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Panel reviews H.956 to formalize Burlington’s Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
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Summary
A state committee on April 16 reviewed H.956, which would ratify a Burlington voter-approved charter amendment to make the Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (REIB) and its director permanent roles in city government; counsel described the language as brief and effective on passage, and the committee scheduled witnesses for a later session.
Representative Mary Catherine Stone (Chittenden-14, Burlington) introduced H.956 on April 16, saying the bill would formally approve a charter amendment that Burlington voters adopted on March 3, 2026, to enshrine the city’s Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (REIB) and a permanent director position.
"This bill formally approves an amendment to the city of Burlington's charter, which was previously approved by the city's voters on 03/03/2026," Stone said, and read the ballot totals: 4,959 yes and 3,729 no. She told the committee the office and director already exist and that the amendment makes the position permanent and subject to the city’s human-resources policies.
The measure would establish a REIB director hired under Burlington HR rules, reportable to the mayor and subject to city-council ordinances and supervision, according to Stone and the legislative counsel. Stone said voters cited permanence and institutional accountability as reasons for support, and she noted similar steps in other cities, including New York City, San Francisco and Asheville.
Rick Segal of the Office of Legislative Counsel described the bill’s text as "really a page and a half of actual charter language," and summarized its core provisions: creation of a permanent Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (REIB), establishment of a director position, hiring consistent with Burlington HR policies, reporting to the mayor with council oversight, and enumerated duties (developing and administering racial-equity strategies, consulting with departments, and recommending policy and program changes). Segal said the language appears to be clarifying duties rather than introducing novel charter mechanics and that the amendment would take effect on passage.
A committee representative asked when the REIB had been established. Stone replied that the office has existed since September 2019 and that the charter change formalizes what is already in operation. Stone emphasized that codifying the office in the charter aims to protect it from political shifts and to provide senior-leadership stability.
The committee did not take a formal vote on H.956 during the session. Members discussed next steps: the chair and sponsor said they would invite Burlington officials, including the city attorney and the REIB director, to testify at a subsequent hearing and planned to begin the next panel of testimony at about 10 a.m. The chair also noted the committee will review related language and acknowledged additional staff and counsel attendance for the follow-up session.
What’s next: the committee will hear witnesses and counsel at a later meeting to review the charter text and implications for city operations; no committee action or formal motion was recorded at this session.
