Bill H.169 aims to enhance protections against discrimination in residential rental applications and public accommodations in Vermont. It prohibits landlords from requesting a Social Security number during the application process and mandates that they accept any form of government-issued identification. Additionally, the bill eliminates the ability for landlords to charge application fees for residential rental agreements. The bill also expands the existing discrimination prohibitions to include citizenship and immigration status, ensuring that these factors cannot be used to deny access to housing or public accommodations.

The bill amends several sections of Vermont law, specifically 9 V.S.A. 4456a, 4501, 4502, and 4503, to incorporate these changes. It explicitly states that discrimination based on citizenship and immigration status is prohibited in various contexts, including the sale and rental of dwellings, and in public accommodations. Furthermore, it clarifies that while discrimination based on these statuses is not allowed, verification of immigration status may still be required by federal law. The provisions of this act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 9-4456a, 9-4501, 9-4502, 9-4503