VT S0012

Vermont Act No. 60 (S.12) overhauls the state's criminal record sealing and expungement system, shifting from expungement to sealing as the primary remedy for most qualifying offenses while expanding eligibility to include additional felonies such as certain drug offenses, property crimes, and burglary of unoccupied dwellings

Qualifying misdemeanors can be sealed 3 years after sentence completion, qualifying felonies after 7 years, and first-offense DUI misdemeanors after 10 years, with the burden on the State to show sealing would be contrary to the interests of justice

Sealed records remain accessible to criminal justice agencies for law enforcement purposes, can be used as predicate offenses for DUI sentence enhancement, and must be disclosed for discovery obligations, with unauthorized disclosure subject to a $1,000 civil penalty

Municipal violation records will be automatically expunged 2 years after judgment satisfaction if no subsequent violations occur, and motor vehicle violation expungement provisions are codified with a July 1, 2021 application date

The Vermont Criminal Justice Council must establish a statewide model policy by December 15, 2025 governing law enforcement access and use of sealed records, with the act taking effect July 1, 2025