The bill amends several sections of Vermont's criminal law regarding the commitment of individuals awaiting extradition. Notably, it extends the maximum commitment period from 30 to 90 days for individuals charged with crimes who have fled from justice. Additionally, it allows judges to continue hearings for up to three business days to determine if the accused probably committed the crime. The bill also modifies the language used in the statutes to be more gender-neutral, replacing terms like "him or her" with "the accused" or "the person."

Furthermore, the bill introduces a presumption of validity for previously signed waivers of extradition, placing the burden of proof on the individual contesting the waiver. It specifies that if an arrest is made by an officer from another state, the arrested individual must be brought before a Superior judge without unnecessary delay for a hearing on the lawfulness of the arrest. If the arrest is deemed lawful, the individual can be committed to await extradition for up to 90 days or be admitted to bail. The act is set to take effect upon passage and will not affect extraditions already in process at the time of enactment.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 13-4955, 13-4967, 13-5043
As Passed By the Senate -- Official: 13-4955, 13-4967, 13-5043, 13-4957
As Passed By the Senate -- Unofficial: 13-4955, 13-4957, 13-4967, 13-5043
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 13-4955, 13-4967, 13-5043, 13-4957
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 13-4955, 13-4957, 13-4967, 13-5043
As Enacted: 13-4955, 13-4957, 13-4967, 13-5043