Vermont S 257: An act relating to improving rental housing health and safety

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.257
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VT LEG #385883 v.1
S.257 1
Introduced by Senator Harrison 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Public transit; nonprofit public transit systems; governing bodies; 5
municipalities 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require, 7
consistent with statute, that a majority of members of the governing boards of 8
nonprofit public transit systems be appointed by the legislative bodies of the 9
municipalities served by the nonprofit public transit system. 10
An act relating to nonprofit public transit systems 11
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
Sec. 1. 24 V.S.A. § 5088(3) is amended to read: 13
(3) “Nonprofit public transit system” means a domestic corporation 14
organized in accordance with Title 11B having: 15
(A) the majority of its governing board appointed by the legislative 16
body of the municipality or municipalities served,; 17
(B) its governing board membership be proportional to the 18
population of the municipalities served if more than one municipality is served; 19

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(C) the Secretary of Transportation or designee as an ex officio 1
nonvoting member; and 2
(D) a function of providing a public transit service or a foreign 3
nonprofit corporation located in a state which that borders Vermont and 4
provides public transit services in both Vermont and the bordering state. 5
Sec. 2. NONPROFIT PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS; GOVERNING 6
BOARD; AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION OVERSIGHT 7
(a) Legislative intent. It is the intent of the General Assembly that: 8
(1) all nonprofit public transit systems in Vermont fully comply with 9
24 V.S.A. chapter 126; and 10
(2) 24 V.S.A. § 5088(3), as amended by Sec. 1 of this act, require that a 11
majority of the governing board of each nonprofit public transit system in 12
Vermont be appointed by the legislative body of the municipality or 13
municipalities served by the nonprofit public transit system. 14
(b) Bylaws. 15
(1) Any governing boards for a nonprofit public transit system in 16
Vermont where a majority of the governing board is not appointed by the 17
legislative body of the municipality or municipalities served by the nonprofit 18
public transit system shall: 19

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(A) adopt amendments to the governing board’s bylaws to fully 1
comply with 24 V.S.A. chapter 126 and subsection (a) of this section on or 2
before July 31, 2026; and 3
(B) file a copy of the amended bylaws with the House and Senate 4
Committees on Transportation on or before November 15, 2026. 5
(2) The present members of the governing board of a nonprofit public 6
transit system that amends its bylaws as required under subdivision (1) of this 7
subsection shall remain on the governing board of the nonprofit public transit 8
system through their present terms, and the legislative body of the municipality 9
or municipalities served by the nonprofit public transit system shall follow the 10
process dictated by the bylaws of the nonprofit public transit system in effect at 11
the time a term of office expires. 12
(c) Agency of Transportation oversight. The Agency of Transportation 13
shall ensure that all nonprofit public transit systems in Vermont are aware of 14
all applicable State and federal laws, including 24 V.S.A. chapter 126, and 15
shall, as part of the annual meetings required pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 5091(a), 16
provide the oversight necessary to ensure compliance with applicable State and 17
federal laws. 18
Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATES 19
(a) This section and Sec. 2 (governing board compliance) shall take effect 20
on passage. 21

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(b) Sec. 1 (24 V.S.A. § 5088(3); definition of nonprofit public transit 1
system) shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 2