Vermont § 63 - [Expires December 31, 2026.] Executive Order No.

§ 63. [Expires December 31, 2026.] Executive Order No.

• 20-63 (No. 05-22) [Governor’s Violence Prevention Task Force] WHEREAS, April 19, 2018, I issued Executive Order, No. 03-18, establishing a Governor’s
  Community Violence Prevention Task Force as a forum for honest, respectful, and fact-based
  discussions about how Vermonters can reduce the risk of violence in our communities,
  including identifying root causes and developing open conversations about behavior,
  mental health, firearm safety, restoring civil discourse and personal responsibility;
  and WHEREAS, the Task Force submitted its final report to me on May 31, 2019, and was
  disbanded with the expiration of the Executive Order on December 31, 2019; and WHEREAS, the Task Force’s final report suggested multiple initiatives to prevent large-scale
  violence and mitigate its effects in our state, many of which have been proposed to
  the Legislature and taken up, including increased funding for early mental health
  interventions and initiating behavioral threat assessments in Vermont schools; and WHEREAS, while Vermont is one of the healthiest and safest states in America, like
  the rest of the country, Vermont is experiencing staffing shortages in critical professions,
  including public safety and law enforcement, social work, and health care, at the
  same time it is facing spikes in rates of violent crime, organized drug crime and
  overdoses, and mental health crises; and WHEREAS, on August 17, 2022, I issued my Public Safety Enhancement and Violence Reduction
  10-Point Action Plan, a framework to address Vermont’s recent increase in violent
  crime, including gun crimes, drug trafficking and domestic violence; and WHEREAS, on September 1, 2022, I appointed a Director of Violence Prevention to bring
  focus, clarity and discipline to a longer-term prevention strategy that prioritizes
  early interventions for children and families; and WHEREAS, the Director of Violence Prevention will lead a reconstituted Violence Prevention
  Task Force made up of Executive Branch officers responsible for law enforcement and
  prosecution, and social service interventions; and WHEREAS, the Violence Prevention Task Force is directed to implement specific and
  measurable community violence prevention policies and strategies across state government,
  with an emphasis on preventing gun crimes in schools and in community settings. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, I, Philip B. Scott, by virtue of the authority vested
  in me as Governor, do hereby create the Governor’s Violence Prevention Task Force
  as follows: I. Composition and Appointments The Governor’s Violence Prevention Task Force shall consist of senior executive branch
  officials, including the Governor’s Secretaries of the Agencies of Human Services,
  Education and Digital Services; the Commissioners of Public Safety, Mental Health,
  Corrections, Children and Families and Health; the Chief of the Criminal Justice Division
  of the Office of the Attorney General; and the Executive Director of the Office of
  State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, or designee. The Task Force will be chaired by the Director of Violence Prevention. The Task Force is directed to work cooperatively and collaboratively across the Executive
  Branch enterprise to accomplish its charge. The Task Force should consult, as appropriate and necessary, with the Vermont School
  Safety Center, the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police, the Vermont Sheriff’s
  Association, the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, the Criminal Justice Council,
  the Defender General, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and other community stakeholders
  and private sector professionals identified by the Task Force, for information, insights,
  and advice. II. Violence Prevention Task Force Charge and Process The Task Force shall: A. Coordinate policy implementation across state government to help address violence
  against others in schools and communities; B. Identify needed reform of existing criminal justice laws, regulations, policies, and
  programs and propose – and advocate for – legislative and programmatic changes to
  better deter and prevent violent crimes and hold offenders accountable; C. Coordinate federal funding opportunities to better prevent community violence, facilitate
  better use of ERPO implementation/enhancements and significantly improve school safety
  and school violence prevention; and D. Perform other duties with respect to violence prevention initiatives as the Governor
  may direct. The Violence Prevention Task Force will be advisory to the Governor and will report
  to him regularly on its view of the effectiveness of violence prevention policy. The Violence Prevention Task Force shall receive administrative, and staff support
  from the Office of the Governor and data support from the Agency of Digital Services,
  the Agency of Human Services, and the Department of Public Safety. III. Effective Date This Executive Order shall take effect upon execution and shall expire December 31,
  2026. Dated October 5, 2022