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Rep. Burrows urges creation of statewide ADA coordinator to centralize accessibility work
Summary
Representative Elizabeth Burrows told the House Human Services Committee a permanent Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator would standardize ADA training across state agencies, help locate federal grants, and reduce lawsuits; the bill currently authorizes the position if appropriations are made.
Representative Elizabeth Burrows (Windsor-1) told the House Human Services Committee that a bill to create a permanent Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator would address uneven ADA compliance across state government.
Burrows opened with data: “More than 1 quarter of Vermonters have at least 1 disability,” and she said roughly 60 percent of Human Rights Commission cases relate to disability discrimination. She said many Vermonters with disabilities earn under $25,000 a year and rely on multiple state agencies for supports that are often siloed and inconsistently applied.
Burrows said the coordinator would serve as a central, authoritative voice to provide consistent ADA training and procedures across state agencies and to municipalities, helping to avoid costly lawsuits and to identify federal grant opportunities. “It creates a hub for consistent ADA training and procedures at all state agencies,” she said, and argued the role could help municipalities pool resources for accessibility upgrades.
Committee members pressed Burrows on specifics. Several asked whether the bill explicitly requires the coordinator to provide services to municipalities; Burrows said municipal access was intended but not explicit in the draft. Members also questioned language that limits consideration to candidates nominated by four named entities. Burrows said the process was intentionally permissive — those entities could jointly propose slates or separately recommend qualified candidates — and emphasized that the bill requires lived experience for the hire to ensure representation (“nothing about us without us”).
On funding, the committee discussed an appropriations amendment that would authorize the position only if money is later appropriated. Burrows explained the amendment permits the bill to advance through the legislative process but does not guarantee immediate funding; appropriations would still need to be settled later in the session.
Members raised implementation concerns about whether a single coordinator could handle the scope of work, noting parallels with other offices that have struggled with volume. Burrows said the coordinator would have legal and administrative support from the Agency of Administration and suggested that federal grant dollars for ADA upgrades — including digital-accessibility funding tied to recent federal rules — may be available to support implementation.
The committee did not take final action on the bill and agreed to hold further discussion pending appropriations and scheduling; members were asked to monitor email for potential follow-up meetings.
