An act relating to civil orders of protection
H.222 revises Vermont’s civil protection order laws, primarily the relief-from-abuse chapter and related definitions used in stalking and domestic violence cases. The bill expands and clarifies key terms such as “course of conduct,” including unauthorized electronic surveillance and geolocation tracking, and updates the definition of “stalk” to focus on conduct that would cause a reasonable person in the victim’s circumstances to fear for safety or suffer substantial emotional distress. It also modernizes language throughout the statutes to use gender-neutral terms and clarifies that constitutionally protected activity is not included in “course of conduct.”
The bill broadens the range of relief a court may order in abuse cases. It preserves existing remedies like no-contact orders, exclusion from the home, temporary custody and support, and firearm relinquishment in emergency cases, while also adding or clarifying authority over pets, personal documents such as immigration papers and identification, and temporary possession of a vehicle when needed to escape abuse or prevent further abuse. It also authorizes courts to order a defendant to complete a domestic violence accountability program approved by the Council on Domestic Violence, and it specifies that failure to complete the program is not a crime but may be addressed through civil contempt and considered in later modification or extension requests.
The bill’s impact on state law is to strengthen and update Vermont’s civil protection framework by making it easier to address modern forms of harassment and coercive control, especially digital stalking and surveillance. It amends 12 V.S.A. § 5131 and 15 V.S.A. §§ 1103, 1104, and 1140, and it adds reporting requirements for the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission to track how often courts order domestic violence accountability programs and whether defendants complete them. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
The overall sentiment reflected by the bill text is protective and victim-centered, with a clear emphasis on expanding court tools to prevent further abuse and improve safety for survivors and children. Because no committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, there is no documented legislative debate in the supplied materials, but the structure and content of the bill suggest broad policy support for stronger civil remedies and updated definitions that reflect current technology and abuse patterns.
No specific points of contention are shown in the available record. Potential areas that could have drawn scrutiny, based on the bill’s content, include the expanded definition of surveillance and stalking, the scope of ex parte emergency relief, the firearm surrender requirement in temporary orders, and the new accountability-program mandate. However, the provided materials do not identify any opposing arguments, amendments, or recorded dissent.
H.222 amends Vermont’s civil protection statutes to expand the conduct covered by stalking and abuse-related remedies, including electronic surveillance and geolocation tracking, and to authorize additional court-ordered relief such as pet protection, return of personal documents, temporary vehicle possession, and domestic violence accountability programming. It also requires the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission to report on use and completion of those accountability programs, thereby adding a new data-reporting obligation to state law.
The bill appears to have been received as a victim-protection and public-safety measure, with a strong preventive focus on domestic violence, stalking, and coercive control. No committee discussion or vote record was provided, so there is no documented opposition or support in the supplied materials, but the bill’s language indicates a generally favorable policy posture toward expanding protections for survivors.
The supplied record does not show any explicit contention, amendments, or dissenting views. If debated, the most likely areas of disagreement would be the broadened definition of stalking and surveillance, the scope of emergency ex parte relief, mandatory firearm relinquishment during temporary orders, and the court’s authority to require completion of a domestic violence accountability program. The materials provided do not identify any specific legislators, stakeholders, or advocacy groups taking opposing positions.