H 534

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2026
No. 99. An act relating to community action agencies.
                                     (H.534)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Sec. 1. 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 is amended to read:
      CHAPTER 59. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES
§ 3901. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE
   (a) Recognizing that the economic well-being and social equity of every
Vermonter has long been a fundamental concern of the State, it remains
evident that poverty continues to be the lot of a substantial number of
Vermont’s population continues to experience poverty. It is the policy of this
the State to help develop the full potential of each of its citizens so they can
contribute to the fullest extent possible to the life of our communities and the
State as a whole.
   (b) It is the purpose of this chapter to strengthen, supplement, and
coordinate efforts that further this policy through:
      (1) the strengthening of community capabilities for planning,
coordinating, and managing federal, State, and other sources of assistance
related to the problem of poverty;
      (2) the better organization and utilization of a range of services related
to the needs of the poor individuals with low income; and
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      (3) the broadening of the resource base of programs to secure a more
active role in assisting the poor individuals with low income from business,
labor, and other groups from the private sector.
§ 3902. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
   (a) The Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity is hereby
authorized to allocate available financial assistance for community services
action agencies and programs in accordance with State and federal law and
regulation.
   (b) The Director may provide financial assistance to community services
action agencies for the planning, conduct, administration, and evaluation of
community service action programs to provide a range of services and
activities having a measurable and potentially major impact on causes of
poverty in the community or in areas of the community where poverty is a
particularly acute problem. Components of those services and activities may
involve, without limitation of other activities and supporting facilities designed
to assist low income participants with low income:
      (1) to secure and retain meaningful employment;
      (2) to obtain adequate education;
      (3) to make better use of available income;
      (4) to provide and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living
environment have access to safe, secure, and permanent housing;
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      (5) to obtain prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services
for the prevention of narcotics addiction, alcoholism, and for the rehabilitation
of narcotic addicts and alcoholics individuals with substance use disorder;
      (6) to obtain emergency assistance through loans and grants to meet
immediate and urgent individual and family needs, including the need for
health services, nutritious food, housing, and unemployment-related assistance;
      (7) to remove obstacles and solve personal and family problems that
block achievement of self-sufficiency;
      (8) to achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community;
      (9) to make more frequent and effective use of other programs related to
the purposes of this chapter; and
      (10) to coordinate and establish linkages between governmental and
other social service programs to ensure the effective delivery of such services
to low-income persons; with low income and to encourage the use of entities in
the private sector of the community in efforts to ameliorate poverty in the
community.
   (c) The Director is authorized to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 25 of this
title appropriate to the carrying out of this chapter and its purposes thereof.
§ 3903. DESIGNATION OF AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND
         ACTIVITIES TO AMELIORATE OR ELIMINATE POVERTY
   The Director shall designate private nonprofit community based
community-based organizations who that have demonstrated or who that can
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demonstrate the ability to provide services and activities as defined in
subsection 3902(b) of this title as community services action agencies.
§ 3904. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCY ASSESSMENT
         AND PLAN
   Each designated community services action agency shall determine the need
for activities and services within the area served by the agency and shall
thereafter prepare a community services plan that describes the method by
which the agency will provide those services every three years, complete an
assessment, and incorporate that information into an annual community action
plan. The plan shall include a schedule for the anticipated provision of new or
additional ongoing services and shall specify the resources that are needed by
and available to the agency to implement the plan. The community services
plan shall be updated annually.
§ 3905. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES;
         ADMINISTRATION
   (a) Each community services action agency shall administer its programs as
set out in the community services action plan and as approved by its board of
directors.
   (b) Each board of a nonprofit community based community-based
organization that is designated a community services action agency under
section 3903 of this chapter shall have an executive committee of not more
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than seven members who shall be representative of the composition of the
board and the board shall be so constituted that:
      (1) one-third of the members of the board are elected public officials
currently holding office, or their designees, except that if the number of elected
officials reasonably available and willing to serve is less than one-third of the
membership of the board, membership on the board of appointive public
officials may be counted in meeting such one-third requirement;
      (2) a minimum of one-third of the members of the board are persons
chosen in accordance with election procedures adequate to ensure that they are
representative of the poor individuals with low income in the area served; and
      (2) one-third of the members of the board are elected public officials
currently holding office, or their designees, except that if the number of elected
officials reasonably available and willing to serve is less than one-third of the
membership of the board, membership on the board of appointive public
officials may be counted in meeting such one-third requirement; and
      (3) the remainder of the members of the board are officials or members
of business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major
groups and interests in the community.
   (c) Each member of the a board selected to represent a specific geographic
area within a community shall reside in the area he or she the member
represents. No person selected under subdivision (b)(2) or (3) of this section
as a member of a board shall serve on such board for more than five
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consecutive years, or more than a total of 10 years Each board shall adopt term
limits to govern its members.
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
Date Governor signed bill: May 18, 2026
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