Bill > H0905

This bill aims to strengthen civil rights protections in Vermont by consolidating and standardizing rules across different state laws, specifically Titles 9, 13, and 21, to ensure consistent application of prohibitions against discrimination. It introduces a legal definition for "disparate impact," which refers to practices that, while not intentionally discriminatory, have a disproportionately negative effect on certain groups. The bill also empowers individuals to file private lawsuits for civil rights violations, meaning they can sue directly in court to address discrimination. Furthermore, it mandates anti-bias and anti-discrimination training for all state and municipal employees, requires law enforcement agencies to publish annual reports on specific offenses, and necessitates that state contractors and grant recipients obtain "equity certifications" to demonstrate their commitment to fairness. To support these efforts, the bill establishes a "State Civil Rights Data Repository" for collecting relevant information, a "State Civil Rights and Equal Protection Fund" to finance initiatives, and a "Civil Rights Coordinating Council" to oversee and coordinate these activities. Finally, it prohibits state officials from collaborating with the federal government in ways that could weaken Vermont's existing civil rights protections.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.905