Act No. 30 Page 1 of 1
2023
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. 30 (S. 17). An act relating to sheriff reforms
Subjects: Municipal and county government; sheriffs; county officers; powers and
duties; counties
This act imposes additional processes for disbursements or transfers of sheriff’s
departments’ assets during the transition between sheriffs. It also adjusts when audits of
sheriff’s departments must be performed and how these are paid for. This act creates
conflict-of-interest requirements for sheriffs and sheriff’s deputies. It also requires
annual financial disclosures from sheriffs. This act requires the Department of State’s
Attorneys and Sheriffs to develop the Sheriff’s Departments Compensation and Benefits
Model Policy and for sheriffs to follow that model policy when funds derived from
contract administrative overhead fees are expended on compensation-related uses. It also
requires sheriff’s departments to provide law enforcement and security services to county
and State courthouses under a single, statewide contract. This act creates the new
position of Director of Sheriffs’ Operations in the Department of State’s Attorneys and
Sheriffs. This act requires sheriffs to maintain a record of their work schedules. This act
requires sheriff’s departments to provide assistance to individuals with a relief from
abuse order to retrieve personal belongings if asked and if within the sheriff’s county, and
it prohibits all law enforcement officers and law enforcement agencies from seeking a fee
for providing this assistance. This act modernizes use-of-force terminology in statutes
pertaining to sheriffs. It also repeals the penalty for refusing to assist a sheriff. This act
requires three reports to be issued regarding sheriff’s departments’ provision of standby
services for domestic violence survivors, deputy sheriffs’ provision of courthouse
security, and sheriff’s departments reform.
Effective Date: Multiple effective dates, beginning on May 31, 2023
VT LEG #371369 v.2


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 20-2401, 24-291a, 24-299, 24-301
As Passed By the Senate -- Official: 20-2401, 24-291a, 24-299, 24-301, 24-290, 24-290b, 24-293
As Passed By the Senate -- Unofficial: 20-2401, 24-290, 24-290b, 24-291a, 24-293, 24-299, 24-301
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 20-2401, 24-291a, 24-299, 24-301, 24-290, 24-290b, 24-293, 24-367, 24-290(b)
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 24-290, 24-290b, 24-291a, 24-367, 24-290(b), 24-293, 24-299, 24-301
As Enacted: 24-290, 24-290b, 24-291a, 24-367, 24-290(b), 24-293, 24-299, 24-301
Senate proposal of amendment to House proposal of amendment Official: 24-290
Senate proposal of amendment to House proposal of amendment Unofficial: 24-290