Lawmakers consider letting judges order domestic violence accountability programs as RFA condition

Lawmakers heard testimony on H.2222’s amendment to allow judges to include participation in certified domestic violence accountability programs (DVAPs) as a condition of a one‑year final Relief From Abuse (RFA) order, with witnesses and committee members debating how compliance, reporting and confidentiality would work in practice.

The discussion focused on whether courts, victims and providers would have clear mechanisms to verify progress and whether requiring program participation would raise criminal‑law or self‑incrimination concerns. Charlie Glesserman, policy director at the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said the recommendation came from the state’s domestic violence fatality review commission and described the change as “a preventative measure at its core.”

Kim McManus of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs told the committee the department is not involved in the civil RFA process: “the state's attorneys and sheriffs, while we will inform individuals of the ability to get an RFA, we are not involved in the RFA process.” McManus said prosecutors and victim advocates learn about program participation through existing criminal‑justice channels, but would need clearer reporting if DVAP…