Senate Judiciary committee reports out miscellaneous judiciary bill, repeals switchblade offense language and creates firearms‑surrender working group
March 15, 2025 | Judiciary, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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The Senate Judiciary Committee on March 14 voted 5‑0 to report S.109, a miscellaneous judiciary bill that makes a range of technical changes to court procedures, narrows an expungement provision tied to a repealed switchblade offense, and directs the attorney general to convene a working group to recommend uniform procedures for firearms surrendered under various protective orders.
The bill was the subject of a brief committee review before the voice vote. Chair (not specified) opened consideration by saying, “We are taking 1 last look at our miscellaneous judiciary bill, and I'll be voting it out shortly.” Patrick, legislative counsel with the Office of Legislative Counsel, told the committee “there's only a couple of changes between this version and previous ones” and reviewed the changes at a high level.
The committee amendment reported out narrows an expungement instruction so that courts would expunge convictions only for the switchblade portion of a combined statute that also contains a separate “zip gun” provision. Patrick told the committee that the revision was intended so “you wouldn't want to expunge the convictions for the zip gun piece of the offense with that remaining a crime. You only want to expunge it for ... switchblade.” The revision limits expungement to convictions described in the transcript as “30 BSA 4,013” (text in the bill as presented).
Committee members discussed whether records could be separated by offense. The transcript records that judges and court staff indicated it would be feasible to identify which historic convictions related solely to the switchblade language; Judge Shone (mentioned) offered to review records and staff said they could order files if needed.
S.109 also creates a firearms‑surrender and compliance working group to be convened by the attorney general. The working group is assigned representatives drawn from law enforcement, federal firearms licensees, and other stakeholders, and must report recommendations back to the judiciary and justice oversight committees by Nov. 15 of this year. Patrick described the measure as intended to “develop a uniform procedure for how that's gonna work” and stressed it does not change the underlying law that authorizes courts to order surrender of firearms in specific proceedings (for example, relief from abuse or stalking orders).
Other technical changes in the bill, as reviewed in committee, include clarifications in statutes about how judicial supporters of judges are determined, language aligning references about possession and purchase of tobacco products, a change making possession by a minor using a false ID a civil rather than a criminal offense, and expanded remote online access to court records for contract and privately retained attorneys under specified conditions.
The committee voted to report the bill favorably. The motion to report was moved by an unnamed senator in the record and seconded (record does not identify the mover or seconder by name). The roll call recorded the following responses: Senator Norris — Yes; Senator Villescaz — Yes; Senator Brew — Yes; Senator Maddox — Yes; Chair (not specified) — Yes. The committee tally was 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstain; the clerk announced the result as 5‑0‑0.
The bill is expected to reach the floor the following Wednesday, according to committee discussion. Committee members asked whether the working group carries a separate appropriation; staff said the participants would be state employees and did not identify a new funding source in the transcript.
Votes at a glance
S.109 (committee amendment): Reported favorably by the Senate Judiciary Committee, 5‑0‑0. Motion to report moved and seconded (mover and seconder not specified in transcript). Key provisions noted in committee discussion: narrowing expungement to switchblade convictions only; establishment of an AG‑led firearms‑surrender and compliance working group with a Nov. 15 reporting date; several technical and procedural clarifications to existing statutes.
The committee record shows additional follow‑up items: judges and court staff may be able to provide counts of affected convictions for the limited expungement provision, and the working group will identify uniform surrender procedures across relief from abuse, stalking, and related orders. No new appropriation for the working group was specified in committee remarks.
The bill was the subject of a brief committee review before the voice vote. Chair (not specified) opened consideration by saying, “We are taking 1 last look at our miscellaneous judiciary bill, and I'll be voting it out shortly.” Patrick, legislative counsel with the Office of Legislative Counsel, told the committee “there's only a couple of changes between this version and previous ones” and reviewed the changes at a high level.
The committee amendment reported out narrows an expungement instruction so that courts would expunge convictions only for the switchblade portion of a combined statute that also contains a separate “zip gun” provision. Patrick told the committee that the revision was intended so “you wouldn't want to expunge the convictions for the zip gun piece of the offense with that remaining a crime. You only want to expunge it for ... switchblade.” The revision limits expungement to convictions described in the transcript as “30 BSA 4,013” (text in the bill as presented).
Committee members discussed whether records could be separated by offense. The transcript records that judges and court staff indicated it would be feasible to identify which historic convictions related solely to the switchblade language; Judge Shone (mentioned) offered to review records and staff said they could order files if needed.
S.109 also creates a firearms‑surrender and compliance working group to be convened by the attorney general. The working group is assigned representatives drawn from law enforcement, federal firearms licensees, and other stakeholders, and must report recommendations back to the judiciary and justice oversight committees by Nov. 15 of this year. Patrick described the measure as intended to “develop a uniform procedure for how that's gonna work” and stressed it does not change the underlying law that authorizes courts to order surrender of firearms in specific proceedings (for example, relief from abuse or stalking orders).
Other technical changes in the bill, as reviewed in committee, include clarifications in statutes about how judicial supporters of judges are determined, language aligning references about possession and purchase of tobacco products, a change making possession by a minor using a false ID a civil rather than a criminal offense, and expanded remote online access to court records for contract and privately retained attorneys under specified conditions.
The committee voted to report the bill favorably. The motion to report was moved by an unnamed senator in the record and seconded (record does not identify the mover or seconder by name). The roll call recorded the following responses: Senator Norris — Yes; Senator Villescaz — Yes; Senator Brew — Yes; Senator Maddox — Yes; Chair (not specified) — Yes. The committee tally was 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstain; the clerk announced the result as 5‑0‑0.
The bill is expected to reach the floor the following Wednesday, according to committee discussion. Committee members asked whether the working group carries a separate appropriation; staff said the participants would be state employees and did not identify a new funding source in the transcript.
Votes at a glance
S.109 (committee amendment): Reported favorably by the Senate Judiciary Committee, 5‑0‑0. Motion to report moved and seconded (mover and seconder not specified in transcript). Key provisions noted in committee discussion: narrowing expungement to switchblade convictions only; establishment of an AG‑led firearms‑surrender and compliance working group with a Nov. 15 reporting date; several technical and procedural clarifications to existing statutes.
The committee record shows additional follow‑up items: judges and court staff may be able to provide counts of affected convictions for the limited expungement provision, and the working group will identify uniform surrender procedures across relief from abuse, stalking, and related orders. No new appropriation for the working group was specified in committee remarks.
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