§ 5202. TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND DEVELOP REPARATION PROPOSALS FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS; DUTIES
(a) There is established the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans (Task Force).
(b) The Task Force shall perform the following duties:
(1) Identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies that became the United States from 1619 through 1865. The Task Force's documentation and examination shall include the facts related to:
(A) the capture and procurement of Africans;
(B) the transport of Africans to the United States and the colonies that became the United States for the purpose of enslavement, including their treatment during transport;
(C) the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and intrastate commerce;
(D) the treatment of African slaves in the colonies and the United States, including the deprivation of their freedom, exploitation of their labor, and destruction of their culture, language, religion, and families;
(E) the extensive denial of humanity, sexual abuse, and chattellization of persons;
(F) the role of the federal and state governments of the United States in supporting the institution of slavery in constitutional and statutory provisions, including the extent to which the governments prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of formerly enslaved Africans and their descendants to repatriate to their homeland;
(G) the federal and state laws that discriminated against formerly enslaved Africans and their descendants who were deemed U.S. citizens from 1868 to the present;
(H) the other forms of discrimination in the public and private sectors against freed African slaves and their descendants who were deemed U.S. citizens from 1868 to the present, including redlining, educational funding discrepancies, and predatory financial practices; and
(I) the lingering negative effects of the institution of slavery and the matters described in this section on living African Americans and on society in the United States.
(2) Recommend appropriate ways to educate the Vermont public of the Task Force's findings.
(3) Recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Task Force's findings on the matters described in this section. In making recommendations, the Task Force shall address among other issues, the following:
(A) how the recommendations comport with international standards of remedy for wrongs and injuries caused by the State, that include full reparations and special measures, as understood by various relevant international protocols, laws, and findings;
(B) how the State of Vermont will offer a formal apology on behalf of the people of Vermont for the perpetration of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants;
(C) how Vermont laws and policies that continue to disproportionately and negatively affect African Americans as a group, and how those that perpetuate the lingering effects, both material and psychosocial, can be eliminated;
(D) how the injuries resulting from matters described in this section can be reversed and provide appropriate policies, programs, projects, and recommendations for the purpose of reversing the injuries;
(E) how, in consideration of the Task Force's findings, any form of compensation to the descendants of enslaved Africans is calculated;
(F) what form of compensation should be awarded, through what instrumentalities, and who should be eligible for such compensation; and
(G) how, in consideration of the Task Force's findings, any other forms of rehabilitation or restitution to African descendants is warranted and what the form and scope of those measures should take.
(c) The Task Force shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly not later than the date that is one year after the date of the first meeting of the Task Force held pursuant to section 5203 of this chapter.
