PUBLIC SAFETY

Public safety challenges are impacting businesses across Vermont. Issues such as retail theft, escalating drug use, and resulting crime have become paramount concerns that impact the economic success of our communities. The urgency to address these concerns is underscored by Forbes ranking Vermont as the 13th state most impacted by retail crime. Our commitment lies in fostering collaboration to address public safety, and aligning business concerns with legislative and public safety efforts.

Issue Updates

A bill addressing retail theft has been passed by the House and is now proceeding to the Senate. The bill includes criminal justice reform and legal procedural changes designed to tackle the increasing public safety issues associated with retail theft.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled for a potential Friday afternoon vote on a retail theft bill. A notable provision would charge the Department of Corrections to reinstate the Community Restitution Program as a sentencing alternative with the stated intent of alleviating court backlog and lessen the time to disposition. The bill would also allow an amount of stolen property to be aggregated if one person commits one or more offense within 14 days in a single county.

Amy Spear, VP of Tourism, was a facilitator at the Burlington Business Association’s Business Summit: Public Safety Forum. The discussion generated actionable, short-term solutions that can be quickly implemented. While communities across Vermont continue to try to find local solutions on their own, it remains to be seen if the legislature will act this session to provide state-level assistance.

The Vermont Chamber was at a meeting in Southern Vermont this week where local legislators heard business concerns about Retail Theft. Although statewide concern continues to grow, legislation appears to be at a standstill due to a lack of consensus.

The House Judiciary Committee continued its work to address retail theft. The committee took testimony from local elected officials who highlighted how this criminal activity impacts communities across Vermont.

The House Judiciary Committee continued its work on two retail theft bills. The committee took testimony from businesses across Vermont that shared their stories on how elevated criminal activity has negatively impacted their downtown presence and employee safety.

The House and Senate Judiciary Committees are both looking at how to address the increasing challenges with public safety. The House Judiciary Committee will be focusing on retail theft in the coming weeks.

Amy Spear

she/her

President

With over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector, Amy Spear has a proven track record of engaging diverse stakeholders and delivering successful outcomes for the Vermont business community. Prior to being named the President of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, she served the organization as the Vice President of Tourism, where she led significant efforts to promote Vermont's visitor economy. She has been a key driver of legislative reforms to benefit the tourism and hospitality industry during her tenure at the Vermont Chamber. Prior to joining the Vermont Chamber, she was the Executive Director of the Stowe Area Association. She is a graduate of the University at Albany and holds the IOM designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management. Recognized as a Vermont Business Magazine 40 Under 40 Rising Star, Amy is deeply passionate about contributing to Vermont's economic growth and business community.

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