An act relating to waiver of criminal history record fees for certain DAIL volunteers

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ginny Lyons and 1 co-sponsor

The bill waives the criminal history record check fee for eligible DAIL volunteers to reduce barriers to volunteering.

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Finance

Summary of Bill: S.252 (2025-2026) – An act relating to waiver of criminal history record fees for certain DAIL volunteers

Purpose and intent

The bill seeks to waive the criminal history record check fee for certain volunteers affiliated with the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) in Vermont.

The underlying aim is to reduce barriers to volunteering for eligible individuals, thereby supporting DAIL programs and services that rely on volunteers.

Key provisions and changes

Waiver of fees: The act would exempt specified volunteers from paying the standard fee charged for criminal history records checks.

Eligible volunteers: The bill targets volunteers who perform services for DAIL or its programs and likely aligns with roles that do not involve paid employment but require background checks for safety and compliance.

Implementation scope: The waiver applies to the criminal history record check process necessary for volunteers. It does not explicitly state exemptions for background checks outside of volunteer roles or for other agencies.

Oversight and administration: The bill would rely on the existing processes for obtaining criminal history records checks, with the financial burden for the check waived rather than eliminated. It may designate the responsible state agency (implied: DAIL or a related Vermont state agency) to administer the waiver and ensure eligible volunteers receive the benefit.

Affected parties and impact

Primary beneficiaries: Volunteers who participate in DAIL programs and activities and are subject to criminal history record checks.

Demographic impact: Individuals seeking volunteering opportunities with DAIL who might be deterred by background-check fees could be more likely to participate.

Financial impact on state program: The state would forego the revenue from the criminal history record check fee for qualifying volunteers. The bill does not specify a cap or funding source to cover this loss, so potential budgetary considerations for the program may arise.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Action history: Read 1st time and referred to the Committee on Finance on January 14, 2026.

Next steps: The Finance Committee will review fiscal implications, outline any administrative steps, and determine if amendments are needed before advancing to further readings and potential enactment.

Co-sponsors: Ginny Lyons and Richard Westman, indicating bipartisan or cross-member support to some extent.

Notes and considerations

The bill focuses narrowly on waiving the fee for criminal history record checks for DAIL volunteers; it does not describe broader reforms to background-check processes, alternative screening methods, or applicability to other state agencies or employment scenarios.

Fiscal impact: While the exact cost to the state is not detailed here, the waiver represents a reduction in anticipated revenue from the background-check fees and may require funding adjustments in related budgets.

Implementation details (e.g., eligibility criteria, duration of the waiver, and renewal guidelines) are not specified in the provided summary and would be clarified in committee discussions and any subsequent legislative amendments.

If you’d like, I can expand this with a hypothetical fiscal impact estimate or compare to similar waiver programs in other states.