---
type: "Bill"
title: "An act relating to deferred sentences and the sex offender registry"
description: "An act relating to deferred sentences and the sex offender registry"
jurisdiction: "us/states/vt"
legislature: "Vermont General Assembly"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "S. 7"
citation: "Vermont S. 7 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Joseph Benning", "Richard Sears"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 29
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2017-01-10"
last_action: "2017-05-03"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/ba7a90e7-32d6-4ae2-a8f4-acdac6170dff"
source_url: "http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/loadBillDetailedStatus/2018/237"
source_hash: "358ff54399d80fa266708ee00f37ef83cdeea8bb8fa53b5aa2172658c593144b"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-vt"]
---

# Vermont S. 7 (2017-2018) — An act relating to deferred sentences and the sex offender registry

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **As Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/BILLS/S-0007/S-0007%20As%20Introduced.pdf)
2. **Act Summary** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/ACTS/ACT015/ACT015%20Act%20Summary.pdf)
3. **As Enacted** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/ACTS/ACT015/ACT015%20As%20Enacted.pdf)
4. **Official** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/BILLS/S-0007/S-0007%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Official.pdf)
5. **Unofficial** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2018/Docs/BILLS/S-0007/S-0007%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf)

## Votes

- 3rd reading ordered on roll call, requested by Senator MacDonald, Passed -- Needed 16 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 30, Nays = 0 — **30–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Joseph Benning — primary (person)
- Richard Sears — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2017-01-10** Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Judiciary `introduction`
- **2017-02-21** Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee onJudiciary
- **2017-02-22** New Business/Second Reading
- **2017-02-22** Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Judiciary
- **2017-02-23** Unfinished Business/Second Reading
- **2017-02-23** Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Judiciary
- **2017-02-23** Read second time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Benning for Committee on Judiciary
- **2017-02-23** Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Judiciary agreed to
- **2017-02-23** 3rd reading ordered on roll call, requested by Senator MacDonald, Passed -- Needed 16 of 30 to Pass -- Yeas = 30, Nays = 0
- **2017-02-24** New Business/Third Reading
- **2017-02-24** Read 3rd time & passed `passage`
- **2017-03-01** Read First Time and Referred to the Committee on Judiciary
- **2017-04-05** Rep. Willhoit of St. Johnsbury moved to postpone action until April 6, 2017 which was agreed to
- **2017-04-06** Read Second Time
- **2017-04-06** Rep. Willhoit of St. Johnsbury reported for the committee on Judiciary
- **2017-04-06** Rep. Conquest of Newbury moved to amend the bill which was agreed to
- **2017-04-06** Report of Committee on Judiciary as amended agreed to
- **2017-04-06** Third Reading Ordered
- **2017-04-07** Read Third time and Passed in Concurrence with Proposal of Amendment `passage`
- **2017-04-11** House message House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
- **2017-04-12** House Proposal of Amendment
- **2017-04-13** New Business/House Proposal of Amendment
- **2017-04-13** House proposal of amendment; text
- **2017-04-13** House proposal of amendment concurred in
- **2017-04-13** As passed by Senate and House `passage`
- **2017-04-14** Senate Message, House proposal of amendment concurred in `passage`
- **2017-04-25** Delivered to Governor on April 25, 2017
- **2017-05-01** Signed by Governor on May 1, 2017 `executive-signature`
- **2017-05-03** Senate Message, Signed by Governor May 1, 2017 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/ba7a90e7-32d6-4ae2-a8f4-acdac6170dff`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Vermont legislature records).