Legislature hearings on Feb. 5 cover fishing access fees, childcare tax receipts, taxes and spending, utility assistance and housing measures
Representative testimony and agency briefings at House and Senate committee hearings on Feb. 5 covered proposals to authorize new access-area licenses and modest fees for public water access, detailed revenue accounting for the child care contribution tax, state responses to federal tax changes affecting businesses, energy and utility assistance measures, and a range of housing, special education and human services budget and policy matters.
Environment (House)
At multiple Environment Committee sessions, Fish and Wildlife officials and supporters described H.805 and related implementation tied to Act 181. Testimony outlined a proposed access-area licensing system for boating and other public water access that would be rolled out with education and voluntary compliance at first, using QR codes for on‑the‑spot digital licenses rather than stickers. Witnesses said warnings would be emphasized during a multi‑year rollout and that enforcement could include tickets that would be deposited to the general fund. A per‑license price range of roughly $15–$20 was cited in committee remarks. Testimony also noted burdens on Fish & Wildlife staffing and maintenance budgets for access areas, and discussed equity and exemptions for some users.
Separately, the Department of Fish and Wildlife provided a budget overview and described its mission, staffing and permitting workload in testimony identifying S.350 among committee anchors.
Appropriations (Senate and House)
Senate Appropriations reviewed S.98 and a package of budget and tax administration issues tied to the child care contribution special fund. Tax and finance officials described the administration’s approach to collecting the childcare payroll contribution as a line item on withholding and personal income returns and outlined an end‑of‑year reserve and closeout process for attributing a fourth‑quarter estimate to the Child Care Contribution Special Fund. Committees heard multiple figures for annual revenue from the contribution, with consistent references to roughly $80 million to $82 million per year and reporting of quarterly cash receipts that have varied by quarter. Officials described a process in which the Commissioner of Finance and Management would reserve estimated attributable receipts during closeout, unreserve them and transfer actual receipts to the special fund, with reconciliations for any over‑ or under‑estimates.
Appropriations panels also received agency budget overviews. The governor’s office presented a general fund proposal showing a roughly 4.4 percent increase in its general fund request and an internal services component; other agencies, including the Vermont Military Department and the Executive Office, summarized personnel, IT and interdepartmental transfer (IDT) allocations and construction or federal grant activity.
Ways & Means (House)
Tax policy panels heard extended testimony on federal conformity and specific federal tax changes that affect Vermont taxpayers and businesses. Tax practitioners and representatives discussed the interaction of recent federal provisions with Vermont law, including changes to accounting for research and development costs under Section 174 that require capitalization and amortization for certain R&D expenditures. Witnesses described practical impacts on taxable income for affected businesses and urged careful consideration of conformity choices because administrative complexity for taxpayers and the tax department can increase when Vermont diverges from federal treatment.
Committee testimony also addressed the child care contribution implementation and the department’s budget and IT investments, with officials noting that approximately 98.5 percent of the childcare contribution revenue to date has come through withholding, and describing efforts to estimate and reconcile receipts for fund transfers.
Energy & Digital Infrastructure (House)
The committee heard testimony on bills including S.15, H.753, S.25 and related matters arising from Act 142. Witnesses including community service and advocacy organizations described household hardship tied to utility bills, increased arrearages, and local programs that provide emergency assistance for utilities, medical or dental needs, and other supports. Testimony on H.753 and related proposals emphasized the scale of need cited by service providers, discussions of utility rate structures and assistance program participation, and proposals intended to limit disconnections or expand supports such as targeted sheltering or assistance for low‑income households. Witnesses discussed the accessibility and adequacy of existing utility assistance programs and the need for outreach and capacity among community providers.
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General & Housing (House)
The General & Housing Committee received testimony on multiple bills including H.829 and H.772 and on housing supports created in prior legislation. Witnesses described rental arrears assistance funded under prior action, noting a $2.5 million Rental Arrears Assistance Fund created in fiscal year 2025 under H.829. Stakeholders representing landlords, tenants and housing advocates testified on a range of proposals to clarify application‑fee rules, create rental registries, fund landlord‑tenant education and housing navigator services, expand tenant rights including confidentiality of eviction records, and adjust eviction notice periods and processes. Testimony included concerns about aligning state changes with federal requirements for federally assisted tenancies and about operational impacts on landlords, tenants and public housing authorities.
Human Services (House)
Witnesses and agency representatives emphasized the importance of ThreeSquares Vermont (SNAP) and other basic assistance programs and asked for continued funding for administration to ensure program stability and access. Testimony highlighted program reach and monthly benefit totals and described challenges including caseworker staffing, system navigation for refugees and other populations, and the need to preserve federal funding access and programmatic protections tied to program design.
The committee also considered sheltering and homelessness response budget elements, including proposals for family sheltering using designated hotels, regional shelter capacity and associated staffing and housing navigation services, with testimony detailing projected program components and costs.
Education (Senate)
The Senate Education Committee reviewed a required report and strategic plan elements related to special education delivery under Act 73 and Act 173. Department of Education testimony described data trends and expenditures: a shift from a reimbursement model to block grants and census‑based funding, and growth in extraordinary special education expenditures concentrated in categories such as autism and emotional disturbance. The department identified implementation gaps, variability in district capacity, and the need for further evaluation of funding models; staff said they had commissioned or planned additional analysis on the implications of moving to a weighted funding model and on maintenance of fiscal support and maintenance of effort requirements connected to IDEA federal rules. The agency outlined goals for aligning strategy, improving tier‑one instruction, and addressing data gaps to support program changes.
Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs (Senate)
The Senate committee took testimony on workforce‑flexibility and workers’ compensation proposals, including bills such as S.90, S.173 and S.230. Testimony from business groups and the attorney general’s office discussed Vermont’s existing flexible working arrangement statute, complaint and enforcement data, and suggested caution before imposing new regulatory requirements. Stakeholders also reviewed proposed changes to vocational rehabilitation or workers’ compensation screening, and discussed market trends and cost drivers in workers’ compensation and insurance.
Conclusion
The article summarizes hearings held Feb. 5 before House and Senate committees including Environment, Appropriations, Ways & Means, Energy & Digital Infrastructure, General & Housing, Human Services, Education, and Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs. Testimony and agency presentations addressed bills and budget items tied to public water access licensing and Act 181, child care contribution tax receipts and reserve processes, federal tax conformity and business tax impacts, energy and utility assistance proposals, housing and eviction law proposals and rental arrears assistance, special education finance and implementation under Act 73 and Act 173, and related spending and administrative matters. The coverage reflects testimony and materials presented to those committees on the recorded date.
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