The bill H.108, introduced by Representative Rachelson of Burlington, seeks to repeal the criminal penalty associated with an adult child's failure to support their destitute parent. The current law imposes penalties on individuals who desert or neglect to provide support for their spouse, children, or parents under certain conditions. Specifically, the bill amends 15 V.S.A. § 202 by removing the provisions that penalize adult children who do not support their parents when those parents are unable to support themselves.

In the proposed changes, the language referring to the obligation of an adult child to support their destitute parent is deleted, thereby eliminating the potential for criminal charges against adult children for non-support. The bill also modifies the language regarding the support obligations of married individuals and parents, changing pronouns to a more gender-neutral form. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 15-202