Government Operations and Military Affairs

This bill creates Vermont's Voting Rights Act to protect voters from discrimination. It requires municipalities to get Attorney General approval before changing election districts or methods (a "pre-clearance" system), bans racial gerrymandering, and prohibits at-large voting systems that weaken minority voting power. The law mandates language assistance for voters in minority languages and new voting accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities. It also criminalizes voter intimidation and spreading false election information. The bill directly affects all Vermont towns, cities, and school districts that hold elections.

This Vermont bill expands the State Auditor's authority to review financial records of state contractors, allowing the Auditor to examine documents relevant to contract performance. The law requires state contracts to include terms granting the Auditor discretion to access contractor records, while protecting non-public information from public inspection. It also updates existing statutes to clarify that all state departments and contractors must provide requested records for audit purposes. The changes take effect on July 1, 2023, and apply to any entity providing services to the state government.