House Committee on Judiciary

 

AGENDA

 

Room 30 and Zoom

February 3, 2026 - February 6, 2026

Last Updated 2/4/2026 2:09 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-judiciary.

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

10:00 AM                   House Floor

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Human Rights Commission

Review of Report: "Holding the Line After 2025: Policy Recommendations from the HRC 2025 Civil Rights Summit"

Big Hartman, Executive Director & General Counsel, Vermont Human Rights Commission

 

2:00 PM                   Break

 

2:15 PM                   Report on Court Diversion and Pretrial Services

Willa Farrell, Community Justice Unit Director, Attorney General's Office

 

2:45 PM                   H. 566 - An act relating to sealing post-charge court diversion records upon successful completion

Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Michele Childs, Team Lead Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Willa Farrell, Community Justice Unit Director, Attorney General's Office

Chief Shawn Burke, Chief of Police, Burlington Police Department - Invited

Kim McManus, Legislative Attorney, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

 

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

9:00 AM                   H. 744 - An act relating to procedures for arrest without a warrant

Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Erik FitzPatrick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Judge John Treadwell, Judge, Vermont Superior Court

 

10:15 AM                   Break

 

10:30 AM                   H. 744 - An act relating to procedures for arrest without a warrant

Witness Testimony

Kim McManus, Legislative Attorney, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

Eliza Novick-Smith, Deputy State's Attorney, Chittenden County State's Attorney Office

Chief Shawn Burke, Chief of Police, Burlington Police Department - Invited

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 572 - An act relating to permitting public access to electronic criminal case records

Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Michele Childs, Team Lead Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Kristen Fountain, Director, Vermont Journalism Coalition

John Flowers, Addison Independent

Tommy Gardner, Stowe Reporter - Invited

Teri Corsones, State Court Administrator, Vermont Judiciary

Kim McManus, Legislative Attorney, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office

Anna Selbrede, Yale Law School Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic

 

3:00 PM                   H. 566 - An act relating to sealing post-charge court diversion records upon successful completion

Witness Testimony

Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

Thursday, February 5, 2026

9:00 AM                   H. 578 - An act relating to penalties and procedures for animal cruelty offenses

Witness Testimony

Erik FitzPatrick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lisa Milot, Director of Animal Welfare, Department of Public Safety

 

10:15 AM                   Break

 

10:30 AM                   H. 578 - An act relating to penalties and procedures for animal cruelty offenses

Witness Testimony

Erika Holm, Chair, Animal Cruelty Investigation Advisory Board

Kim McManus, Legislative Attorney, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

Judge Thomas Zonay, Chief Superior Judge, Vermont Judiciary

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 566 - An act relating to sealing post-charge court diversion records upon successful completion

Witness Testimony

Rachel Jolly, CEDO Assistant Director, Community Justice Center - Invited

Jennifer Poehlmann, Executive Director, Center for Crime Victim Services

Wilda White, Founder, MadFreedom - Invited

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

Friday, February 6, 2026

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         H. 744 - An act relating to procedures for arrest without a warrant

Discussion and Vote

 

-                                   H. 566 - An act relating to sealing post-charge court diversion records upon successful completion

Discussion and Vote

 

-                                   H. 572 - An act relating to permitting public access to electronic criminal case records

Discussion and Possible Vote

 

1:00 PM                   TBD

 

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

 

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.

 

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Nate Biscotti at Nate.Biscotti@vtleg.gov