Senate orders third reading of H614 after roll-call; bill raises penalties and bond requirements for timber trespass and land-improvement fraud

The Vermont Senate ordered third reading of H614 following debate and a roll-call vote on the clerk’s call. Senator from Memorial described H614 as legislation to address rural problems of timber trespass and land-improvement fraud, especially where absentee landowners and transient logging create damages.

Key provisions described on the floor include increasing the contract-value threshold that triggers land-improvement fraud (floor remarks referenced raising the threshold from $500 to $1,000 and, for certain penalties, a $1,500 trigger for higher criminal exposure), raising required financial bond/security levels (from $50,000 to $250,000), tightening forest-operations definitions, requiring notice to the Attorney General and registry disclosures, and increasing potential imprisonment for repeated timber trespass offenses (up to three years for second or subsequent offenses). Sponsor argued these changes give owners recourse and protect vulnerable, often elderly, landowners.

A roll-call was requested for ordering third reading; the clerk read votes and the tally was recorded as 29-0 in favor. The Senate then recessed for lunch and an all-members caucus and will return at 1:00 PM to continue the agenda.