VT H0001

Amends procedures for the Vermont State Ethics Commission's Executive Director to accept complaints regarding governmental ethics across all three branches of state government and campaign finance law, and refer them to relevant entities including the Commission itself.

Removes the mandatory 60-day consultation requirement between entities receiving referred complaints and the Commission; instead, the Commission will provide confidential, nonbinding advice on State Code of Ethics application to referred complaints.

Maintains confidentiality protections for complaints and related documents in the Commission's custody, exempting them from public inspection under the Public Records Act.

Delays several effective dates from the 2024 Ethics Act (No. 171), pushing Commission rulemaking, investigations, hearings, and public records provisions from 2025 to September 1, 2027.

Became law without the Governor's signature on June 6, 2025, with phased effective dates: complaint procedures take effect September 1, 2025, and public records amendments take effect September 1, 2027.