Out in the Mountains : VT Human Rights Commission

During the 1988 legislative session, the Vermont Legislature passed Senate Bill S-308 re-establishing the Vermont Human Rights Commission. The Commission, appointed by Governor Kunin, includes one Democrat, one Republican, and three Independents: Denise Johnson (Chair), former head of the Attorney General's Public Protection Division; Marion Sevigny, a former President of Business and Professional Women; Bern Friedelson, President of the Vermont Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union; Lawrence McCrory, Dean of the School of Allied Sciences at UVM: and Jim Morgan, Vermont NASW/Sate-wide Coalition.

S-38 outlines the duties, jurisdiction and powers of the Commission:
a) The Commission shall endeavor through public education to increase awareness of the importance of full civil and human rights for each inhabitant of the state.
b) The Commission shall have jurisdiction to investigate and enforce complaints of unlawful discrimination in public accommodations and rental and sale of real estate. The Commission shall also have jurisdiction when the party complained against is a state agency in matters for which the Attorney General would otherwise have jurisdiction.

The Commission has met only twice since its creation in August and the focus has been on hiring an Executive Director. Initial discussion indicates that the HRC may eventually become the state agency to begin gathering statistics regarding same sex discrimination/violence. This process is important, as the HRC is charged with making a yearly report to the legislature regarding the types of discrimination that has come before them. Presently, reports of anti-gay/lesbian discrimination and violence should be reported to the Attorney General.