FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 26, 2025
Contact: Timothy Lueders-Dumont, Esq., Executive Director, Timothy.Lueders-Dumont@Vermont.Gov
New DUI Law Enhances Road Safety in Vermont
MONTPELIER, VT – Effective July 1, 2025, Governor Scott signed Act 41 into law, an omnibus bill significantly clarifying Vermont's Driving Under the Influence (DUI) statutes, including the creation of a new crime for refusing a search warrant in certain DUI cases. The legislation also mandates that juvenile and youthful offender DUI violations be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for license suspension, insurance, and rehabilitation purposes.
The Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs (SAS) spearheaded the drafting of this law, collaborating with the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Department of Public Safety, along with legislative leaders in both the House Committee on Judiciary, the House Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Judiciary, and the Senate Committee on Transportation.
Key provisions of Act 41 include:
- Clarified Reporting: Law enforcement must now provide affidavits for civil DUI charges to the DMV, which will then send them to the superior court if a hearing is requested.
- Per Se Limits Conformed: Civil and criminal DUI per se limits are now consistent at or above .08 for most drivers, .04 for commercial vehicle operators, and .02 for school bus drivers.
- Juvenile Reporting: Ensures juvenile and youthful offender DUI violations are reported to the DMV for license suspension, insurance, and rehabilitation.
- Enhanced Penalties: Corrects a previous error, allowing separate penalties for DUI offenders who seriously injure one person and kill another in a single crash.
- New Crime for Search Warrant Refusal: Creates a specific crime for hindering the collection of blood pursuant to a search warrant. This ensures these offenders are subject to DUI-related rehabilitative efforts and licensing restrictions, which was not the case when they were charged solely with impeding an officer.
"This new law represents a significant step forward in our efforts to make Vermont's roads safer and ensure justice for victims of impaired driving," said Timothy Lueders-Dumont, Executive Director of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs.
Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage, who serves as chair of the Executive Committee of State’s Attorneys noted that Act 41 will " close critical loopholes and strengthen our ability to hold impaired drivers accountable, while also focusing on rehabilitation.”
In 2024, 59 people died in crashes on Vermont roadways, involving 32 drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol (5), drugs other than alcohol (13), or a combination of alcohol and other drugs (14). The Department remains committed to improving traffic safety laws and prosecutorial and law enforcement practices to reduce fatalities and injuries.
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