An apology letter intended to acknowledge Vermont s role in a program that sought to sterilize certain Vermonters deemed degenerates is seeing the light of day in the state legislature.
A joint resolution sincerely apologizing and expressing sorrow and regret to Vermonters impacted and harmed by state-sanctioned eugenics policies and practices was approved unanimously by the House of Representatives Wednesday. Before final approval and recognition, the bill must be passed by the Senate.
Eugenics programs of the twentieth century sought racial purity using forced sterilization of Indigenous, mixed-race, poor and disabled people, among other policies, to achieve it.
The official apology comes 90 years after Vermont approved a sterilization law which targeted people with disabilities residing in state institutions, Abenaki bands and Vermonters of mixed French-Canadian heritage, among others.
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This past week, the Joint Rules Committee of the Vermont General Assembly set Friday, March 12 as the Legislatureâs âcrossoverâ date.
What does that mean?
Every year, the House and Senate agree to set a deadline for policy bills that need to be voted out of committee to be sent to the other chamber. âThis is our internal deadline to set which bills move on to the next step or not,â House Speaker Jill Krowinski said during the Joint Rules Committee meeting.
Why does it matter? If thereâs a bill that has your interest in the House or Senate, this is the moment where it may surge forward through the committee process, or land on the back burner.
Thu, 12/17/2020 - 4:13pm tim
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation announced today that in partnership with many of its generous fundholders $169,711.94 in Spark Connecting Community grants has been awarded to 64 nonprofit organizations for local projects in communities across the state, including some nonprofits that serve residents in multiple counties. Of the total funding awarded, $77,950 was made possible by Giving Together, a program at the Community Foundation that shares grant proposals with fundholders and donors to give them the opportunity to co-fund projects.
Spark Connecting Community is a competitive grant program at the Foundation that puts building and nurturing community front and center. The Community Foundation aims to support the work happening throughout Vermont’s 251 towns that builds social capital. These grants where a small amount can make a big difference are intended to light the spark that keeps Vermonters healthy and happy.