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VT H0741
Bill
Status
1/21/2026
Primary Sponsor
Thomas Oliver
Click for details
AI Summary
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Courts must issue an arrest warrant (not a citation) when a criminal defendant released on conditions fails to appear at a scheduled court hearing for their offense
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Courts must issue an arrest warrant when a person fails to appear after receiving a citation to appear from a law enforcement officer
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Arrest warrants issued for failure to appear require the person to appear before a judicial officer at the earliest possible time and prohibit issuance of a citation to appear
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Failure to appear without just cause remains punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000, or both
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Effective immediately upon passage
Legislative Description
An act relating to requiring the court to issue an arrest warrant when a criminal defendant fails to appear in court
Last Action
Read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
1/21/2026