Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 6 D cosponsors

S 44 — An act relating to authorization to enter into certain immigration agreements

Last action — Senate Message: Signed by Governor May 21, 2025

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 04, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Phil Scott (Republican) on May 23, 2025.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    6 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (6 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

83 added · 27 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Bill S.44 now explicitly states that the Governor may only enter into certain immigration agreements after gaining approval from the General Assembly. It also clarifies that state, county, or municipal law enforcement can enter these agreements without such prior approval in urgent situations related to public safety during a state or national emergency. This change is significant because it enhances legislative oversight while still allowing quick action when necessary to protect residents.

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AS PASSED BY SENATE S.44 Page 1 of 2 S.44 An act relating to authorization to enter into certain immigration agreements It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.44 Page 1 of 4 S.44 Introduced by Senators White, Clarkson, Gulick, Harrison, Hashim and Major Referred to Committee on Judiciary Date:
February 4, 2025 Subject:
Internal security and public safety;
protection of personally identifying information;
immigration agreements Statement of purpose of bill as introduced:
This bill proposes to require the Governor to get approval of the General Assembly before entering into certain immigration agreements.
An act relating to requiring legislative approval prior to entering into certain immigration agreements An act relating to authorization to enter into certain immigration agreements It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
§ 4652 is amended to read:
§ 4652 is amended to read:
§ 1401(i) (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, only the Governor, in consultation with the Vermont Attorney General, is authorized to enter into, modify, or extend an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, only the Governor, in consultation with the Vermont Attorney General upon approval from the General Assembly as set forth in subsection (b) of this section, is authorized to BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.44 Page 2 of 4 enter into, modify, or extend an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) when necessary to address threats to the public safety or welfare of Vermont residents arising out of a declaration of a State or national emergency No public agency, as that term is defined in 1 V.S.A.
§ 1401(i) when necessary to address threats to the public safety or welfare of Vermont residents arising out of a declaration of a State or national emergency (1) The Governor shall not enter into an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 317, or an officer, employee, agent, or independent contractor of a public agency, shall enter into an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) without prior approval from the General Assembly.
(2) Not fewer than 60 days before the General Assembly may vote on a proposed agreement pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, the Governor shall:
(A) provide the General Assembly with:
(i) the full text of the proposed agreement;
and (ii) an analysis of the potential fiscal, social, and legal impacts of the agreement;
and (B) hold one or more public hearings in order to inform and gather input from Vermonters, including immigrant advocacy organizations, on the proposed agreement.
BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.44 Page 3 of 4 (3) No agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) shall be entered into if the General Assembly is not in session.
(4) No State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency or officer shall engage in any duty or action pursuant to an 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) agreement unless the General Assembly approves of such agreement as set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(c) On or before December 1 of each year, the Governor shall submit a letter to the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on Government Operations addressing the following matters:
(1) providing details on any informal and formal discussions and negotiations involving agreements pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i);
and (2) confirming that no agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) has been entered into without approval from the General Assembly.
Sec.
2.
EFFECTIVE DATE This act shall take effect on passage.
Sec.
1.
20 V.S.A.
§ 4652 is amended to read:
§ 4652.
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS PURSUANT TO 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) AND 19 U.S.C.
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§ 1401(i) (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, only the Governor, in consultation with the Vermont Attorney General, is authorized to enter into, BILL AS INTRODUCED AND PASSED BY SENATE S.44 Page 4 of 4 modify, or extend an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i).
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency is authorized to enter into an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
§ 1401(i) when necessary to address threats to the public safety or welfare of Vermont residents arising out of a declaration of a State or national emergency No public agency, as that term is defined in 1 V.S.A.
§ 317, or an officer, employee, agent, or independent contractor of a public agency, shall enter into an agreement pursuant to 8 U.S.C.
§ 1357(g) or 19 U.S.C.
VT LEG #381767 v.1 AS PASSED BY SENATE S.44 Page 2 of 2 Sec.
Sec.
VT LEG #381767 v.1
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Action History

  1. Senate Message: Signed by Governor May 21, 2025

  2. Signed by Governor on May 21, 2025

  3. Delivered to Governor on May 15, 2025

  4. As passed by Senate and House

  5. House message: House passed bill in concurrence

  6. Read third time and passed in concurrence

  7. Action Calendar: Third Reading

  8. Third Reading ordered

  9. Rep. Arsenault of Williston reported for the Committee on Judiciary

  10. Read second time

  11. Action Calendar: Favorable

  12. Notice Calendar: Favorable

  13. Read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary

  14. Title amended as recommended by Committee on Judiciary

  15. Read 3rd time & passed

  16. New Business/Third Reading

  17. 3rd reading ordered on roll call Passed -- Needed 15 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 29, Nays = 1

  18. Roll Call, Requested by Sen. Hashim

  19. Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Judiciary agreed to

  20. Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Baruth for Committee on Judiciary

  21. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Judiciary

  22. New Business/Second Reading

  23. Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Judiciary

  24. Second Reading

  25. Entered on Notice Calendar

  26. Committee on Government Operations relieved; bill committed to Committee on Judiciary on motion of Senator Collamore

  27. Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government Operations

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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6 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 184 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (6)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (184)

184 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 184 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

3rd reading ordered on roll call Passed -- Needed 15 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 29, Nays = 1

Passed 29 Yea · 1 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat/Progressive 3000
Republican 13100
Democrat 10000
Unaffiliated 2000
Progressive/Democrat 1000
Total 29100
% of votes cast 97%3%0%0%
How each member voted (30)
Member Party Vote
White — Yea
Ram Hinsdale — Yea
Alison Clarkson Democrat Yea
Ann E Cummings Democrat Yea
Joseph "Joe" D Major Democrat Yea
Martine Larocque L Gulick Democrat Yea
Nader A Hashim Democrat Yea
Robert Plunkett Democrat Yea
Ruth E Hardy Democrat Yea
Seth Bongartz Democrat Yea
Thomas I Chittenden Democrat Yea
Virginia "Ginny" V Lyons Democrat Yea
Andrew J Perchlik Democrat/Progressive Yea
Anne E Watson Democrat/Progressive Yea
Philip E Baruth Democrat/Progressive Yea
Tanya C Vyhovsky Progressive/Democrat Yea
Brian P Collamore Republican Yea
Christopher P Mattos Republican Yea
David H Weeks Republican Yea
Jim F Harrison Republican Yea
Larry Hart Republican Yea
Patrick "Pat" M Brennan Republican Yea
Randy D Brock Republican Yea
Richard A Westman Republican Yea
Robert W Norris Republican Nay
Russ H Ingalls Republican Yea
Samuel A Douglass Republican Yea
Scott L Beck Republican Yea
Steven Heffernan Republican Yea
Terry K Williams Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

immigration
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors S 44?
S 44 is sponsored by Joseph "Joe" D Major (Democrat), Nader A Hashim (Democrat), Wendy K Harrison (Democrat), Martine Larocque L Gulick (Democrat), Alison Clarkson (Democrat), and Rebecca "Becca" E White (Democrat).
What is the current status of S 44?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 04, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track S 44?
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