H492 is Voted out of House Judiciary

PRESS RELEASE:

For immediate Release:

Montpelier, Vermont April 5, 2017 – Today H.492, “An Act relating to Racial Justice Oversight Board”, was voted out of House Judiciary.

The bill, introduced by Justice For All and a Coalition of 29 Vermont organizations calls for a 15 member board organized within the office of the Attorney General and will undertake an ongoing review of racial justice reform across the State, including within the systems of education, labor and employment, housing, health care, economic development, and criminal and juvenile justice. The board is expected to do so by monitoring the collection and publication of race-based data, recommending policies and trainings to address systemic implicit bias, and evaluating racial justice policies, practices, and results statewide.

“This is Vermont, making history again”, said Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Justice For, the lead organization of the Racial Justice Reform Coalition, “it is morally right and legally possible”. The bill is expected to swiftly move through the House and the Senate has called for hearings as early as Friday.
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About Justice For All

Justice for All is a Vermont-based, racial justice organization that pursues racial justice within Vermont’s criminal justice system through advocacy, education, and relationship building.

Contact Information

Mark Hughes Executive Director, Justice For All
mark@justiceforallvt.org
w: justiceforallvt.org
t: @Justice4All
o: (802) 532-3030