Lawmakers weigh producer-responsibility tire program, budget trade-offs and housing, education and health proposals across multiple committee hearings
Several legislative committees on Feb. 10 heard detailed briefings and testimony on proposed regulatory mandates, budget requests and statutory changes affecting waste motor vehicle tires, clean water funding, data center incentives, property tax and school district governance, homelessness services, community media appropriations and health-care provider funding.
Environment (House) — extended producer responsibility for waste motor vehicle tires; Clean Water Fund links
The Environment Committee reviewed an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for collection and disposition of waste motor vehicle tires that would create a new chapter for waste motor vehicle tires and set definitions, collection-rate measures and implementation requirements. The draft text discussed which vehicles and equipment are covered, noting that the program includes motor cars, ATVs, motorcycles and farm tractors and excludes e-bikes and lawnmowers. The draft also defines collection rate as waste tires collected in a year divided by average tires sold over the previous three years and allows collection sites to limit drops to 12 tires per visit. A definition for legacy waste tire pile was discussed.
The draft would prohibit sales of motor vehicle tires beginning 01/01/2027 by entities that are not implementing a stewardship plan or part of a stewardship organization; witnesses urged that dates in the proposal likely need to be shifted. The bill would require manufacturers to list brands and tire types on a website and would include a $15,000-per-year fee per producer stewardship plan. Testimony noted potential operational challenges where manufacturers refuse to participate in producer responsibility organizations (PROs), and the draft contains enforcement provisions referencing certified hauler requirements in statute.
Committee discussion addressed program funding and payments. A reimbursable grant program was described that would authorize the secretary to transfer from the Clean Water Fund to the Solid Waste Management Assistance Fund to reimburse eligible capital purchases; one estimate placed capital costs at a midpoint of $3,500,000 across fiscal years cited. Witnesses said the reimbursements were intended for particular infrastructure costs, not all PRO administration expenses, and would rely on grant agreements defining eligible expenses and invoice requirements.
Participants discussed alternative funding mechanisms, including a point-of-sale mandatory fee per new tire sold — testimony cited other states’ per-tire fees, naming New York ($2.50), Maine ($1.00) and California ($1.75) as examples. The draft also contemplates a 10% assessment on plan costs to cover agency administration; witnesses encouraged raising that assessment above 10% to guard against nonparticipation and to cover agency costs.
Separately, testimony considered proposals to use escheat or other revenues to support bottle redemption or redemption centers and the potential knock-on effect on the Clean Water Fund. Environmental groups discussed how increased redemption rates could reduce escheat revenue to the Clean Water Fund and suggested offsetting that decline by diverting additional meals-and-rooms tax receipts to the Clean Water Fund; one witness described increasing the meals-and-rooms allocation from 6% to 8% as producing about $5.5 million to offset projected declines.
The Environment Committee also heard testimony on emergency response and flood and water-rescue planning, including references to Act 64 and Act 76 and to coordinating regional response organizations, urban search and rescue teams and EMS districts. Witnesses emphasized investments in interoperable communications and costs for team equipment and training.
General & Housing (House) — landlord-tenant timelines, eviction processes and housing program language
The General & Housing Committee discussed a package of housing-related proposals, including landlord–tenant law reforms and bills addressing termination notices, eviction timelines and accelerated procedures for material lease violations. Committee materials compared statutory notice and post-judgment timelines under current law and proposed drafts; discussion included the variety of grounds for termination (nonpayment, property damage, conversion to other uses, or renovation) and different notice periods tied to the termination reason.
Members debated provisions in competing drafts that would create an accelerated “show cause” process for alleged criminal activity or for material lease violations that endanger health and safety. Proponents described an affidavit-based process with a thirty-day trial timeline if a tenant fails to rebut allegations; opponents and legal-aid representatives cautioned that criminal allegations are typically for law enforcement and that civil eviction procedures raise due-process concerns. The committee also discussed the impacts of shortening notice or stay periods after judgment and noted existing writ-of-possession and sheriff-service timelines in statute.
Other housing-related language discussed in committee materials included creation of a tenant-rights advocate and a right-to-counsel concept with an appropriation implied in the bill text; members noted related budget implications.
Finance (Senate) — data center incentives, taxes and arbitration, multiple bills
The Senate Finance Committee heard a presentation on out-of-state experience with data-center incentives, tax exemptions and regulatory responses. The session referenced bills S.132 and S.50. Testimony described incentives used by other states, including sales-and-use tax exemptions and in some cases electricity exemptions and customer classes or tariffs to allocate costs of interconnection and distribution buildouts. Witnesses reported that some states have considered or enacted moratoriums on new data-center development paired with studies; a moratorium cited in testimony would pause certain projects until 2030. The committee also discussed statutory arbitration processes and factors the Public Utility Commission or arbitration panels must consider in disputes, including proposals to alter commission composition and decision rules.
Committee members reviewed fiscal modeling and labor and education impacts in other presentations, noting the interplay among tax policy, energy demand and local zoning or property impacts.
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Ways & Means (House) — property valuation reform and Act 73 implementation
The Ways & Means Committee discussed implementation language tied to Act 73 and Act 46 and the department’s recommendations for regional assessment districts (RADs). Committee members reviewed proposed changes to RAD boundaries and equalization processes, including treating all municipalities within a RAD as a single entity for equalization. Draft legislative language would prioritize RADs that include a minimum of 10,000 parcels, permit the commissioner to modify district boundaries with one year’s notice, and change transition provisions from the earlier act. Committee members also discussed appeals processes to the commissioner and how appeals would be routed.
The committee reviewed proposals related to property tax credits, including one-time uses of general fund resources to increase property tax credit payments to those already eligible. Fiscal staff described mechanics of applying a one-time general fund allocation to increase existing property tax credits for FY27.
Appropriations (House and Senate) — community media funding, reversions and targeted appropriations
Appropriations panels received multiple presentations on budget adjustments, reversions and funding requests. Witnesses representing community media organizations testified in support of base funding requests totaling $1,890,000 through a new Vermont Access Network partnership with nonprofit radio stations; committee materials showed the current budget included $1.35 million, leaving a gap from the request. Testimony described declines in cable-subscriber–based local funding and why the groups sought state support tied to lost revenue and operating cost increases.
Senate Appropriations staff briefed members on FY26 reversions and the budget-adjustment process, noting $31.2 million in reversions identified in an initial governor-recommended adjustment and later additional reversions bringing totals cited in the record to about $35.9 million. The committee considered line-item adjustments and one-time appropriations for housing and human services commitments, and reviewed language directing portions of global commitment appropriations for transitions tied to payment reform.
Health Care (House) — provider funding requests, Medicaid mix and program cuts
The House Health Care Committee heard multiple fiscal presentations and funding requests from safety-net providers and networks. Testimony outlined a provider revenue mix showing heavy reliance on state funds and Medicaid match and connected recent provider funding pressures to workforce turnover and vacancy trends. Committee documents noted proposed or requested appropriations: Vermont’s Free and Referral Clinics requested a $925,000 increase in grant funding limits (half from the general fund) to expand clinic capacity; Bridges to Health sought $500,000 in FY27 to support an outreach and care coordination program serving immigrant and migrant workers; and a coalition requested $4,950,000 in FY27 to support benefit assisters and community providers to help Vermonters retain or enroll in SNAP and Medicaid benefits.
Witnesses also flagged proposed FY27 cuts across community provider networks totaling $3,600,000 and described the operational impacts of multi-year reforms including designated-services payment reform and transition to CCBHC models.
Energy & Digital Infrastructure (House) — ADS budgeting and internal service funds
Committee discussion focused on reworking the state’s Agency of Digital Services (ADS) budgeting structure and internal service funds. Presenters described breaking a large pool of ADS spending authority into separate funds to improve transparency: a CIT fund for core enterprise services to be billed to departments (cited at $35.7 million to be billed by formula), a professional resourcing/time-sheet fund, and a customized services fund (formerly bespoke) reduced from a prior $47.5 million to $5 million in proposed ADS budget language. The budget office proposed a new $9,000,000 direct general fund appropriation in recognition of unrecoverable ADS costs and the core enterprise services allocation growing to $45 million in total. The committee referenced bill S.19 in materials.
Education (Senate and House) — Act 46, district governance and attendance policy
Education committee sessions reviewed the legal and constitutional context for Act 46 school-district consolidation and governance. Presenters summarized the history of Acts 153, 156 and 46 and the Vermont Supreme Court’s 2020 analysis upholding the state board’s delegated authority under Act 46, noting the court found “sufficient guidance” in statutory goals and procedures. Committee discussion focused on constraints and delegation, municipal incorporation authority in the constitution, and the practical effects of larger regional districts on taxes, services and staffing.
Separate House Education panels discussed a proposed chronic-absenteeism/statewide approach (bill S.20), with witnesses urging early intervention and holistic supports rather than purely punitive measures. Members debated standard notice timelines, enforcement roles and supports for students’ basic needs tied to attendance outcomes.
Human Services (House) — homelessness response continuum and prevention/diversion funding
The Human Services Committee reviewed statutory language establishing a Vermont Homelessness Response Continuum to be administered by the Office of Economic Opportunity. Committee materials specified continuum components — prevention and diversion services, emergency housing services, shelter services, specialized shelter services and permanent supportive housing — and directed the department to ensure prevention and diversion operate statewide, provide standardized assessments and maximize flexibility in fund administration. Draft text described emergency housing services that would operate when municipal shelter options are unavailable and would be time-limited and not require coordinated-entry assessment in some circumstances. Members discussed whether the department could channel funds through a single organization that would grant to municipalities or partners and noted appropriations and flexibility trade-offs.
Conclusion
Committees across the House and Senate on Feb. 10 reviewed a range of proposals involving mandates, spending, tax and regulatory authority. The Environment panels focused on an extended producer responsibility program for waste motor vehicle tires and links to the Clean Water Fund; General & Housing addressed landlord–tenant timelines and eviction process changes; Finance and Ways & Means covered data-center incentives, property valuation and tax measures; Appropriations and Health Care considered budget requests and provider funding pressures; Energy & Digital Infrastructure examined ADS budgeting reforms; Education committees discussed Act 46 governance and attendance policy; and Human Services reviewed statutory design for homelessness prevention and response. The article summarizes the topics and proposals taken up by the committees cited.
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