H 860

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1H.860
2 Introduced by Representative Cina of Burlington
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Economic development; public property and supplies; Department of
6Buildings and General Services; public institutions and corrections;
7human services; recovery residences; recovery communities
8 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create a
9 working group to develop a proposal for a justice and recovery hub on State
10 land adjacent to the Costello Courthouse and the Department of Labor in
11 downtown Burlington and to identify additional sites along public transit
12 corridors for justice and recovery spokes offering similar services.
13    An act relating to establishing the Justice and Recovery Hub and Spoke
14    System Working Group
15 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
16 Sec. 1. JUSTICE AND RECOVERY HUB AND SPOKE SYSTEM;
17WORKING GROUP; REPORT
18    (a) Creation. There is created the Justice and Recovery Hub and Spoke
19 System Working Group to develop a proposal for a justice and recovery hub on
20 State land adjacent to the Costello Courthouse and the Department of Labor in
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1 downtown Burlington and to identify additional sites along public transit
2 corridors for justice and recovery spokes offering similar services.
3    (b) Membership. The Working Group shall be composed of the following
4 members:
5(1) the Executive Director of the Chittenden County Regional Planning
6 Commission or designee;
7(2) the Executive Director of the Central Vermont Regional Planning
8 Commission or designee;
9(3) the Executive Director of the Northwest Regional Planning
10 Commission or designee;
11(4) the Executive Director of the Addison County Regional Planning
12 Commission or designee;
13(5) the Secretary of Human Services or designee;
14(6) the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services or designee;
15(7) the Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court or designee;
16(8) a codirector of the Land Access and Opportunity Board or designee;
17 and
18(9) the General Manager of Green Mountain Transit or designee.
19    (c) Powers and duties. The Working Group shall assemble subcommittees
20 to address the following directives and may prioritize development of the
21 Justice and Recovery Hub.
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1(1) Justice and recovery hub. The Working Group shall engage with the
2 City of Burlington and stakeholders local to Burlington, including housing
3 providers, private landowners, businesses, workers, neighbors, and
4 community-based service providers, to develop a proposal for a justice and
5 recovery hub to be constructed on State land adjacent to the Costello
6 Courthouse and the Department of Labor in Burlington as part of a coordinated
7 public-private partnership for the redevelopment of Burlington’s downtown
8 core. The proposal shall include as components of the justice and recovery
9 hub:
10(A) a 200-bed residential facility for justice-involved individuals who
11 are detained or in reentry from incarceration;
12(B) recovery housing and supportive housing for youth in transition,
13 prioritizing youth with history of involvement with the Department for
14 Children and Families; and
15(C) nonresidential components, giving specific consideration to a
16 new firehouse or other public safety infrastructure, storefronts for small
17 businesses and service providers, and a public observation tower.
18(2) Justice and recovery spokes. The Working Group shall engage with
19 municipalities and stakeholders across Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and
20 Washington Counties, including housing providers, private landowners,
21 businesses, workers, neighbors, and community-based service providers, to
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1 identify potential sites along existing public transit corridors for the
2 coordinated redevelopment of State, municipal, and private land into recovery
3 spokes that may include recovery housing, secure recovery residences,
4 residential treatment facilities, and recovery shelters.
5(3) Public engagement. The Working Group shall consider methods for
6 facilitating equitable public engagement leading up to any construction
7 resulting from the Working Group’s proposal, including using the parking lots
8 of the Costello Courthouse and the Department of Labor in downtown
9 Burlington as temporary shelter, supportive housing, or a community resource
10 hub during any public engagement process and identifying State land along
11 transit lines for similar use.
12    (d) Assistance. The Working Group shall have the administrative,
13 technical, and legal assistance of the Vermont Housing and Conservation
14 Board.
15    (e) Report. On or before January 15, 2027, the Working Group shall
16 submit a written report to the General Assembly with its proposals and any
17 recommendations for legislative action.
18    (f) Meetings.
19(1) The Executive Director of the Chittenden County Regional Planning
20 Commission or designee shall call the first meeting of the Working Group to
21 occur on or before September 1, 2026.
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1(2) The Working Group shall select a chair from among its members at
2 the first meeting.
3(3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
4(4) The Working Group shall cease to exist on February 1, 2027.
5    (g) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Working Group
6 shall not be entitled to per diem compensation or reimbursement of expenses.
7    (h) Appropriation. The sum of $200,000.00 is appropriated to the Vermont
8 Housing and Conservation Board from the General Fund in fiscal year 2027
9 for the purposes of facilitating equitable stakeholder engagement across
10 Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, and Washington Counties and retaining any
11 expert staffing required to produce the proposal. Technology shall be used to
12 make any meeting as inclusive as possible. Amenities such as food and child
13 care shall be offered.
14 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
15    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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