Appropriations panel reviews remaining bill language: adult ed, VT Saves, municipal loan fund, CDAC, and general assistance shelter rules
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Summary
Committee staff presented remaining session-law language and technical amendments for insertion into the fiscal bill, and the committee agreed to include most items while flagging one sub‑section on emergency rules for removal pending confirmation from legislative counsel.
House Appropriations Committee staff and fiscal office representatives on March 20 ran through remaining packet language for insertion into the fiscal bill, covering adult education language, VT Saves amendments, municipal equipment loan changes, CDAC statute clarifications, reporting requirements for federal revenue reductions, BPIC compensation study language and general-assistance shelter rules used in the prior budget.
Grady Nixon of the Legislative Fiscal Office presented the packet and said the committees who reviewed the items were “fine with this,” recommending insertion into the bill. The committee agreed to adopt the language for the adult education (AEL) section and to carry forward proposed amendments to the Vermont Saves program and municipal equipment loan fund language that would allow municipalities to include vehicles (for example, fire apparatus) in certain loan fund provisions.
Committee staff described several CDAC statute clarifications requested by the treasurer’s office; members said the changes were technical and involved no new spending. The committee also directed language requiring the secretary of administration to report to the Joint Fiscal Committee at its July, September and November 2025 meetings, and at other meetings as requested, on any federal revenue reductions and the status of appropriations affected by such reductions.
On the general assistance (shelter) language, the committee agreed to reinsert language used in the prior year’s budget establishing parameters for motel/hotel placements when community-based shelter capacity is full. Staff confirmed the language is the same as in last year’s session law; the packet specifies an $80 nightly rate and includes the prior-session parameters. Committee members noted the language may be adjusted if legislative counsel confirms that an emergency-rule subsection (sub f on page 6 of the packet) is unnecessary because permanent rules now exist; if legislative counsel confirms that, staff said they would remove that subsection.
Committee members asked staff to highlight relevant sections of the bill and to flag any changes that arise over the weekend. Fiscal staff noted that one-time positions and other one-time language were not presented in detail and would appear in the bill draft for review.