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ACLU of Vermont outlines Smart Justice priorities, raises concerns about public-safety omnibus bill and racial disparities
Summary
Representatives of the ACLU of Vermont told the Senate Judiciary Committee the organization will press for reduced incarceration, attention to racial disparities and protections for privacy and vulnerable communities; they signaled concerns about elements of the governor's omnibus public-safety bill, particularly bail and penalty increases.
Falk Schilling, advocacy director at the ACLU of Vermont, and Jordan Souder, who covers judiciary and corrections for the organization, introduced the affiliate’s priorities to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 21 and urged lawmakers to weigh the downstream effects of proposals that expand incarceration or increase penalties.
"Our flagship campaign is the Smart Justice campaign," Falk Schilling said, describing the affiliate’s focus on reducing incarceration and addressing racial disparities in the criminal legal system.
Why it matters: ACLU testimony framed several policy questions the committee will consider this session — bail reform, penalties in the governor’s omnibus public-safety bill, privacy protections, roadside-stop reforms and investments in community-based services — and…
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