Bill H.490 proposes to amend the current law regarding community service requirements for individuals convicted of a second impaired driving offense. Specifically, the bill aims to reduce the number of community service hours mandated under 23 V.S.A. § 1210(c). The rationale behind this change is to align the community service requirements with the State's Restorative Justice Policy, which encourages alternatives to incarceration, thereby promoting community service as a viable option for offenders.

Additionally, the bill includes a findings section that highlights the importance of this alignment with restorative justice principles and references current statistics from the Department of Corrections regarding the population in Vermont correctional facilities. This data will serve as a baseline to assess the potential impact of the proposed reduction in community service hours on incarceration rates in the state.