H 887

     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE  H.887
     2026  Page 1 of 3
 1  H.887
 2  SHORT FORM
 3   Introduced by Representative Krasnow of South Burlington
 4   Referred to Committee on
 5   Date:
 6   Subject: Labor; employment practices; Fair Employment Practices Act;
 7  definitions
 8   Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to add survivors
 9   of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking to the definition of “crime
10   victim” in the Fair Employment Practices Act.
11      An act relating to crime victim status under the Fair Employment Practices
12      Act
13   It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
14  (TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS)
     Sec. 1. 21 V.S.A. § 495d is amended to read:
     § 495d. DEFINITIONS
        As used in this subchapter:
                                           ***
             (15) “Crime victim” means any of the following:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE  H.887
2026  Page 2 of 3
         (A) a person who has obtained a relief from abuse order issued under
15 V.S.A. § 1103;
         (B) a person who has obtained an order against stalking or sexual
assault issued under 12 V.S.A. chapter 178;
         (C)    a person who has obtained an order against abuse of a
vulnerable adult issued under 33 V.S.A. chapter 69; or
         (D)(i) a victim as defined in 13 V.S.A. § 5301, provided that the
victim is identified as a crime victim in an affidavit filed by a law enforcement
official with a prosecuting attorney of competent state or federal jurisdiction;
and
            (ii) shall include the victim’s child, foster child, parent, spouse,
stepchild or ward of the victim who lives with the victim, or a parent of the
victim’s spouse, provided that the individual is not identified in the affidavit as
the defendant; or
         (E) a person who is a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault,
or stalking and who has supporting documentation from any one of the
following sources:
            (i) a court or law enforcement or other government agency;
            (ii) a domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking assistance
program;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE  H.887
2026  Page 3 of 3
            (iii) a legal, clerical, medical, or other professional from whom
the person has received counseling or other assistance concerning domestic
violence, sexual assault, or stalking; or
            (iv) a self-attestation by the person describing the circumstances
supporting the person’s status as a survivor of domestic violence, sexual
assault, and stalking for which no further corroboration shall be required
unless otherwise mandated by law.
                                      ***
      (18) “Domestic violence” has the same meaning as in 15 V.S.A. § 1151
and includes the definition of “abuse” in 15 V.S.A. § 1101.
      (19) “Sexual assault” has the same meaning as in 12 V.S.A. § 5131.
      (20) “Stalking” has the same meaning as in 12 V.S.A. § 5131.
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.