[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6378097,"mediaKeyId","2138385-a881a90be1fc9be8962d0e5100a95dfa","parentId",2138385,"title","State Office of Racial Equity outlines mission, data work and warns federal actions could chill equity work","audioSeconds",891,"startMs",817075,"endMs",1708205,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138385-a881a90be1fc9be8962d0e5100a95dfa&start=817&end=1708","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138385-a881a90be1fc9be8962d0e5100a95dfa/thumbnail_817075.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6378097/Vermont/State-Office-of-Racial-Equity-outlines-mission-data-work-and-warns-federal-actions-could-chill-equity-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378097-129aac276e9dc79266c4ea6886768f7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775404731&Signature=nVxLWREO~evy9iYs9HdoFhiJ0APB-VkkPKLZKYVIHPt6Urfm8rNVYduYNCD3KLnB53tx6yb8wcaprPKmCRmxcUuie~QUdIYt261bTDqG8rBlPkjGwN4uH1QjbxVTcSnTk7xLOgGaRLpcnH3REXpzvUBf8G7XqGacI02UwMYEUxLBU3Ow7AT7s6VcqCtY4BOfAKuWAsK4-p1yT55XdzT0I~4Gs7CKU7nka22b7sMCqOvAE~2pzTxyPR386lBhKx2xXLnUWSixpVXsC0xBq1ZcIH1t7Ko9H~ZiRcIb1lOcAFUA-je6tpmdhUCEXk581Be3ftnFO0mFEVGJdWukoiRNig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Vermont Senate Committee on Judiciary","date","2025-01-22T14:01:59Z","article","Susana Davis, executive director of the Office of Racial Equity, told the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22 that the office was created by the Legislature in 2018 and now includes a division dedicated to racial-justice statistics.

\"We envision a Vermont that treats its staff, contractor, vendors, and partners equitably throughout their tenure,\" Davis said, describing the office’s three-part vision for equitable employment, service delivery and systems change.

The nut graf: Davis told senators the office provides advice to state policymakers, pursues structural solutions rather than transactional fixes, and now houses a three-person division that collects and analyzes justice-related data she said will be useful to this committee.

Davis and a colleague described the office’s values: process equity, transformative change and structural solutions for structural problems. She said the office takes a broad approach to justice statistics and often connects justice outcomes to upstream factors such as housing and early-childhood programs.

During questioning, committee members asked how federal policy might affect the office’s work. Davis warned that federal actions and conditions attached to federal funding could produce a \"chilling effect\" that discourages municipalities and nonprofits from pursuing equity and inclusion work. She also highlighted how rhetoric and shifting terminology can be used to oppose equity programs.

Davis encouraged the committee to send bills to the office for review and said the office is available to provide legislative input. She offered to share the office’s recent regional justice statistics report and to return to provide a summary for the committee.

Ending: The committee accepted the offer; staff said the office will provide the requested report and follow-up as requested by senators.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Judiciary - 2025-01-22 - 9:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Susana Davis, executive director of Vermont's Office of Racial Equity, briefed the Senate Judiciary Committee on the office’s vision, values and a new racial justice statistics division, and warned that federal executive actions and funding conditions could chill state and local equity efforts.","taxTitle","Judiciary, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",47267,"location","Vermont","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6378099,"Vermont Bar leaders tell Senate Judiciary committee legal workforce shortages are creating “legal deserts” in rural areas",460,36270,496340,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138385-a881a90be1fc9be8962d0e5100a95dfa&start=36&end=496","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138385-a881a90be1fc9be8962d0e5100a95dfa/thumbnail_36270.jpg","/articles/6378099/Vermont/Vermont-Bar-leaders-tell-Senate-Judiciary-committee-legal-workforce-shortages-are-creating-legal-deserts-in-rural-areas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6378099-d66771231254d14986c06dcfc9995996/orig.mp4?Expires=1775404731&Signature=GK6OtzKYw2l8Ai9YlzccV3HxudojFYBo4NyfAH4H3YwNA8oAcY-CVf6~5RReSjITYjX~D2-xx8ccxUGezqd-4kTdRinxDufu8hg6TDtts1hhU4YR83dAO8dZz~4gnYJdZsOn4g5tpu5nlrsg~08VdxgK0fbSLbfooje~1S3Grc7n92Um5G10shwLd19y1pM9AFvbNXgsXs5Aq8kbsmqiQJ-yFxaqUqLGT2iOlmzRCLdBaMgttnYzo4FCOYs8HLTZ4n9FpxY1RfNsc~ZQh2WfmyXoAqvdy7ZDLVzW58cuu3qdu1agZNYw6TIO53aUg1OVHP6OwRnEG58tRs4VOeCAUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Joshua Diamond, president of the Vermont Bar Association, told the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 22 that the state is facing a shrinking legal workforce that is creating \"legal deserts\" in parts of Vermont and making equal access to justice more difficult.

\"What the bar does ... is it promotes the highest standards of skills, ethics, and professionalism within an inclusive profession,\" Diamond said, reading the association's mission to the committee. He said the association also works to ensure \"equal access to a fair and effective system of justice\" and described programs intended to address shortages in rural communities.

The nut graf: Bar leaders told the committee the association is pursuing workforce-development and access-to-justice measures — including scholarships, an incubator program for new attorneys, and loan-repayment assistance — to recruit and retain lawyers in parts of Vermont where few remain and to help residents who cannot afford full-rate counsel.

Diamond told senators the association represents a large share of Vermont lawyers and that, based on August 2023 data, approximately 21,163 lawyers were active in the state and about 1,835 were members of the voluntary association. He said the bar operates a reduced-fee program to help people who earn too much to qualify for legal aid but cannot afford full private rates.

Paul Hamill, executive director of the association, described the bar’s continuing legal-education role and said the group tries to serve as a resource to legislators. Hamill said the association does not present a long legislative priority list but stands ready to find experts to testify to the committee when new issues arise.

Committee members pressed the bar on workforce causes and possible remedies. Senator Sarah Reynolds asked about the average age of members; bar leaders said they would provide survey data to the committee. Diamond and Hamill cited factors that make recruitment and retention difficult: high student debt, lack of affordable housing, and the cost of child care. Diamond said new-lawyer debt commonly starts around $100,000 and can exceed $250,000.

Diamond described programs the association supports or administers: $5,000 scholarships aimed at encouraging practice in underserved communities, an incubator that helps new attorneys set up law offices and manage trust accounts, and collaboration with other statewide groups on workforce strategies.

Hamill and Diamond also referenced national and state examples of loan-repayment and rural-recruitment programs, saying Vermont could study similar approaches. They mentioned a Kansas study that ties higher-education and loan-repayment strategies to keeping lawyers in-state.

Ending: The bar told the committee it will provide additional data requested by senators and said it is willing to work with the Legislature on workforce and access-to-justice policies.
","Vermont Bar Association leaders told the Senate Judiciary Committee that an aging lawyer population, student debt and housing costs are contributing to lawyer shortages in rural Vermont and limiting access to legal services. They described scholarship, incubator and loan-repayment ideas aimed at keeping lawyers in underserved communities.","actionData","errors"]

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State Office of Racial Equity outlines mission, data work and warns federal actions could chill equity work

Vermont Bar leaders tell Senate Judiciary committee legal workforce shortages are creating “legal deserts” in rural areas