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JRS 15

Joint resolution supporting Vermont’s transgender and non-binary community and declaring Vermont’s commitment to fighting discrimination and treating all citizens with respect and dignity

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Phil Baruth and 22 co-sponsors

Vermont will oppose discrimination based on gender identity or expression and commit to treating transgender and non-binary Vermonters with respect and dignity.

As adopted by Senate and House
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Bill Summary · JRS 15

Summary — JRS 15

Title: Joint resolution supporting Vermont’s transgender and non‑binary community and declaring Vermont’s commitment to fighting discrimination and treating all citizens with respect and dignity
Classification: Joint resolution (symbolic/resolution)
Introduced: February 26, 2025
Status: Adopted by the Senate and House (As adopted by Senate and House)

Purpose and intent

JRS 15 is a legislative expression of support for Vermont’s transgender and non‑binary residents. The resolution declares the State’s commitment to opposing discrimination and to treating all citizens with respect and dignity. Its intent is to communicate the Legislature’s public position and to reaffirm values of inclusion and equality for gender‑diverse Vermonters.

Key provisions

  • Formal statement affirming support for transgender and non‑binary Vermonters.
  • Declaration that Vermont will oppose discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression.
  • Statement of commitment to treating all citizens with respect and dignity.
  • (No statutory language, funding, or regulatory changes are included in the public record provided.)

Note: The document text is not included in the materials provided. As a joint resolution of this type, it functions as a policy statement rather than a change to Vermont law.

Who is affected

  • Directly: transgender and non‑binary individuals in Vermont (symbolic recognition and legislative support).
  • Indirectly: state agencies, local governments, employers, schools, and advocacy organizations — which may cite the resolution in policy discussions, outreach, or guidance, though the resolution itself does not impose legal requirements.
  • Constituents and the general public, by clarifying the Legislature’s stance on inclusivity and nondiscrimination.

Legislative history and timeline

  • Introduced and read first time (treated as a bill) — February 26, 2025; referred to Committee on Judiciary.
  • Committee on Judiciary issued a favorable report with a recommended amendment; recommendation agreed to on roll call March 14, 2025 (Senate vote on recommendation: Yeas 30, Nays 0).
  • Senate: Read third time and adopted — March 18, 2025.
  • House: Read/considered and adopted in concurrence — May 2–6, 2025 (House message: adopted in concurrence May 6, 2025).
  • Final status: Adopted by both chambers (no subsequent legislative action recorded).

Procedural/technical notes

  • JRS 15 is a joint resolution — primarily a non‑binding statement of legislative sentiment. It does not, by itself, enact statutory changes, create or modify programs, or authorize spending.
  • Because it is an adopted resolution, it serves as an official record of the Legislature’s position and may be used to guide or justify future legislative, executive, or administrative actions, or to inform public dialogue.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor: Sen. Ruth Hardy
Cosponsors include: Kesha Ram Hinsdale; Andrew Perchlik; Christopher Mattos; Seth Bongartz; Tanya Vyhovsky; Patrick Brennan; Nader Hashim; Joseph Major; Wendy Harrison; Anne Watson; Virginia Lyons; Martine Gulick; Alison Clarkson; Samuel Douglass; Robert Plunkett; Terry Williams; Philip Baruth; Ann Cummings; Thomas Chittenden; Brian Collamore; Scott Beck; Rebecca White; and others (full list available in bill records).

If you would like, I can:
- Attempt to obtain the full text of the adopted resolution for a line‑by‑line summary; or
- Draft plain‑language talking points or a one‑page brief for public distribution based on the resolution.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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