House advances, amends and postpones bills: HB5, HB626, HB611, HB540 update
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Summary
On Feb. 5 the Vermont House passed HB5 and HB626 (after amendment), postponed HB611 for one legislative day, and ordered third reading for HB540; several committee tallies and amendments were read into the record.
The Vermont House took action on multiple bills Feb. 5, advancing some measures, amending others and postponing at least one.
House Bill 5, an act creating a hearsay exception for children under 16, was read for third time and passed by voice vote. The presiding officer announced the bill's passage.
House Bill 626, addressing voyeurism and the disclosure of explicit images without consent, was amended on the floor after the member from Northfield asked to divide the amendment into parts. The member from Northfield explained that one withdrawn phrase concerned the definition of "intimate parts," and that two sections in the amendment narrow statutory look-back periods for civil actions to dates when relevant conduct was first designated illegal (notably 07/01/2015 and 07/01/2020). The judiciary-related concerns about civil remedies and statute-of-limitations consistency were discussed; the committee reported the amendment favorably (committee tally 9–0–2) and the House amended and passed the bill by voice vote. The member from Boston later corrected the record to note that the private civil action does not apply to the new crime of sextortion because sextortion requires only a threat to disclose rather than an actual disclosure.
House Bill 611, an act with miscellaneous provisions affecting the Department of Vermont Health Access, was postponed for one legislative day on a motion from the member from Essex; the motion carried by voice vote.
House Bill 540, following a favorable committee report from the Committee on Corrections and Institutions, was ordered read a third time. Representative Hedrick spoke for the committee, summarized the bill's intent to expand post-adjudication restorative options for eligible nonviolent offenses, noted the committee's 10–0–1 vote, and said the act would take effect July 1.
Beyond bills, the chamber read two concurrent resolutions on the consent calendar: HCR182 designating Feb. 5, 2026 as Vermont Outdoor Recreation Day (citing an estimated $2.1 billion in statewide economic impact) and HCR183 recognizing July 2026 as Park and Recreation Month and designating July 17 as Vermont Park and Recreation Professionals Day. Several members made floor announcements and introduced guests from outdoor and hunger-relief organizations seated in the gallery.
No further floor amendments were adopted to HB540 on Feb. 5; HB540 will proceed toward third reading under the usual schedule.