Act No. 103 Page 1 of 1
2024
This act summary is provided for the convenience of the public and members of the General Assembly. It
is intended to provide a general summary of the act and may not be exhaustive. It has been prepared by the
staff of the Office of Legislative Counsel without input from members of the General Assembly. It is not
intended to aid in the interpretation of legislation or to serve as a source of legislative intent.
Act No. 103 (H.27). An act relating to coercive controlling behavior and abuse prevention
orders
Subjects: Domestic relations; abuse prevention
This act amends the definition of abuse to include coercive controlling behavior for
purposes of Vermont’s law regarding domestic relief from abuse orders. The change to
the definition of abuse is only for purposes of civil protection orders and does not amend
the definition of abuse relating to the crime of domestic assault. Coercive controlling
behavior is defined as a pattern of behavior that in purpose or effect unreasonably
interferes with a person’s free will and personal liberty. Coercive controlling behavior
includes unreasonably engaging in any of the following:
(1) isolating the family or household member from friends, relatives, or other sources
of support;
(2) depriving the family or household member of basic necessities;
(3) controlling, regulating, or monitoring the family or household member’s
movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to
services;
(4) compelling the family or household member by force, threat, or intimidation,
including threats based on actual or suspected immigration status, to:
(A) engage in conduct from which such family or household member has a
right to abstain; or
(B) abstain from conduct that such family or household member has a right
to pursue;
(5) committing or threatening to commit cruelty to animals that intimidates the family
or household member; or
(6) forced sex acts or threats of a sexual nature, including threatened acts of sexual
conduct, threats based on a person’s sexuality, or threats to release sexual images.
Effective Date: July 1, 2024
VT LEG #377366 v.2


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 15-1101
As Passed By the House -- Official: 15-1101
As Passed By the House -- Unofficial: 15-1101
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 15-1101
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 15-1101
As Enacted: 15-1101