2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 3 - Executive › Chapter 68 - Office of Racial Equity › § 5014. Racial Justice Statistics Advisory Council

§ 5014. Racial Justice Statistics Advisory Council
(a) Creation. The Racial Justice Statistics Advisory Council is established within the Office of Racial Equity to serve in an advisory capacity to the Division of Racial Justice Statistics. The Council shall be organized and have the duties and responsibilities as provided in this section. The Council shall have the administrative, legal, and technical support of the Agency of Administration.
(b) Membership.
(1) Appointments. The Council shall consist of seven members, as follows:
(A) an individual with substantive expertise in community-based research on racial equity, to be appointed by the Governor; and
(B)(i) six individuals who have experience with or knowledge about one or more of the following situations:
(I) facing eviction;
(II) violence, discrimination, or criminal conduct, including law enforcement misconduct;
(III) moving to Vermont as an immigrant or refugee;
(IV) effects of racial disparities and discipline policies within the educational system; or
(V) participation in treatment programs addressing mental health, substance use disorder, and reentry programs; and
(ii) appointments made pursuant to this subdivision (B) shall be made by the following entities, each of which shall appoint one member: NAACP, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, Migrant Justice, AALV Inc., Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs, and Outright Vermont.
(2) Qualifications. Members shall be drawn from diverse backgrounds to represent the interests of communities of color and other historically disadvantaged communities throughout the State and, to the extent possible, have experience working to implement racial justice reform and represent geographically diverse areas of the State.
(3) Terms. The term of each member shall be four years. As terms of currently serving members expire, appointments of successors shall be in accord with the provisions of this section. Appointments of members to fill vacancies or expired terms shall be made by the authority that made the initial appointment to the vacated or expired term. Members shall serve until their successors are appointed. Members shall serve not more than two consecutive terms in any capacity.
(4) Chair and terms. Members of the Council shall elect by majority vote the Chair of the Council. Members of the Council shall be appointed on or before November 1, 2022 in order to prepare as they deem necessary for the establishment of the Council, including the election of the Chair of the Council. Terms of members shall officially begin on January 1, 2023.
(c) Duties. The Council shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) work with and assist the Director or designee to implement the requirements of this subchapter;
(2) advise the Director to ensure ongoing compliance with the purpose of this subchapter;
(3) evaluate the data and analyses received from the Division and make recommendations to the Division as a result of the evaluations;
(4) report monthly on its findings and recommendations regarding the work of the Division to the Racial Disparities in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems Advisory Panel; and
(5) on or before January 15, 2023 and annually thereafter, report to the House Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations and Military Affairs and the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Government Operations on:
(A) its findings regarding systemic racial bias and disparities within the criminal and juvenile justice systems based upon the data and analyses the Council receives from the Division pursuant to subdivision 5012(a)(7) of this subchapter; and
(B) a status report on progress made and recommendations for further action, including legislative proposals, to address systemic racial bias and disparities within the criminal and juvenile justice systems.
(d) Meetings. The Council shall meet monthly.
(e) Compensation. Each member of the Council shall be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses pursuant to 32 V.S.A. § 1010.
(f) Repeal. This section shall be repealed on June 30, 2027. (Added 2021, No. 142 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. July 1, 2022; amended 2023, No. 46, § 1, eff. June 5, 2023.)