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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont Bill H.223 Prohibits Unauthorized Vehicle Tracking and Establishes Domestic Violence Survivor Protections for Connected Car Services
Last action · February 14, 2025: Read first time and referred to the Committee on JudiciarySponsors: Angela Arsenault and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill explicitly includes the unauthorized use of tracking technology in the legal definition of stalking, criminalizes placing a tracking device on a motor vehicle without the consent of all occupants, allows abuse plaintiffs to request vehicle possession, and creates a process for domestic violence survivors to terminate an abuser's remote vehicle access.
The measure establishes criminal penalties of up to one year in prison or a $1,000 fine for unauthorized vehicle tracking, while requiring vehicle manufacturers to provide clear online links and execute requests from abuse survivors to disable an abuser's connected car services within two days without charging fees.
- The Vermont General Assembly is the state legislature responsible for enacting statutes regarding crimes, criminal procedure, and civil abuse prevention orders. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Domestic violence survivors
Survivors gain the ability to request vehicle possession in abuse prevention orders and require connected vehicle service providers to terminate an abuser's remote access without fees or account holder approval.
Covered providers and vehicle manufacturers
Manufacturers and connected service providers must create prominent website links, establish rapid response processes for service termination requests, maintain confidentiality, and refrain from charging fees for these actions.
Motor vehicle operators and occupants
Operators and occupants gain protection against unauthorized electronic tracking and monitoring of vehicles unless specific statutory exceptions apply.
Law enforcement officers
Law enforcement personnel are authorized to install or use tracking devices in furtherance of criminal investigations in accordance with applicable laws.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What constitutes unlawful electronic tracking of a motor vehicle under this bill?
Are parents allowed to track their children's vehicles?
Can a domestic violence survivor disconnect connected vehicle services if the abuser holds the account?
What are the penalties for violating the unauthorized tracking prohibition?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Feb 14, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Stalking Definition to Include Digital Surveillance
The bill formally updates Vermont's stalking statute to explicitly recognize continuous electronic, digital, or GPS surveillance lasting 12 hours or more as a course of conduct.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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