VT H0721

Summary of H.721 (Vermont 2026)

• Expands "Big 14" offenses that originate in Criminal Division rather than Family Division for juveniles ages 14-22, adding aggravated stalking, aggravated domestic assault, and lewd conduct offenses to the list; lowers the age threshold for transfer hearings from 14 to 12 years old for serious felonies

• Transfers youthful offender proceedings from Family Division to Criminal Division of Superior Court, requires conditional guilty pleas before youthful offender status hearings, and mandates expedited handling of transfer motions between court divisions

• Repeals the Raise the Age initiative for 19-year-old offenders by deleting Sections 5-10 of 2025 Acts and Resolves No. 4, which would have extended juvenile jurisdiction to those offenders

• Restricts suspended, deferred, and reduced sentences for defendants with prior escape convictions, three or more felony listed crime convictions, prior probation violations, or five or more pending charges—requiring courts to make written findings of compelling reasons to deviate

• Establishes a forensic facility operated by the Department of Corrections for individuals charged with life-sentence offenses who are found incompetent to stand trial or acquitted by reason of insanity, with indeterminate commitment and periodic court review requirements

• Redefines recidivism to include any new criminal conviction (not just returns to incarceration over 90 days), creates four classification tiers based on time elapsed since prior sentencing (1, 3, 5, or 10 years), and establishes separate tracking for repeat violent offenders

• Repeals earned time credits and midpoint probation review provisions; clarifies bail revocation procedures to include appeal rights for the State when revocation is denied