Sabotage Prevention Act

V.S.A. tit. 13, ch. 75, subch. 2

in effect

13 V.S.A. § 3431 Definitions

3431. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Highway” includes any private or public street, way, or other place used for travel to or from property. (2) “Road commissioner” means any individual, board, or other body having authority under then existing law to discontinue the use of the highway that it is desired to restrict or close to public use and travel. The power to discontinue highways or the use thereof vested in any town may, for the purpose of this subchapter, be exercised by the selectboard thereof. (3) “Public utility” includes any pipeline, gas, electric, heat, water, oil, sewer, telephone, telegraph, radio, railway, railroad, airplane, transportation, communication, or other system, by whomsoever owned or operated, for public use.

13 V.S.A. § 3432 Interference with defense or war effort

3432. Interference with defense or war effort A person who intentionally destroys, impairs, injures, interferes, or tampers with real or personal property, with reasonable grounds to believe that such act will hinder, delay, or interfere with the preparation of the United States or of any of the states for defense or for war, or with the prosecution of war by the United States, shall be imprisoned not less than one year nor more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.

13 V.S.A. § 3433 Defective materials

3433. Defective materials A person who intentionally makes or causes to be made or omits to note on inspection any defect in any article or thing with reasonable grounds to believe that such article or thing is intended to be used in connection with the preparation of the United States or any of the states for defense or for war, or for the prosecution of war by the United States, or that such article or thing is one of a number of similar articles or things, some of which are so to be used, intending thereby to hinder, delay, or interfere with the preparation of the United States or of any of the states for defense or for war, or with the prosecution of war by the United States, shall be imprisoned not less than one year nor more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.

13 V.S.A. § 3434 Attempts

3434. Attempts A person who attempts to commit any of the crimes defined by this subchapter shall be liable to one-half the punishment prescribed for the completed crime. In addition to the acts that constitute an attempt to commit a crime under the law of this State, the solicitation or incitement of another to commit any of the crimes defined by this subchapter not followed by the commission of the crime, the collection or assemblage of any materials with the intent that the same are to be used then or at a later time in the commission of such crime, or the entry, with or without permission, into a building, enclosure, or other premises of another with the intent to commit any such crime therein or thereon shall constitute an attempt to commit such crime.

13 V.S.A. § 3435 Conspiracy

3435. Conspiracy If two or more persons conspire to commit any crime defined by this subchapter, each of such persons shall be guilty of conspiracy and subject to the same punishment as if he or she had committed the crime that he or she conspired to commit, whether or not any act be done in furtherance of the conspiracy. The fact that any of his or her fellow conspirators has been acquitted, has not been arrested or convicted, is not amenable to justice, or has been pardoned or otherwise discharged before or after conviction shall not constitute any defense or ground of suspension of judgment, sentence, or punishment on behalf of any person prosecuted under this section.

13 V.S.A. § 3436 Self incrimination of witnesses; immunity from prosecution

3436. Self incrimination of witnesses; immunity from prosecution No person shall be excused from attending and testifying, or producing any books, papers, or other documents before any court, magistrate, referee, or grand jury upon any investigation, proceeding, or trial, for or relating to or concerned with a violation of any section of this subchapter or attempt to commit such violation, upon the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of him or her by the State may tend to convict him or her of a crime or to subject him or her to a penalty or forfeiture; but no person shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter or thing concerning which he or she may so testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, and no testimony so given or produced shall be received against him or her, upon any criminal investigation, proceeding or trial, except upon a prosecution for perjury or contempt of court based upon the giving or producing of such testimony.

13 V.S.A. § 3437 Posting premises

3437. Posting premises An individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipal corporation, or state or any political subdivision thereof engaged in, or preparing to engage in the following enterprises, the property of which is enclosed by a fence, wall, building, or water frontage or any combination of the same, may post around such property at each gate, entrance, or dock and for every one hundred feet of water front a sign reading “No entry without permission”: (1) The manufacture, transportation, or storage of any product to be used in the preparation of the United States or of any of the states for defense or for war or in the prosecution of war by the United States. (2) The manufacture, transportation, distribution, or storage of gas, oil, coal, electricity, or water. (3) The operation of any public utility.

13 V.S.A. § 3438 Trespass on posted premises

3438. Trespass on posted premises A person who, without permission from such owner, shall willfully enter upon premises so posted as provided in section 3437 of this title shall be imprisoned not more than 10 days or fined not more than $50.00, or both.

13 V.S.A. § 3439 Arrest

3439. Arrest Any peace officer or any person employed as watchman, guard, or in a supervisory capacity on premises posted as provided in section 3437 of this title may stop any person found on any premises to which entry without permission is forbidden by section 3437 and may detain him or her for the purpose of requiring of him or her his or her name, address, and business in such place. If such peace officer or employee has reason to believe from the answers of the person so interrogated that such person has no right to be in such place, he or she shall forthwith arrest such person without a warrant on the charge of violating the provisions of section 3437.

13 V.S.A. § 3440 Closing highways

3440. Closing highways An individual, partnership, association, corporation, municipal corporation or state or any political subdivision thereof engaged in or preparing to engage in the manufacture, transportation, or storage of any product to be used in the preparation of the United States or any of the states for defense or for war or in the prosecution of war by the United States, or in the manufacture, transportation, distribution, or storage of gas, oil, coal, electricity, or water, or any of such natural or artificial persons operating any public utility, who has property so used that he or she or it believes will be endangered if public use and travel is not restricted or prohibited on one or more highways or parts thereof upon which such property abuts, may petition the road commissioners of any city, town, or county to close one or more of such highways or parts thereof to public use and travel or to restrict by order the use and travel upon one or more of such highways or parts thereof.

13 V.S.A. § 3441 Notice and hearing

3441. Notice and hearing Upon receipt of such petition, the road commissioners shall set a day for hearing and give notice thereof by publication in a newspaper having general circulation in the city, town, or county in which such property is located, such notice to be at least seven days prior to the date set for hearing. If, after hearing, the road commissioners determine that the public safety and the safety of the property of the petitioner so require, they shall by suitable order close to public use and travel or reasonably restrict the use of and travel upon one or more of such highways or parts thereof. However, the road commissioners may issue written permits to travel over the highway so closed or restricted to responsible and reputable persons for such term, under such conditions and in such form as such commissioners may prescribe. Appropriate notices in letters at least three inches high shall be posted conspicuously at each end of any highway so closed or restricted by such order. The road commissioners may at any time revoke or modify any order so made.

13 V.S.A. § 3442 Penalties

3442. Penalties A person who violates any order made under sections 3440 and 3441 of this title shall be imprisoned not more than 10 days or fined not more than $50.00, or both.

13 V.S.A. § 3443 Effect on labor organizations

3443. Effect on labor organizations Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to impair, curtail, or destroy the rights of employees and their representatives to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in concerted activities, for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection.

13 V.S.A. § 3444 Suspension of other laws

3444. Suspension of other laws All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this subchapter are hereby suspended in their application to any proceedings under this subchapter. If conduct prohibited by this subchapter is also made unlawful by other law, the offender may be convicted for the violation of this subchapter or of such other law.

13 V.S.A. § 3445 When subchapter in force

3445. When subchapter in force This subchapter shall be in force whenever the United States is at war. However, any violation of this subchapter, committed while the chapter is in force, may be prosecuted and punished thereafter, whether or not this subchapter is in force at the time of such prosecution and punishment.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/13/075Fetched: 10/21/2026