House amends Truth and Reconciliation Commission bill to add vacancy process, limited-access safeguards and delay sunset

The House took up House Bill 649 concerning the Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission and adopted a strike‑all amendment that focuses on the commission's processes: how vacancies are filled, the commission's authority to hold limited‑access meetings in response to safety threats, creation of confidential support groups, and an extension of the commission's timeline.

"The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established by the legislature by act 128 of 2022 to examine and begin dismantling institutional, structural, and systemic discrimination in Vermont," Representative McCarthy (member from St. Alban City) told the body when describing the bill’s purpose. He and other committee members said H649 is intended to preserve the commission's independence while providing practical tools to protect participants and allow the commission to complete its work.

Representative Shai (member from Middlebury), speaking for the Appropriations Committee, said the committee removed a $1,100,000 appropriation in section 13 and expects the commission will be funded through the FY25 budget process: "We have been assured by two senior members of the administration that [funding] will be funded for FY25… so it's just not gonna show up here. It'll be showing up elsewhere." The appropriations committee reported a 10‑2 straw poll in support of its recommendation.

A Member from Northfield raised concerns that exemptions to the Open Meetings Law could undermine the commission's credibility. That member proposed amendments to require that when limited‑access meetings are used the commission provide an opportunity for public comment that is included in the meeting record and to post periodic summaries of deliberative meetings to improve transparency while protecting participants.

The House agreed to further amend the committee report as proposed; the floor adopted the amendments by voice vote and ordered third reading as amended. The strike‑all amendment and the additional transparency provisions are intended to balance public access and participant safety; the transcript records committee straw polls (reported as 9‑3 and 10‑2) and multiple witnesses including press‑association representatives, TRC commissioners, and broadcast representatives who testified during committee consideration.

Next steps: the amended bill was ordered for third reading; funding was removed from the bill and is expected to be addressed through the FY25 budget process.