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Committee advances H.410 to require annual criminal-justice data reports and funds SAC contract
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Summary
Legislative counsel briefed the committee on H.410, which would require annual reports on bail rates, recidivism, arrest/clearance rates and sentencing for top crimes; the committee moved the bill favorably and the FY27 appropriation of $25,000 to the Vermont Statistical Analysis Center was noted.
The Appropriations Committee heard a briefing on H.410, a bill to create a statutory home for criminal‑justice data collection and to require annual reporting intended to inform policymaking.
Legislative counsel said H.410 directs the Vermont Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) to produce annual reports by April 1 on bail rates, recidivism, arrests and clearance rates, and sentencing data for the top 20 crimes charged in Vermont. Counsel described the reports as newly required and said data sharing provisions in the bill would authorize agencies to provide existing information to the SAC to support the annual publications.
Section 4 of the bill appropriates $25,000 from the general fund for FY27 to the Department of Public Safety for contracted support to the Vermont Statistical Analysis Center; counsel provided the appropriation breakdown as $10,000 for the bail rate report, $10,000 for the annual recidivism report, $1,000 for the arrest and clearance rates report, and $4,000 for the annual sentencing report.
Committee members asked whether the Crime Research Group (the SAC contractor referenced in testimony) is a private consultant or a state entity and how the appropriation is accounted for; counsel said the Crime Research Group serves as the state’s SAC contractor and that JFO has accounted for the funds in related budget bills. After discussion, the chair entertained a motion to pass H.410 favorably; a motion was made and members recorded affirmative responses during roll call, advancing the bill from committee with a favorable recommendation.
The committee did not debate policy details of the new recidivism definition at length in this session; counsel offered to provide policy staff and judiciary contacts for further technical questions.
