the change does not create a standalone offense but operates as a sentencing enhancement for an underlying crime. Under the draft language he described, if the underlying offense carried a maximum penalty of one year or less, the enhancement could raise the possible sentence to up to two years or a fine of up to $2,000. For offenses carrying more than one year but less than five, the enhancement could raise the penalty to up to five…