Bill H.342 seeks to enhance the protection of personal information for specific public servants in Vermont, including judges, law enforcement officers, and prosecutors, in response to increasing threats of violence and intimidation. The bill introduces a new section that allows these individuals, termed "covered persons," to request the nondisclosure of their personal information from data brokers, which encompasses home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. It establishes a process for covered persons or their authorized agents to notify data brokers to stop disclosing their protected information, requiring compliance within 15 days. The bill also imposes civil penalties of up to $10,000 on data brokers that fail to adhere to these nondisclosure requests and empowers the Attorney General to enforce these provisions.

Furthermore, the bill mandates the Agency of Digital Services to conduct a study involving input from relevant stakeholders to evaluate the implications of public agencies ceasing to disclose the protected information of covered persons. This study will consider the capacity of agencies to accommodate such requests, the fiscal impacts, and the potential need for additional staffing or training. The findings and recommendations from this study are due by December 1, 2026. Additionally, the bill includes a delayed start for private actions related to the disclosure of protected information, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, while the overall act is set to become effective on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 9-62
As Passed By the House -- Official: 9-62
As Passed By the House -- Unofficial: 9-62