VermontCourts may keep youthful-offender cases open after age 22
Beginning July 1, 2026, courts handling youthful-offender probation violations may keep cases open after age 22 and may require missed-hearing appearances.
What it does
When a youthful offender violates probation, the court may keep the case open past the youth’s 22nd birthday until it resolves the violation. The court must consider listed factors before keeping the case or sending it to the Criminal Division.
If a youthful offender does not appear at the hearing, the court may order an officer to pick up the youth and bring the youth to court.
Victims may attend a youthful-offender consideration hearing and be heard by the court.
Argument forKeeping jurisdiction open may let courts resolve probation violations even after a youth turns 22, instead of leaving the motion unresolved.
Argument againstA pickup order may bring a youth to court involuntarily after missing a hearing, adding a direct enforcement step for the youth.
More detail
A court may keep jurisdiction over a youthful offender after the youth turns 22 while it resolves a probation-violation motion. This applies when a youthful offender violates probation and a probation-violation motion is pending. The court must consider listed factors when deciding whether to keep the case or send the youth to the Criminal Division. The extended jurisdiction lasts until the probation-violation motion is resolved, and the act takes effect July 1, 2026.
A court may order an officer to pick up a youthful offender and bring the youth to court after the youth fails to appear. This applies to a youthful offender who fails to appear at a probation-violation hearing. This applies at the hearing connected to the probation violation, beginning July 1, 2026.
A victim may attend and speak at a youthful-offender consideration hearing. This covers the victim connected to the youthful-offender case. The participation applies at the youthful-offender consideration hearing beginning July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29House message: Governor approved bill on June 16, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 16, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 10, 2026To Governor
- May 28House message: House adopted Conference Committee report
- May 26Committee of Conference report adopted (House bill)Major
- May 26Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 26Notice Calendar: Report of Committee of Conference
- May 22Senate Message: Report of Committee of Conference adopted
- May 22Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 22Committee of Conference report adopted
- May 22Committee of Conference report submitted by Senator Hashim for Committee, text
- May 22Committee of Conference report
- May 22Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 20Senate Message: Committee of Conference members appointed
- May 20Committee of Conference appointed: Senators Hashim, Vyhovsky, and Mattos
- May 20House message: House refused to concur in Senate proposal of amendment & requested Conference Committee; House Conference Committee members appointedMinor
- May 19Rules suspended and bill messaged forthwith to the Senate as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 19Speaker appointed Reps. Dolan of Essex Junction, Goodnow of Brattleboro, and Oliver of Sheldon as members of the Committee of Conference on the part of the House
- May 19Senate proposal of amendment not concurred in and Committee of Conference requested upon motion of Rep. Goodnow of BrattleboroMinor
- May 19Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- May 18Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- May 15Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 14Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 14New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 133rd reading ordered
- May 13Proposal of amendment by Committee on Judiciary agreed toMinor
- May 13Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Mattos for Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 13Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 13New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 12Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- May 12Second ReadingMinor
- May 12Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 25Read 1st time & referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Mar 20Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 68 of 136 to Pass -- Yeas = 53, Nays = 83. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 69 of 137 to Pass -- Yeas = 52, Nays = 85. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 20Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 69 of 137 to Pass -- Yeas = 52, Nays = 85
- Mar 20Rep. Maguire of Rutland City demanded yeas and nays
- Mar 20Rep. Maguire of Rutland City moved to amend the bill
- Mar 20Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 68 of 136 to Pass -- Yeas = 53, Nays = 83
- Mar 20Rep. Higley of Lowell demanded yeas and nays
- Mar 20Rep. Boutin of Barre City moved to amend the bill
- Mar 20Action Calendar: Action postponed until March 20, 2026
- Mar 19Rep. Goodnow of Brattleboro moved to postpone action until March 20, 2026, which was agreed to
- Mar 19Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 18Third Reading orderedMinor
- Mar 18Report of Committee on Judiciary agreed to
- Mar 18Rep. Goodnow of Brattleboro reported for the Committee on Judiciary
- Mar 18Read second timeMinor
- Mar 18Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 17Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Jan 13Read first time and referred to the Committee on JudiciaryIntroduced
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