News & Commentary

We saw significant progress on a wide range of issues – voting rights, immigrants’ rights, criminal justice reform, and reproductive freedom, among others. However, there is still significant work left to be done.

The ACLU of Vermont & The Rutland Area NAACP sent a letter to the Bennington Select Board to provide comment on the town's proposed police oversight task force for Bennington Police Department. As proposed, this task force will not lead to meaningful police oversight or much needed change in Bennington's police department. Read or download the letter below to learn more.

The ACLU of Vermont, The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and the Women’s Justice and Freedom Initiative are raising concerns about a proposal that would expand Vermont’s correctional system and are calling on decision makers to continue pursuing community-based alternatives.

On April 5, 2021, ACLU of Vermont Executive Director James Duff Lyall participated in a press conference held by Representative Welch in Derby, Vermont regarding the proposed CBP surveillance towers in 8 locations on Vermont's Northern border.

Vermont is overpoliced, and more so every year. That statement may be surprising or even jarring to some, but it is based on a growing body of data collected by Vermont police themselves.

ACLU of Vermont 2021 Mid-Session Update

The Vermont Department of Corrections has announced another major outbreak of COVID-19, this one in its Newport facility. This is our statement.

All students deserve to attend schools where they are safe, supported, and respected. But right now, our definition of safety in school only applies to some students and not others. It's time to remove armed cops from our schools.

CBP’s proposed surveillance towers would accelerate the gradual militarization of our region and threaten the privacy, civil liberties, and safety of countless local residents. This proposal should be rejected.