Vermont Civil Union Review Commission

In April 2000, the Vermont General Assembly passed Act 91, An Act Relating to Civil Unions, which provides same-sex couples the opportunity to obtain the same benefits and protections afforded by Vermont law to married opposite-sex couples, as required under the Vermont Constitution. Act 91 established an independent two-year commission to monitor the implementation, operation and effect of the act. The commission will report periodically to the governor and the general assembly. The first report will be issued on January 15, 2001.

The commission is comprised of eleven members:

Stephen Reynes, Esq., Chair Montpelier
Mary P. Kehoe, Esq., Vice-Chair Burlington Sen. John H. Bloomer, Jr., Esq. Rutland Annette Cappy Brattleboro Martha Csala, Assistant Attorney General Office of the Attorney General Montpelier Harvey Golubock, Executive Director Human Rights Commission Montpelier	Rep. William J. Lippert, Jr. Hinesburg Rep. Thomas A. Little, Esq. Shelburne Honorable Francis McCaffrey Administrative Judge Barre Sen. Richard W. Sears Bennington Wendy Z. Yoder Milton

The duties of the commission include:

1. preparing and implementing a plan to inform members of the public, state agencies, and private and public sector businesses and organizations about the act;

2. collecting information about the implementation, operation, and effect of the act, from members of the public, state agencies, and private and public sector businesses and organizations;

3. collecting information about the recognition and treatment of Vermont civil unions by other states and jurisdictions, including procedures for dissolution;

4. evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the act with particular attention to the findings, purpose, and construction;

5. exploring and proposing methods and techniques, including existing and emerging forms of alternative dispute resolution, to complement the judicial system for the appropriate resolution of questions or disputes that may arise concerning the interpretation, implementation and enforcement of the act; and

6. examining reciprocal beneficiaries relationships and evaluating whether non-related persons over 62 years of age should be permitted to establish a reciprocal beneficiaries relationship, and whether the legal benefits, protections and responsibilities of a reciprocal beneficiaries relationship should be expanded.

The commission will receive staffing support from the Legislative Council and the Joint Fiscal Office and shall receive the assistance of any agency of the state of Vermont. The commission may solicit written comments from members of the public, civic organization, businesses and others and may choose to hold public hearings throughout the state.

For more information about the establishment of the commission, consult section 40 of Act 91. All comments for the commission shall be directed to Civil Union Review Commission, c/o Legislative Council, 115 State Street, Drawer 33, Montpelier, VT 05633-5301.

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