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H 635

An act relating to eliminating Department of Corrections supervisory fees

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Troy Headrick

Eliminates and forgives all DOC supervisory fees, stops any collection actions, and removes references to such fees from records and portals.

Signed by Governor on May 27, 2026
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 635

Summary of H.635 (2025-2026) – Vermont

Main purpose

  • Eliminate the Department of Corrections (DOC) supervisory fees. The bill removes authority for the DOC to assess, bill, or collect such fees and directs forgiveness of all outstanding supervisory fees.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1: Department of Corrections powers (28 V.S.A. § 102)

  • Repeals or deprioritizes the DOC’s existing mechanism to collect supervisory fees from individuals under supervision (probation, furlough, pre-approved furlough, supervised community sentence, or parole).
  • Prior language allowed the Commissioner to collect up to $30 per month per supervised individual and to contract with private collection agencies, with collection costs potentially added as administrative costs.
  • The bill’s text shows the removal of the authority to impose and collect these fees (the line “[Repealed.]” indicates removal of the existing provision).

Section 2: Supervisory fees – Department actions

  • The DOC shall not:
    • Assess, bill, or collect any supervisory fee.
    • Employ collection agencies or other entities to collect supervisory fees.
  • The DOC shall forgive all outstanding supervisory fees and remove all references to them from records and the online portal.
  • The DOC shall cease all efforts to collect outstanding fees (including wage garnishment or tax setoff) and coordinate with any other agencies involved in collection to stop collection.
  • Importantly, nonpayment of a supervisory fee shall not be a violation of probation, parole, furlough, or any sentence.

Section 3: Rules; review; DOC

  • The DOC must identify each rule adopted under the old statutory authority and notify the Secretary of State of repeal by operation of law.
  • The DOC must review its rules, policies, and procedures to remove references to “supervisory fees” or “supervision fees.”

Section 4: Effective date

  • The act takes effect on passage, with a stated implementation date of July 1, 2027.

Who/what is affected

  • Directly affects individuals supervised by the Vermont DOC (probation, furlough, pre-approved furlough, supervised community sentence, parole) who would have been subjected to monthly supervisory fees.
  • Removes the DOC’s ability to collect such fees going forward and requires forgiveness of all existing balances.
  • Potentially affects DOC revenue streams and the administration of supervision programs.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Status: As passed by the Vermont House of Representatives (H.635) and reported Favorable by the Committee on Institutions (May 1, 2026).
  • Next steps: The bill would move through the Senate for consideration (institutional committees noted in the record). If enacted, the act would take effect July 1, 2027, providing a transition period for rule and policy changes.
  • Related actions: Requires rulebooks and online portals to be updated to remove supervisory fee references and to forgive outstanding balances.

Additional context

  • The bill explicitly authorizes the DOC to stop all collection activities and to coordinate with other agencies in cessation efforts.
  • It ensures that the absence of a supervisory fee collection does not constitute a violation of any supervision term, preserving individuals’ compliance status.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison of the current statute vs. the changes proposed by H.635, or a plain-language briefing for affected individuals.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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