Bill H.176, introduced by several representatives, aims to establish a specific deadline for the Vermont Department of Corrections to implement its community restitution program, commonly known as work crew. The bill mandates that by July 1, 2025, the Department must reinstate the Field Based Community Restitution Program, which was previously discontinued due to a rescinding memorandum that nullified earlier policies. The bill also allows the Department to set limitations on the number of days an offender can be ordered to serve on a single mittimus and the total number of work crew days they can have outstanding, with minimum requirements established for both.

Additionally, the bill specifies that the Department must impose at least 20 work crew days for a single mittimus and a total of no less than 60 days for multiple mittimuses. The act is set to take effect upon passage, reinforcing the legislative intent to revitalize community restitution efforts within the corrections system.