Lawmakers Hear Wide Range of Testimony on Housing, Taxes, Health, Environment and Energy Across Multiple Committees
Lawmakers on Feb. 6 heard testimony and staff briefings across multiple committees covering revenue proposals for housing, an outdoor recreation economic ask, Health & Welfare budget adjustments and statutory changes, dam safety and water infrastructure rulemaking under Act 121, and energy and utility disconnection protections. Committee discussions included proposed tax and surcharge revenues directed to a new housing investment special fund, one-time and ongoing appropriations in the budget adjustment tied to H.790/Act 27, and regulatory and rulemaking items affecting dams, wastewater permitting, and utility disconnection procedures.
Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs (09:00 session)
Committee members reviewed proposals to raise and redirect revenue for housing and related programs. Discussion of a 1¢ per ounce sugar-sweetened beverage excise tax estimated a half‑year revenue of $7,300,000 with a net $3,000,000 for the Education Fund in fiscal year 2027 and a projected full-year switch that would shift revenue between the short‑term rental surcharge and the new excise tax in fiscal year 2028. The committee reviewed language creating a housing investment special fund funded by the short‑term rental surcharge and room tax surcharge; that fund would be appropriated annually by the General Assembly for housing development and affordable housing purposes. Testimony referenced a proposed 2% housing surcharge on room tax revenue with preliminary fiscal estimates and options for effective dates and implementation.
Witnesses representing Vermont’s outdoor recreation sector urged investment and cited economic impacts and program funding needs. The testimony included a request to include $200,000 in an economic development bill for an outdoor recreation economic impact study. Presenters referenced statewide outdoor recreation economic figures and described operations and multipliers for adaptive recreation organizations.
Bills noted in committee materials included S.1, S.9, S.12, and presenters referenced H.883 and S.313 in the later noon hearing.
Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs (11:00 session)
A joint hearing with House Commerce and Economic Development included multiple outdoor recreation stakeholders. Testimony highlighted the economic value of outdoor recreation, municipal parks and recreation services, and workforce and housing pressures in resort and rural communities. Witnesses referenced Act 59 and H.883 and described program and grant impacts on local economies, jobs, and GDP contributions. Multiple presenters provided dollar figures for industry impacts and requested legislative support for outdoor recreation funding lines.
Health & Welfare (09:00)
Staff presented the House-passed budget adjustment and materials linking changes to H.790 and Act 27. The handout identified increases and one‑time appropriations in the budget adjustment, including a $45,000 general fund increase for HIV and harm reduction services and one‑time adjustments for organizations such as the Vermont Food Bank (House added $400,000 to an original $500,000 appropriation for a total of $900,000 in FY26). The committee discussed converting previously grant‑funded positions to two limited‑service positions funded at about $270,000 general fund and a non‑medical emergency management appropriation of $800,000 tied to section 51 language in the bill.
Committee members reviewed H.545 language concerning immunization program changes and the statutory definition of “recommended immunization.” The version discussed includes provisions that would take effect on passage and language that sunsets on 07/01/2031, with sections addressing the Commissioner of Health’s authority to issue recommendations and expanded immunization administration authorities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians under specified conditions. The committee also discussed long‑term care rate adjustments and a hold‑harmless approach tied to a prior 2% increase for home and community‑based providers that annualizes to approximately $1 million.
Bills anchored to the committee’s materials included H.790, S.300 and S.14, and Act 27 was cited in connection with the budget adjustment.
Natural Resources & Energy (09:00)
Department staff described rulemaking and program implementation tied to Act 121, including capitalization of a revised emergency dam fund with $4,500,000 for loans to remove or restore dams and rule packages for accessing that fund for non‑emergency removal or restoration actions. Committee discussion covered dam safety phase two rule promulgation, emergency action planning and response pilot projects, feasibility work on state ownership of reservoirs, and capacity for dam safety oversight. Speakers identified statutory requirements for phase two rules and noted that the program has grown staff capacity since 2022.
The committee also examined permit fee structures and draft application fees for portable water supplier/wastewater system connection general permits tied to design flow thresholds, with proposed application fees scaled by design flow (for example, design flows below 2,000 gallons per day assessed hourly fees and higher flows assessed flat application fees). S.5 was referenced in committee materials.
Appropriations (09:30 and 10:35 sessions)
Agency witnesses presented departmental budgets and federal funding developments. The Agency of Agriculture described a proposal to replace certain farm fees with general fund support for about 131 farms, estimating a general fund cost of $231,500 to eliminate annual fees for medium and large farms. The agency also described federal grant changes that reduce some technical assistance funding and shifts in grant‑vs‑contract spending categories.
Appropriations staff and agency witnesses discussed department staffing, vacancy savings, and requests to add positions. The Green Mountain Care Board and related health testimony highlighted issues tied to hospital budgets and reference‑based pricing as a mechanism to reduce commercial multiples of Medicare. The Human Rights Commission described enforcement responsibilities and a request for additional staff to maintain intake and investigative capacity.
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The committee materials flagged spending priorities across agencies, noted decreases in some federal fund grants, and described capital and grant management considerations.
Ways & Means (09:00)
Staff briefed the committee on universal prekindergarten (UPK) program structure under Act 73, including how pre‑K weights correspond to funding and the education opportunity payment. Ways & Means presented an analysis of current pre‑K spending, estimating statewide education fund spending for public pre‑K programs and private UPK tuition flows. The staff analysis estimated approximately $33.7 million of spending in the public system after removing federal funds and private tuition payments, and they back‑calculated an estimated per‑pupil public sector UPK cost using available data. Act 73 figures and the interaction of federal funds, tuition payments to private providers, and public program costs were central to the briefing.
Act 73 was cited as the statutory anchor in the presentation.
Energy & Digital Infrastructure (10:30 and 11:25)
Committees reviewed H.753 and related utility disconnection protections. Testimony described PUC practice accepting medical certificates signed by physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners to prevent utility disconnections and identified reporting metrics on disconnections and arrearages. Witnesses cited an increase in high‑bracket disconnection reports between April 2024 and April 2025, noting a 37% rise in the highest past‑due category in one dataset and discussion of a 31% measure in other materials comparing April 2022 to April 2025. H.753 was discussed with respect to language on the duration for medical certificates and appeal opportunities to the Public Utility Commission for subsequent 30‑day periods.
Utilities and municipal representatives described operational practices for payment plans, partial payments, and reconnections, and noted variability in customer protections and technologies such as remote reconnects and smart metering. H.753 and H.753‑linked testimony addressed protections for customers with medical needs, reporting requirements, and potential housekeeping clarifications in existing rules.
H.753 and H.753‑related materials were discussed across both committee sessions.
Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry (10:25 and 11:35)
Committee members reviewed draft legislation and stakeholder positions following the Supreme Court decision that affected municipal regulation of agriculture. Agency of Agriculture testimony described an approach aimed at restoring a workable status quo and addressing gaps, citing a four‑acre planning construct intended to ensure sufficient area for waste management, setbacks, and structures. Stakeholders including Rural Vermont, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, municipal representatives, and agricultural interests discussed tiering approaches for urban or dense mixed‑use areas versus rural areas, protections for the right to grow food (plants and orchards), and the distinction between municipal zoning authority over farming and state agricultural regulation as administered by the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. Act 181 was cited in committee materials.
Tax provisions related to farm income were presented to the Agriculture committee. Proposals included excluding from personal income tax farm profit not exceeding $10,000 and potential capital gain exclusions for qualifying real estate sales associated with farm operations; staff noted implementation and administrative considerations for exclusions and capital gain treatment, and existing statutory capital gain exclusions (40% treatment) were discussed in context.
Judiciary and Other Committees
The Judiciary committee considered S.288 and related draft language requiring identification by law enforcement officers and addressing mask or disguise use by officers in public interactions. Committee staff summarized constitutional issues related to federal supremacy and immunity when state law attempts to regulate federal officers, and described civil and criminal penalty options included in draft versions. Penalty structures under consideration included civil penalties and specified monetary fines for violations.
Government Operations & Military Affairs and other committees received testimony on grant administration, recommended improvements to state grant processes, and the Agency of Administration outlined review and approval pathways for accepting and executing grants, including the AA‑1 review and Joint Fiscal Committee notifications. Nonprofit and municipal representatives advocated ongoing monitoring and feedback mechanisms tied to proposed Bulletin V updates and grant administration practices.
Conclusion
This article covers committee hearings and staff briefings held Feb. 6 across multiple legislative committees, including Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs; Health & Welfare; Natural Resources & Energy; Appropriations; Ways & Means; Energy & Digital Infrastructure; Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry; Judiciary; Government Operations & Military Affairs; and Transportation. Committees discussed tax and revenue proposals for housing funds and excise taxes, budget adjustment items connected to H.790 and Act 27, dam safety and water infrastructure rulemaking under Act 121, UPK funding and Act 73, utility disconnection protections in H.753, municipal regulation of agriculture and Act 181, and enforcement and grant administration matters across state agencies.
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