House amends bill to add affirmation option in oaths; third reading ordered

Representative Burditt, speaking for the House Judiciary Committee, outlined H.28 on the floor and urged support after committee action.

“H28 begins a potentially multi‑year process of specifically adding language providing the option of an affirmation everywhere in the VSA in which there is references to an oath,” Burditt said, noting the bill covers Titles 1–10 and that future bills would address later titles. He said the committee’s amendment updates a few statutes changed in 2025, makes minor technical edits, and changes the effective date from July 1, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2027.

The bill’s text preserves the existing 1 V.S.A. § 127 provision that ‘oath’ includes affirmation, while adding explicit affirmation language to each statute that uses oath‑related language so a reader need not consult § 127. Burditt said the Judiciary committee voted 10–0–1 on the amendment and that witnesses from the Office of Legislative Counsel, the Secretary of State’s office and the House Committee on Environment had been heard in committee.

Burditt addressed an expressed concern in the building that the bill would eliminate swearing‑in entirely: “I don't believe that's gonna happen,” he said, adding that committee members raised the question and were told there was no intent to remove the swearing option.

The chair put the committee’s recommendation to a voice vote. The ayes were recorded and the House amended H.28 as recommended; a subsequent voice vote ordered third reading.

What happens next: H.28, as amended, moves to third reading on the House floor. The amendment preserves existing affirmation language in 1 V.S.A. § 127 and explicitly adds affirmation wording across Titles 1–10; the change of effective date to Jan. 1, 2027 was noted on the floor.

Sources and provenance: Floor presentation and votes on H.28 (see House floor reading and committee remarks).