Vermont H 252: An act relating to prohibiting earned time for second or subsequent felony convictions

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.252
2025 Page 1 of 3

VT LEG #380623 v.1
H.252 1
Introduced by Representatives Pritchard of Pawlet, Bosch of Clarendon, 2
Boutin of Barre City, Branagan of Georgia, Burditt of West 3
Rutland, Burtt of Cabot, Canfield of Fair Haven, Casey of 4
Hubbardton, Charlton of Chester, Coffin of Cavendish, Demar 5
of Enosburgh, Dolgin of St. Johnsbury, Galfetti of Barre Town, 6
Goslant of Northfield, Greer of Bennington, Gregoire of 7
Fairfield, Harrison of Chittenden, Harvey of Castleton, Higley 8
of Lowell, Howland of Rutland Town, Kascenska of Burke, 9
Keyser of Rutland City, Labor of Morgan, Laroche of Franklin, 10
Lipsky of Stowe, Luneau of St. Albans City, Maguire of 11
Rutland City, Malay of Pittsford, McFaun of Barre Town, 12
Morgan, L. of Milton, Morgan, M. of Milton, Morris of 13
Springfield, Morrissey of Bennington, Morrow of Weston, 14
Nielsen of Brandon, North of Ferrisburgh, Oliver of Sheldon, 15
Page of Newport City, Parsons of Newbury, Pinsonault of 16
Dorset, Powers of Waterford, Southworth of Walden, Sweeney 17
of Shelburne, Tagliavia of Corinth, Walker of Swanton, Wells 18
of Brownington, and Winter of Ludlow 19
Referred to Committee on 20
Date: 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.252
2025 Page 2 of 3

VT LEG #380623 v.1
Subject: Corrections; earned time 1
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit a 2
person convicted of a second or subsequent felony from receiving earned time 3
to reduce the person’s sentence. 4
An act relating to prohibiting earned time for second or subsequent felony 5
convictions 6
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 7
Sec. 1. 28 V.S.A. § 818 is amended to read: 8
§ 818. EARNED TIME; REDUCTION OF TERM 9
(a) On or before September 1, 2020, the Department of Corrections shall 10
file a proposed rule pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25 implementing an earned 11
time program to become effective on January 1, 2021. The Commissioner 12
shall adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section as an emergency 13
rule and concurrently propose them as a permanent rule. The emergency rule 14
shall be deemed to meet the standard for the adoption of emergency rules 15
pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 844(a). 16
(b) The earned time program implemented pursuant to this section shall 17
comply with the following standards: 18
(1) The program shall be available for all sentenced offenders, including 19
furloughed offenders, provided that the program shall not be available to 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.252
2025 Page 3 of 3

VT LEG #380623 v.1
offenders on probation or parole, to offenders eligible for a reduction of term 1
pursuant to section 811 of this title, to offenders sentenced to serve an 2
interrupted sentence, to offenders sentenced for a felony after having been 3
previously convicted of a felony, or to offenders sentenced to life without 4
parole. Offenders currently serving a sentence shall be eligible to begin 5
earning a reduction in term when the earned time program becomes effective. 6
Notwithstanding this subdivision (1), when an offender has been convicted of a 7
disqualifying offense, the offender’s ability to participate and earn time in the 8
program shall be determined pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection. 9
* * * 10
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 11
This act shall take effect on passage. 12