House resolution affirming that all Vermonters are presumed to be competent to communicate and must be provided effective communication resources of their choice
House Resolution 17 is a nonbinding legislative statement affirming that all Vermonters are presumed to be competent to communicate and should be provided effective communication supports and resources of their choosing. The resolution places this principle in the context of Vermont’s developmental disabilities and communication-support infrastructure, including the Vermont Communication Task Force, regional communication specialists, and the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living.
The resolution emphasizes that communication challenges should not be treated as evidence of intellectual incapacity. It references the history of facilitated communication in Vermont, the development of practice and validation guidelines in the 1990s, and the role of the Communication Task Force in promoting support, training, technology, and policy guidance so individuals can participate fully in daily life. It also notes that the Rapid Prompting Method may be a beneficial communication option for some individuals.
Because this is a House resolution rather than a bill creating or amending statutes, it does not directly change Vermont law or impose new legal duties. Its practical effect is to express legislative support for a presumption of competence in communication and to reinforce existing state efforts around alternative and augmentative communication services, especially within developmental disabilities programs. It may influence agency practice, policy development, and public awareness, but it is primarily declaratory in nature.
The available context suggests broad supportive sentiment, with the resolution framed in affirming and rights-oriented language. There are no recorded votes or committee transcripts indicating opposition or controversy in the provided materials. The tone of the measure is strongly pro-access, pro-inclusion, and supportive of communication autonomy for Vermonters with disabilities.
The main area of potential contention is the reference to facilitated communication and the Rapid Prompting Method, both of which have been debated in disability and communication-assistance circles regarding reliability and appropriate use. The resolution does not present those methods as mandatory, but it does acknowledge them as possible options, which could draw concern from critics who question their validity. More broadly, the only implicit tension is between preserving a presumption of competence and ensuring that communication supports are individualized and evidence-based.