Title 09, Title 09: Commerce and Trade

§ 4461. Security deposits (a) A security deposit is any advance, deposit, or prepaid rent, however named, which is refundable to the tenant at the termination or expiration of the tenancy. The function of a security deposit is to secure the performance of a tenant’s obligations t…

§ 4462. Abandonment; unclaimed property (a) A tenant has abandoned a dwelling unit if: (1) there are circumstances that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the dwelling unit is no longer occupied as a full-time residence; (2) rent is not current; and (3) the landlord h…

§ 4463. Illegal evictions (a) No landlord may willfully cause, directly or indirectly, the interruption or termination of any utility service being supplied to the tenant, except for temporary interruptions for emergency repairs. (b) No landlord may directly or indirectly deny a …

§ 4464. Remedies for illegal evictions (a) Any tenant who sustains damage or injury as a result of an illegal eviction may bring an action for injunctive relief, damages, costs, and reasonable attorney’s fees. (b) A court may award reasonable attorney’s fees to the landlord if, u…

§ 4465. Retaliatory conduct prohibited (a) A landlord of a residential dwelling unit may not retaliate by establishing or changing terms of a rental agreement or by bringing or threatening to bring an action against a tenant who: (1) has complained to a governmental agency charge…

§ 4466. Required disclosure; model form (a) A landlord shall disclose in advance of entering a rental agreement with a tenant whether any portion of the premises offered for rent is located in a Federal Emergency Management Agency mapped special flood hazard area. This notice sha…

§ 4467. Termination of tenancy; notice (a) Termination for nonpayment of rent. The landlord may terminate a tenancy for nonpayment of rent by providing actual notice to the tenant of the date on which the tenancy will terminate, which shall be at least 14 days after the date of t…

§ 4468. Termination of tenancy; action for possession If the tenant remains in possession after termination of the rental agreement without the express consent of the landlord, the landlord may bring an action for possession, damages, and costs under 12 V.S.A. chapter 169, subcha…

§ 4468a. Age-restricted housing; rent increase; notice (a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, an owner of privately owned age-restricted residential property within the State that is not licensed pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 71 or 8 V.S.A. chapter 151 shall pr…

§ 4469a. Termination of occupancy of farm employee housing (a) As used in this section: (1) “Farm employee” means an individual employed by a farm employer for farming operations. (2) “Farm employer” means a person earning at least one-half of his or her annual gross income from …

§ 4471. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Abuse” has the same meaning as in 15 V.S.A. § 1101. (2) “Protected tenant” means a tenant who is: (A) a victim of abuse, sexual assault, or stalking; (B) a parent, foster parent, legal guardian, or caretaker with at least parti…

§ 4472. Right to terminate rental agreement (a) Notwithstanding a contrary provision of a rental agreement or of subchapter 2 of this chapter, a protected tenant may terminate a rental agreement pursuant to subsection (b) of this section without penalty or liability if he or she …

§ 4473. Right to change locks; other security measures Notwithstanding any contrary provision of a rental agreement or of subchapter 2 of this chapter: (1) Subject to subdivision (2) of this subsection, a protected tenant may request that a landlord change the locks of a dwelling…

§ 4474. Confidentiality An owner, landlord, or housing subsidy provider who possesses documentation or information concerning a protected tenant’s status as a victim of abuse, sexual assault, or stalking shall keep the documentation or information confidential and shall not allow…

§ 4475. Limitation of liability; enforcement Except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct, a landlord is immune from liability for damages to a protected tenant if he or she acts in good faith reliance on: (1) the provisions of this subchapter; or (2) information …

§ 4500. Legislative intent (a) The provisions of this chapter establishing legal standards, duties, and requirements with respect to persons with disabilities in places of public accommodation as defined in this chapter, except those provisions relating to remedies, are intended …

§ 4501. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Place of public accommodation” means any school, restaurant, store, establishment, or other facility at which services, facilities, goods, privileges, advantages, benefits, or accommodations are offered to the general public. (2) …

§ 4502. Public accommodations (a) An owner or operator of a place of public accommodation or an agent or employee of such owner or operator shall not, because of the race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, or …

§ 4503. Unfair housing practices (a) It shall be unlawful for any person: (1) To refuse to sell or rent, or refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling or other real estate to any person because of the race, sex, sexual orienta…

§ 4504. Rental of housing; exemptions The provisions of section 4503 of this title relating to the rental of a dwelling shall not apply: (1) If the dwelling unit is inadequate, under applicable laws and ordinances relating to occupancy, to house all persons who intend to live the…

§ 4506. Enforcement; civil action; retaliation prohibited (a) A person aggrieved by a violation of this chapter may file a charge of discrimination with the Human Rights Commission pursuant to chapter 141 of this title or may bring an action for injunctive relief and compensatory…

§ 4507. Criminal penalty A person who violates a provision of this chapter shall be fined not more than $10,000.00 per violation. (Added 1987, No. 74, § 1; amended 2023, No. 47, § 28, eff. July 1, 2023.)

§ 4551. Human Rights Commission; members; compensation (a) The Human Rights Commission is hereby established. It shall consist of five members to be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall designate one member to be its Chair. No more than …

§ 4552. Duties; jurisdiction (a) The Commission shall endeavor through public education to increase awareness of the importance of full civil and human rights for each inhabitant of this State. The Commission shall also examine and evaluate generally the effectiveness of this cha…

§ 4553. Powers (a) To carry out its duties, the Commission may: (1) Establish and maintain a principal office and such other offices within the State as it deems necessary. (2) Meet and hold hearings at any place within the State. (3) Appoint employees as necessary to carry out t…

§ 4554. Complaint; investigation and conciliation (a) Any person who believes he or she has been subject to unlawful discrimination may file a complaint under oath with the Commission stating the facts concerning the alleged discrimination. Every complaint shall be reviewed by th…

§ 4555. Information; disclosure and confidentiality (a)(1) Except as provided in this subsection, the Human Rights Commission’s complaint files and investigative files shall be confidential. (2) The Commission shall make the investigative file available to the charging party, the…

§ 4556. Performance standards; audit The Human Rights Commission shall adopt formal performance standards for all of the Commission’s staff. (Added 1995, No. 172 (Adj. Sess.), § 4.)

§ 4601. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Improper means” includes theft, bribery, misrepresentation, breach or inducement of a breach of a duty to maintain secrecy, or espionage through electronic or other means. (2) “Misappropriation” means: (A) acquisition of a trade s…

§ 4602. Injunctive relief (a) A court may enjoin actual or threatened misappropriation of a trade secret. Upon application to the court, an injunction shall be terminated when the trade secret has ceased to exist, but the injunction may be continued for an additional reasonable p…

§ 4603. Damages (a)(1) Except to the extent that a material and prejudicial change of position prior to acquiring knowledge or reason to know of misappropriation renders a monetary recovery inequitable, a complainant is entitled to recover damages for misappropriation. (2) Damage…

§ 4605. Preservation of secrecy In an action under this chapter, a court shall preserve the secrecy of an alleged trade secret by reasonable means, which may include granting protective orders in connection with discovery proceedings, holding in-camera hearings, sealing the recor…

§ 4607. Effect on other law (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this chapter displaces conflicting tort, restitutionary, and any other law of this State providing civil remedies for misappropriation of a trade secret. (b) This chapter does not affect: (1) co…

§ 4608. Uniformity of application and construction This chapter shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this chapter among states enacting it. (Added 1995, No. 90 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

§ 4609. Time of taking effect This chapter shall take effect on July 1, 1996 and does not apply to misappropriation occurring prior to the effective date. With respect to a continuing misappropriation that began prior to the effective date, the chapter also does not apply to the …

§ 5101. Short title This chapter may be cited as the Vermont Uniform Securities Act (2002). (Added 2005, No. 11, § 1, eff. July 1, 2006.)

§ 5102. Definitions In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) “Agent” means an individual, other than a broker-dealer, who represents a broker-dealer in effecting or attempting to effect purchases or sales of securities or represents an issuer in effecting or at…

§ 5103. References to federal statutes 15 U.S.C. § 77a et seq. (Securities Act of 1933), 15 U.S.C. § 78a et seq. (Securities Exchange Act of 1934), 15 U.S.C. § 79 et seq. (Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935), 15 U.S.C. § 80a-1 et seq. (Investment Company Act of 1940), 15 …

§ 5104. References to federal agencies A reference in this chapter to an agency or department of the United States is also a reference to a successor agency or department. (Added 2005, No. 11, § 1, eff. July 1, 2006.)

§ 5105. Electronic records and signatures This chapter modifies, limits, and supersedes 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq., but does not modify, limit, or supersede 15 U.S.C. § 7001(c) or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices described in 15 U.S.C. § 7003(b). This chapter aut…

§ 5201. Exempt securities The following securities are exempt from the requirements of sections 5301 through 5306 and 5504 of this chapter: (1) A security, including a revenue obligation or a separate security as defined in 17 C.F.R. § 230.131, issued, insured, or guaranteed by t…

§ 5202. Exempt transactions The following transactions are exempt from the requirements of sections 5301 through 5306 and 5504 of this chapter: (1) An isolated nonissuer transaction, whether effected by or through a broker-dealer or not. (2) A nonissuer transaction by or through …

§ 5203. Additional exemptions and waivers A rule adopted or order issued under this chapter may exempt a security, transaction, or offer; a rule under this chapter may exempt a class of securities, transactions, or offers from any or all of the requirements of sections 5301 throu…

§ 5204. Denial, suspension, revocation, condition, or limitations of exemptions (a) Except with respect to a federal covered security or a transaction involving a federal covered security, an order under this chapter may deny, suspend application of, condition, limit, or revoke a…

§ 5301. Securities registration requirement It is unlawful for a person to offer or sell a security in this State unless: (1) the security is a federal covered security; (2) the security, transaction, or offer is exempted from registration under sections 5201 through 5203 of this…

§ 5302. Notice filing (a) With respect to a federal covered security, as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 77r(b)(2), that is not otherwise exempt under sections 5201 through 5203 of this title, a rule adopted or an order issued under this chapter may require the filing of any or all of the…