Vermont Legislature House Session - 2026-03-26

Meetings

Call to Order and Moment of Silence (00:00:08)
The Speaker called the House to order and led a moment of silence before outlining the afternoon's business.
First Reading and Referral of Senate Bills (S.89, S.154, S.220) (00:00:59)
Three Senate bills were read for the first time and referred to committees: S.89 to General and Housing, S.154 to Health Care, and S.220 to Ways and Means.
Consent Calendar: House Concurrent Resolutions (HCR 170, HCR 223, HCR 229) (00:02:04)
Three resolutions were read honoring Robert Kilburn, Michael Dworkin, and the memory of Robert D. Racklin.
Announcements and Guest Recognitions (00:10:55)
Members recognized honorees and guests from Fair Haven, East Montpelier, Essex, Brownington, Burlington, Waterbury, Middlebury, Stowe, and others, including tributes and birthday acknowledgments.
Orders of the Day and Bill Order Update (00:29:30)
The Chair announced changes to the action calendar, starting with the budget bill and moving H.941 to the end.
FY2027 Budget Bill (H.951) – Second Reading and Appropriations Committee Presentation (00:30:01)
The House began consideration of the budget bill with a comprehensive presentation by Appropriations members, followed by questions and brief recess to confirm bill order.
Ways and Means Committee Report on the Budget Bill (01:51:56)
Ways and Means reported unanimous support (11–0–0) for the budget and urged passage.
Amendment to Budget Bill (Pay Act and Technical Corrections) (01:53:10)
An amendment adding the Pay Act and technical corrections, including adult education funding formula language, was presented and adopted on a voice vote.
Third Reading Motion and Debate on the Budget Bill (02:12:44)
Members debated fiscal concerns, PILOT fund usage, and program priorities; the House ordered third reading on a voice vote.
Recess for Democratic Caucus (02:56:43)
The House recessed for a Democratic Caucus to reconvene at approximately 4:30 PM.

Transcript: Select text below to play or share a clip

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the house please come to order and members kindly take their seats? Will the house please come to order? Good afternoon members. In lieu of a devotional today, will you please join me in a moment of silence. Members, we have three senate bills for referral this afternoon. The first is senate bill 89 which is an act relating to expanding survivor benefits introduced by senator. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[House Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: S 89, an act relating to expanding survivor benefits.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Now the bill has been read the first time. It's referred to the committee on general and housing. Next is senate bill 154 which is an act relating to insurance coverage for biomarker testing. Introduced by senator Gulick and others. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[House Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: S one fifty four, an act relating to health insurance coverage for biomarker testing.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Now the bill has been read the first time and is referred to the committee on healthcare. And finally, senate bill two twenty is an act relating to the excess spending threshold introduced by senator Bartholomew. Please listen to the first reading of the bill.

[House Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: S two twenty, an act relating to the excess spending threshold.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Now the bill has been read the first time and is referred to the committee on ways and means. Members, we have received requests to read three house concurrent resolutions that the house and senate adopted pursuant to the consent calendar. The first is h c r one seventy which is a house concurrent resolution congratulating Robert Kilburn of Fairhaven on winning the 2024 Ken Schrader reel racer of the year award. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[House Assistant/Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: Whereas in the Northern New England motor racing community, this white haired and bearded and red and white cap wearing Bob kill Kilburn is affectionately known as Santa Bob Kilburn, and he has developed an adoring fan base populated in good measure with children. And whereas Santa Bob Kilburn was an enthusiastic young motor racing fan, but other than an occasional go kart driving, his motor racing career only started at 57 years of age. And whereas despite the dubious and potentially reckless decision, Santa Bob Kilburn had the encouragement and support of his wife, Chris, and his audacious debut occurred at the Canaan Fair Speedway driving the racer, Josh Constantine's former coupe, reminiscent of vintage nineteen sixties and nineteen seventies cars. And whereas, although he started in last place, Santa Bob Kilburn completed the race with his car in one piece, a major personal achievement. And whereas Bears Ridge Speedway, a dirt track in Bradford, was his next venue. And the following year, he honed his driving skills at the then paved Devil's Bowl Speedway located just minutes from his Fairhaven home. And whereas the the next year, his perseverance in Devil's Bowl resulted in rookie of the year honors, and his fellow drivers saluted him with their peer selected sportsmanship award. And whereas on 08/25/2018 on a return visit to Bearbridge Speedway, the then 62 year old Santa Bob Kilburn realized his dream of clinching a race victory. And whereas he and the far younger drivers enjoy their mutual competition, and Santa Bob Kilburn, who has no biological children, boast about his hundreds of children, meaning his numerous cheering young fans whom he befriends. And whereas since 2012, the publication Speedway Illustrated has presented this Ken Schrader Real Racer of the Year award, which recognizes a special individual who demonstrates the ideal representation of being a real racer. And in 2024, Santa Bob Kilburn was was the deserved honoree. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly congratulates Robert Kilburn of Fairhaven on winning the twenty twenty four Ken Schrader Real Racer of the Year award. And be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Santa Bob Kilburn.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Next is HCR two twenty three which is a house concurrent resolution honoring former public service board chair and East Montpelier town moderator, Dorkin. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[House Assistant/Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: Whereas Michael Dorkin was born in Philadelphia and while attending Middlebury College, he interrupted his studies to work at the former Brandon Training School where he observed the misguided warehousing of individuals with developmental disabilities and worked on an innovative programming. And warehouse whereas he also learned that toxins such as lead were a significant factor affecting the Brandon's resident's cognitive abilities, a key factor that influenced his decision to pursue an environmental law career. And whereas after graduating from mill Middlebury College, summa cum laude laude in 1975, Michael Dworkin earned his law degree at Harvard Law School cum laude and clerked on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. And whereas an as an appellate attorney at the US Environmental Protection Agency, his supervisors supervisors awarded him a medal of commendation. And whereas after his 1983 marriage to Lauren Star, Michael Dorkin became a telecommunications attorney at the former Vermont Public Service Board and subsequently served as the PSB's general counsel. And whereas in 1995, Michael Dorkin entered the private sector as a general counsel and managing partner at Riser Management Systems, providing telecommunication support services for high rise buildings. And whereas in 1999, governor Howard Dean appointed appointed Michael Dworkin as PS and P chair and in addition to presiding over energy and telecommunications regulatory proceedings, including the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. He oversaw the board's establishment of Efficiency Vermont, the nation's first energy efficiency utility. And whereas in the midst of his hectic professional duties, Michael Dorkin was elected East Montpelier town moderator for several terms, presiding and knowledgeably at town meetings. And whereas after chair chairing this PSB, Michael Dorkin was the founder and director of the Vermont Law and Graduate Schools Institute for Energy and Environment, creating a legal education program in these interconnected specialties. And internationally, he taught seminars in China for Pacific Rim attorneys and served as a visiting professor at Te Puringa School of Law, Politics, and Philosophy at the University University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. And whereas upon leaving, VLGS, he served as a director at both the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation and the Vermont Electric Power Company and as an academic and energy consultant capping a stellar career of leadership and service. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly honors former public service board chair and East Montpelier town moderator, Michael Dworkin. And be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Michael Dworkin and to members of his family.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: And finally, house concurrent resolution two twenty nine is a house concurrent resolution in memory of respected legal community leader, linguist, and musician, Robert D. Racklin. Please listen to the reading of the resolution.

[House Assistant/Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: Whereas during his long and active life, Bob Racklin pursued diverse professional and personal interests with curiosity, discipline, devotion, and intellectual rigor. And whereas whether engaged as an attorney, a role which ranged from the representation of individuals, small businesses, and major corporations before the Vermont judiciary to working pro bono on behalf of federal terrorism detainees at Guantanamo, Cuba. Serving as a visiting associate professor and trustee at Vermont Law School, performing a piano concerto or sonata in a chamber ensemble or as a soloist, teaching college students a foreign language. He was proficient in six, serving as an adjunct lecturer in the German, Russian, and Hebrew program at the University of Vermont or engaged in Jewish studies with the Burlington Shabbat community. He brought an enthusiastic passion to all these endeavors. And whereas born in West Hartford, Connecticut, Bob Rackland graduated from Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School. And whereas in 1959, he moved to St. Johnsbury and established a legal partnership with John Downs and with a and a later addition of Allen Martin. The three attorneys grew their law law firm, Downs, Rackland, Martin, into one of Vermont's largest and most respected. He was instrumental in developing the firm's Burlington office and for over sixty years, one of was one of the state's lead leading legal practitioners. And whereas Bob Rackland's adventurous curiosity motivated him to earn not only a pilot's license but also the more advanced instrument landing rating. He also served as a flight instructor and for many years owned his own plane. And whereas when welcoming new attorneys to DRM, he would offer tidbits of legal practicing wisdom such as higher expectations lead to improved performance. Integrity is more important than winning. Take the time to communicate clearly and concisely. Have fun and don't take yourself too seriously. Keep your mouth shut when you are winning. And the sage advice that there's more to life than billing time. And whereas on his death at 89 years of age on 12/27/2025, Bob Rackland left an enduring legacy, and his survivors include his wife of forty five years, Katherine, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchild grandchildren, and many friends and colleagues will finally fondly miss him. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives that the general assembly extends its cons sincere condolences to the family of Robert T. Racklin and be it further resolved that the secretary of state be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the family Bob Bracklin and to DRM.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Are there any announcements? Member from Fair Haven.

[Representative William Canfield]: Thank you, madam speaker. You've just heard a resolution congratulating Bob Kilburn for his national award and for his great work both on the raceways and for the youth he has mentored. Bob is here today with his wife Christina and his lifelong friend Bob Bigelow. They are seated in the gallery. Please welcome them to the People's House.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the guest of the member from Fairhaven please rise and be recognized? Member from East Montpelier.

[Representative Larry Satcowitz]: Madam speaker, we just heard a resolution honoring the career of Michael Dworkin. Very dedicated, impactful, long career. I wanted to just highlight and as we welcome him and his family and his friends to the state house today, I wanted to just mention that two particular items about his career that are gonna have long multigenerational impacts. One, that he was a particularly creative chair of the public service board, a really important time for our state. He's helped start efficiency of Efficiency Vermont and has and that and all of his other work at the Public Service Board has really saved Vermonters a lot of money over time. He's also was the founder of the Vermont Law School's Institute for Energy and Environment and really helped develop the most comprehensive and curriculum in the country around this topic and helped seed departments and institutions across the state and our country with expertise needed to address the needs in these sectors. This career is going to have impact on Vermonters for generations and we're just really grateful that he could be here for us to celebrate him today. I also want to mention that his spouse, Lauren Starr, is also here. She worked here in the state house for twelve years as committee assistant for house health care and is also as assistant to speaker Gay Symington. And I just want to share that they both are my neighbors and they're my friends and many people in this state have enjoyed working with them over their time. They really are also wonderful community leaders and have created a wonderful neighborhood and continue to sort of support all of us in our community through trails and access to the outdoors as well as connecting and keeping people connected. And I just want to welcome them and their family to the state house.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the guest and the member from East Montpelier please rise and be recognized. Member from Essex.

[Representative Golrang "Rey" Garofano]: Thank you, madam speaker. You just heard a resolution honoring, an amazing, amazing human being, mister Bob Racklin, Esquire, superstar, pilot, musician. This was somebody when I moved to Vermont, my husband Will started working at Downs Rackland, I would walk by Bob's office and just peek in and just be amazed at all of the artwork, awards, and books piled high on every horizontal surface. And I cannot think of somebody who has helped develop our state, has built bridges across religious lines, across party lines, across generational lines, and it is would be my great honor if we could please help me welcome, and I will list just a few of the crucial people that are that made it here today. His wife, Catherine Racklin, his son, Paul Racklin, friends Jane Smith, Sherry Star, Gene Bergeron, Gretchen Babcock, and partners at law firm at the law firm and and fellow colleagues, my husband Will Dodge, Patty Conlon, Andrew Brewer, Becky Lewandowski, and Paul Odie. If we could please help us welcome them. They are standing in the balcony.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the guest and the member from Essex please rise and be recognized? Member from Brownington.

[Unidentified Representative (Brownington)]: Thank you very much, madam speaker. The boys of summer are back as Major League Baseball season opened last night. With that backdrop in mind, we welcome him today a multifaceted individual to the State House. He has lived a life which has no boundaries and at times no rules. He has worked with Greenpeace. He's traveled over 20 times to Cuba as an outstanding diplomat of America preaching baseball. He has stayed in the sports world news all his life even though at times it's been a bit controversial. A Southern Californian by birth, who was part of USC's nineteen sixty eight World Series championship back to the sixties, to starting game seven of the nineteen seventy five World Series versus the Cincinnati Reds. He's written four books with an endless stream of classic quotes. He's been a politician, running as a libertarian in 2,016 versus Phil Scott with the motto, I'm so far left, I'm right. He did he did not win, but he got 8,912 votes. Legendary rocker Warren Zvon actually wrote a ballad about the former Bosox hurler. His unfiltered comments were frequently recorded by the press, including his take on major leagues mandatory drug testing rules. He said, I've tried a lot of those drugs out there, but I don't think it has to be mandatory. On health, the trouble with jogging is that by the time you realize you're not in shape, you're too far away to walk back home. On hunting, I've asked people why they have deer heads on their wall. They always say because they're such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mom is attractive too, but I have photographs of her. On society, we are losing our freedom in increments. You don't realize you're in jail until you try to open the door. On pitching, the pitcher has to find out if the hitter is timid. And if they are timid, he has to remind them that they are timid. On pitching to all time greats, trying to sneak a fastball by Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster. On drinking, alcohol is like anything else. It's only as bad as the person it's being poured into. His opinion of the New York Yankees, who had several runs run ins with with Craig Nettles and lupinella, Lupinella. Show me 25 blank and a pennant, and I'll show you the New York Yankees. My apologies to representative Bartley, representative Coffin, representative Boutin, representative Boutin, and representative McCoy, all fans of the evil empire. Yeah. It's been a wild ride, but here's the bottom line where the rubber meets the road. He has a 119 Major League victories, including 94 as one of the best left handers in Boston Red Sox history. The rest came with the Montreal Exmos. He's amassed 713 Major League strikeouts. He made the nineteen seventy three all star game. He's the oldest professional baseball player to get a win. He was 63. Now in his late seventies, he still plays for the Savannah Bananas, a highly successful traveling baseball carnival show. And when he leaves here today, he probably will head south and get in a few more innings. As you can see, he's already got his uniform on. Madam Speaker, let's give this living legend a nice round of applause as we welcome his wife Diana and the legendary Bill the Spaceman Lee to to the State House and go Red Sox.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the guest of the member from Brownington please rise and be recognized. Alright. Will the house please come to order? Member from will the house please come to order? Member from Burlington, the floor is yours.

[Representative Kate Logan]: Madam speaker, I represent a district in the South part of Burlington. However, my family home is in Southern Vermont in the metropolis of Wardsboro, which is ably represented by the member from Dover. And because I sit about 24 inches from her in committee, I am able to see just how she represents my neighbors in Wardsboro, which is the way she does everything, energetically and passionately. She knows a great deal about energy. She co chairs the rural caucus. She works for us all year round as a member of the joint committee on technology oversight. And she's also a very talented baker, our committee benefits from sometimes on Tuesdays after the weekend. And today is her birthday. Will you please join me in wishing the member from Dover a very happy birthday?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Happy birthday, member. Member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood]: Thank you, madam speaker. I'm not sure I can follow-up on the representative, who spoke about, the famous pitcher, Bill Lee, but just as famous here in the house. We're lucky to have a former representative and chair of the House Human Services Committee, former representative Anne Pugh, who representative South Burlington. So please welcome her, and she's sitting in the balcony.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the former member please rise and be recognized? Member for Middlebury.

[Representative Amy Sheldon]: Madam speaker, it's my pleasure to introduce to the body the former member from East Callis and the former chair of the Natural Resources Committee, Tony Klein. Tony's known for his deep commitment to the environment, standing up the first renewable energy standard, his great sense of humor, and for being an inspirational mentor to me and many other members at the start of our careers. I ask the body to please welcome Tony back to the people's house.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the former member please rise and be recognized? Member from Stowe.

[Representative Jed Lipsky]: Madam Speaker, I'd like to introduce a guest, who's actually, one of the kindest and most loyal daughters to the member of from Dover who came to the state house to help her mother celebrate her birthday lunch. So please join me in welcoming Stevie Paquette. She's an aspiring social worker, lives in Colchester, and a kind, amazing human being. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the guests of the member from Stowe please rise and be recognized? Member from Burlington.

[House Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: Madam Speaker, I would like

[Representative Carol Ode]: to introduce to the body through you my husband Paul Odie. He is here to help us honor Bob Rackland and I would like to take a moment to honor him. I could not be here nor would I have had a life committed to public service without his support. Both of us are committed to our community, to Vermont, and to our beloved United States. Please join me in welcoming him to the house.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the family of the member from Burlington please rise and be recognized? Member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood]: Thank you, madam speaker. I'd like to take a a brief moment to honor a dear friend and trusted colleague, representative Topper McFawn. I only met Topper when I joined this legislative family eleven years ago, but he's one of those people who you feel you have known a lifetime. We've shared many laughs, triumphs, and a few tears. Topper is a fixture in our legislative family, but his service to Vermont started long before he was elected to the legislature. Topper's roots in Vermont run deep even though he still has that Massachusetts accent. Long before he was walking the halls of the Golden Dome, he was invested in his community of Barrie. Whether it was through his years as an educator, his involvement in local town government, coaching youth hockey, or his devotion to his beautiful wife, Mary Anne, and their whole family. Topper has also had a statewide impact as director of the office of economic opportunity in state government where he had a distinguished career helping low income Vermonters. In a current world where politics often feels like a series of finger pointing and blaming, Topper has consistently been the quiet, steady hand on the wheel. He is a man who understands that serving the public isn't about winning an argument. It's about solving a problem. But when the issue needs a strong vocal voice in the state house, he brought that too. Topper has been an incredible advocate for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. He sat with local parents as they went through the human services board hearings time and time again and sat in their living rooms and ultimately bringing their challenges to the state house. He worked to establish new housing initiatives and convince people in the building that the importance of housing for all people, including people with disabilities. In his twenty two years in the state house, Toppers represented a brand of politician that is increasingly rare. One defined by pragmatism, common sense, and a genuine care for the health, safety, well-being of all people. In the house, Topper has never been afraid to work with anyone who had an interest in tackling an issue. He famously co authored legislation with one of the youngest democratic house members to increase access to reproductive health and sex education in schools. Arguing that everybody could see the value in prevention. It is that kind of honest leadership that has earned him the respect of his colleagues no matter the party. From his work on the House Human Services Committee to his work on the House Health Care Committee to his tireless advocacy for Barrytown, he has shown us that you can be firm in your principles while remaining open to collaboration. Topper, we thank you for your many years of dedication. You've taught us that public service is a marathon, not a sprint, and that the best way to lead is by listening. You are the true epitome of a statesman. We are not only a better state because of your work, but we are better people for knowing you. And I love you.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Member, we wish you all the best. You leave a legacy so proud of. I think you even have run a marathon. Please don't be a stranger and keep in touch. Member from Rutland City.

[Representative Emilie Kornheiser]: Thank you, madam speaker. If I may add one little comment to, representative Woods' kind words about Topper. From one Topper to another, I wish you all the best. We love

[Representative Robin Scheu]: you. Are

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: there any further announcements? Seeing none. Orders of the day. Members, I have an update for you on bill order. We are going to start our action calendar with the budget, house bill nine fifty one. And then the next bill on our agenda is nine forty one. We're going to be bumping that to the end of the calendar. As I hear back from chairs and reporters of the bills, I'll keep you posted on the next bills in the order. But like I said, we are starting with the budget and bumping nine forty one. So with that, we begin with house bill nine fifty one, which is an act relating to making appropriation for the support of the government. The bill was introduced by the committee on appropriations. The member from Middlebury, representative Shy will speak for the committee and affecting the revenue of the state, the bill was referred to the committee on ways and means which recommends that the bill ought to pass. The member from Brattleboro, Representative Kornheiser will speak for that committee. Please listen to the second reading of the bill.

[Representative David Durfee]: H nine fifty five. An act relating

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: to making appropriations for the support of the government.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Member from Middlebury.

[Unidentified Representative (Fairfax)]: Point of inquiry, madam speaker.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Oh, there you are. Member from Fairfax?

[Unidentified Representative (Fairfax)]: I I'm just looking for some clarification, and I guess I'm a little confused how we could possibly, pass a budget without also passing the miscellaneous, tax bill, which provides the revenue for the budget. Also, with the capital bill and the t bill, coming after, I'm I just would love some clarification on that.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Will the member please approach the podium? The house of stand at ease. Will the house please come to order and members kindly take their seats. Will the house please come to order? Members after consulting with staff and the clerk, we can take the budget up first without any issues with the other bill, but I thank the member for ensuring that the order is okay. Thank you madam speaker. Member from Middlebury.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Madam Speaker, the f y twenty seven budget h September represents the work and the thinking of many people. We heard from a total of 232 witnesses including 30 members of the public at two public hearings and 19 legislators who came to a special legislator hearing. In addition, we received a lot of written testimony from many sources and every policy committee sent us letters outlining their priorities. We had about $250,000,000 in additional budget requests and the dollar value of requests that we received outnumbered the money available to spend by a factor of 12.5. In other words, we received 12 and a half times more in funding requests than we had money available. As a result, we had many, many difficult decisions to make. The bill you see before you reflects the input of many, a great number of conversations and compromise all around. This is truly a committee bill because every member of this committee was fully engaged in the information gathering and decision making process. We worked hard to address key priorities such as housing such as housing of all kinds, our struggling health care system, taking care of the elderly and other vulnerable groups, all while attending to the many of the various needs of all Vermonters and Vermont businesses. In addition, this budget fully funds all of our statutorily required reserves and meets all pension obligations. As you have seen from the highlight sheet, the current total of all of our budgets including general fund money, federal funds, transportation funds, education funds, and all other funds is 9,334,000,000. This is a 1.6% increase or a 146,000,000 over the FY '26 budget as passed with the budget adjustment. For comparison in FY '26, there was a 3.7% increase versus 1.6 this year and 322,000,000 in additional funds. The general funds for FY '27 have increased just 52 and a quarter million dollars or 2.1% for a total of $2,550,000,000. The largest part of the state budget is from federal funds, which account for $3,235,000,000 or 35% of the entire budget. Now onto the budget itself. The bill is divided into sections a through f, although we add an additional section in our amendment for the pay act. Section a is the standard annual language that sets out legislative intent, definitions, and the legend which is a sort of table of contents for the rest of the bill. The b section includes all of the functions of government, the agencies, and their divisions and departments, debt service and one time appropriations. Section c contains any amendments that we want to make for the current fiscal year which is f y twenty six. Section d contains fund allocations, transfers, reversions and money being reserved for the upcoming fiscal year. Section e contains positions as well as language that relates back to the section b appropriations. And the current f section contains effective dates. After we present the bill, we will have an amendment with some minor and technical changes, the reinstatement of some language related to adult learning, and the pay act which came out just as we were finishing the budget so there wasn't time to put it in ahead of time. Each member of the House Appropriations Committee is responsible for a number of sections of the budget. They are not in linear order, so rather than having committee members popping up and down, each member will present their entire portfolio and then yield to the next member. Members will do their best to orient you to where they are. We are using the bill as introduced as our reference for page numbers. There are some copies on the table in the well as well as some copies of the web report. Finally, so we aren't here till the wee hours, we will not be spending time on anything that is standard in the budget such as interdepartmental transfers, salaries and benefits. Members instead will focus on key changes and highlights. And now, madam chair, I yield to the member from Linden.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury yields to the member from Linden.

[Representative Martha Feltus]: Good afternoon, madam speaker. My responsibilities include the agency of administration, the agency of digital services, the department of public safety, the criminal justice council, e nine one one, and the department of liquor and lottery. The agency of administration appears at the very beginning of our budget, which is appropriate since they are the underpinnings of our central government services. The sections b 100 through one zero seven, beginning on page six of the bill is introduced, cover the functional areas of general administration, finance management, budgeting, workers' compensation insurance, general liability, and other insurances. The secretary's office also oversees other functions of general interest. In all of these areas, the committee has agreed with the governor's request. There however, there are a few areas of general administration that deserve special mention. All are included in the b 1,100 section of one time appropriations from the general fund. And they are a one time appropriation of a $110,000 to the office of racial equity to continue their ideal program for one more year. A one time appropriation of 900,000 to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to finalize their work by December 31. And in the same area, the House has added a one time appropriation of $1,000,347,107 dollars to the Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Fund for disaster relief assistance to communities who were impacted by severe flooding in 2025. You will note that sections b one zero five and one zero five point one on page nine cover the agency of digital services. These sections combined total $40,000,000 less than last year. And that is due to the fact that we have due to the fact that the cost to acquire specific IT projects is being moved to specific agency that will use them rather than carried in the ADS budget. As you remember, this agency operates with its it operates with internal service funds. That is their operational funds are covered by services that they produce to other agencies and they other agencies reimburse them. But in order to more specifically track those expenses, we have we have created three new internal service funds, and that will enable us to track these services more clearly for all of the 400 employees of ADS so that we know they are receiving the income back from the other agencies. There are language sections in e one zero five point one and e one zero five that require reports to come back to our committee so that we can justify the use of those internal service funds and follow the deficit that exists in the original fund. On page 29, there are sections that relate to the Department of Public Safety, which is b two zero eight through two thirteen. These are administration, the Vermont State Police, criminal justice services, emergency management, fire safety, forensics lab and also tucked into these is the Division of Animal Welfare and the Division of Radiotechnology Services. In all of these areas, there are nominal changes from the FY '26 and the committee agrees with the Governor's recommendations. It is important to note that in support of the functions of Department of Public Service, Public Safety, I'm sorry, we are transferring $500,000 in general funds to a new special fund that will receive annual additions to begin funding a reserve to accumulate savings over ten years with the intent of replacing the entire inventory of state police radios. In 2025, our 268 members of the field force of the Robot State Police answered 81842 calls. B two twenty one, the criminal justice council, appears on page 35. This department offers training to all of our law enforcement officers, including state police, municipal police, and sheriffs. There are no significant changes in this appropriation. B two thirty five on page 42 refers to our system of 911. Funding for this service comes from taxes on landline telephone services and wireless services. Spending has not changed substantially. In last year, our 91 callers 911 callers answered 233237 calls. And my final area is the Department of Liquor and Lottery B two thirty six point one, which appears on page 42. This department operates as an enterprise fund. That is they do not receive general funds, but instead they purchase and sell their products and then they turn their profits over to the state. The liquor sales contribute $20,800,000 to the general fund. The sports wagering operation contributes 6,700,000.0 to the general fund. And then the lottery operations contribute 33,000,000 to the education fund. And I will now yield to the member from Franklin.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Linden yields to the member from Franklin.

[Representative Lisa Hango]: Madam speaker, I'll begin by covering b one twelve through b one twenty two beginning on page 13 of the bill. This is this is the Department of Buildings and General Services budget which includes the increases for salary, benefits, and operating expenses, that was recommended by the governor's, budget. Moving to page 32. Find b two fifteen through b two nineteen. This is the military budget including administration, air service, army, building maintenance, and veterans affairs. Again, there are no changes from the governor's recommended budget. Moving to page 63, find b three forty two. This is the Vermont Veterans Home budget. There are no changes from the governor's recommend but you may remember that in the past there's been some confusion involving the budget stemming from the timing of and predictability of Medicare reimbursements that come in after budget processes have already begun resulting in sometimes in large budget adjustments at the end of the year during BAA. The governor's budget now is built to minimize those those budget adjustments, but I wanna remind everybody that it's likely that it will they will still have to come in for some budget adjustment because they can't predict accurately, you know, what what it will be before the BAA. Moving to b three forty four at the bottom of page 64, we have begun a bunch of grants. You'll find that the retired senior volunteer program is there. Again, no governors differences from the governor's recommended budget. This is a grant with a 3% increase from FY '26. Moving to sections b eight zero eight through b eight ten beginning on the bottom of page 83. These are b eight zero eight, the Vermont Council of Arts, b eight zero nine, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and b eight ten, the Vermont Historical Society. Again, these are all grants and they are all provided a 3% increase from last year. In addition, we added through $38,645 to the Vermont Council of Arts budget to help them with a match for the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal grant. Skipping to eight, b eight twelve on page 85, find the Vermont Humanities Council. Again, this is a grant with a 3% increase and no change from the governor's recommend. Moving to page one thirty six, we have find e two fifteen, which is military administration. The the the language in this section directs January appropriated in section two b two fifteen of this bill to the Vermont Student Assistant Corporation for the National Guard tuition benefit program. Section e two seventeen military position pool federal funding of the federal funds appropriated in section b two seventeen, $442,247 shall be the 75% share for six classified limited service positions taken from the position pool for four military maintenance specialist two, one military building construction specialist, and one military storekeeper. Section e two eighteen military position pool state funding of the general fund appropriation section b two eighteen, military position pool state funding of the general fund appropriated in section b two eighteen of this act, $101,147,411 dollars shall be the 25% state share for the positions that I just described in e two seventeen. Section e two nineteen military affair military veterans affairs of the general fund appropriation in b two nineteen of this act, $1,000 shall be used for continuation of the Vermont Medal Program. $2,000 shall be used for the expenses of the governor's Veterans Advisory Council. $7,500 shall be used for the Veterans Day Parade. $10,000 shall be used for the American Legion Dream Mountain Boys State and Girls State programs. $10,000 shall be used for the USS Vermont support group. This is a all volunteer group that's dedicated to supporting the officers and crew and families of the Virginia class fast attack submarine, the US desk Vermont. I'll now yield to the speaker from Bennington.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Franklin yields to the member from Bennington.

[Representative David Durfee]: Madam speaker, I will also reference pages of the bill as I move through the sections that are part of my budget portfolio. Starting on page 10, finance and management's budget is split into two divisions. B one zero six, budget and management and B one zero seven, financial operations. This budget has typical annual increases and there is no change from the governor's recommended budget. Next, the Vermont Department of Taxes is comprised of six divisions. On page 12, b one eleven, tax administration. Aside from standard increases, this area has an increase of a $135,000 to account for a new business analyst position relating to act 73 tax changes. On pages twenty three and twenty four, b 137, homeowners rebate, b 138, renters rebate, b 140, municipal current use, b 142, payment in lieu of taxes or pilot, and B 144, pilot corrections. These areas have little change from FY '26 and the committee accepted all of these divisions budgets as proposed. Going back to section B 139, reappraisal and listing payments, this does show an additional 3,400,000.0 from the pilot fund for payments to municipalities to assist with grand list maintenance. This was in the governor's recommended budget and supported by the committee and you may recall that the same use was added to the FY '26 BAA. Starting on page 19, section b one thirty is the budget for the auditor of accounts. This budget has standard increases and is unchanged from the proposed budget. On page 22, the budget for the state labor relations board can be found in section b 135. In addition to standard pay and cost increases, appropriations has added an additional $130,000 for the creation of a new mediator position. This position is needed because of the elimination of federal mediators who had previously been providing this service. Section B136 on page 22 is the budget for the VOCA review board. This has standard increases and was accepted as proposed. You can find the budget for the Department of Financial Regulation on pages 38 through 40 And it broken into five divisions. B226, Financial Regulation Administration, B227 Banking, B228 Insurance, B229 captive insurance and B230, securities. Of these, all of these divisions have standard increases and the committee accepted all proposed budgets. Next section B240 on page 43 is the cannabis control board. This budget increases by 9.4% primarily due to additional costs related to their new lab. This is unchanged from the governor's proposed budget. Moving to page 66, sections B400 and B401 is the Department of Labor. This budget is down $6,000,000 from FY '26 due to the expiration of the federally funded retain program. This expiration had been expected and does not represent a new federal cut. The committee accepted this budget as proposed. Moving to b 1,100 on page one zero three, there's a one time appropriation of $200,000 from the general fund to the Department of Labor for a grant to advance Vermont. Moving to transfers in section D. Section D100 starting on page 110 relates to the allocation of the property transfer tax. The following transfers occur each year. 608,000 to the current use special fund. 38,000,000 to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. 1,500,000.0 is used for debt payments and affordable on the affordable housing bond, an additional 1,000,000 from the clean water surcharge. 10,000,000 to municipal and regional planning fund and further transferred to the regional planning commission, 7,800,000.0. To municipalities for planning grants, 1,300,000.0. And to the agency of digital services for the Vermont Center for geographical Geographic Information, 1,000,000. In section d one zero one starting on page one twelve, other fund transfers include from the general fund to the tax computer modernization fund, 4,700,000.0. From the ed fund to the tax computer modernization fund, 1,600,000.0. These are two transfers made every year. From the insurance regulatory and supervision fund to the general fund, 42,800,000.0. From the securities regulation and supervision fund to the general fund, 23,800,000.0. These are the standard transfers from DFR to the general fund each year. And finally from the general fund to the captive insurance regulatory and supervision fund, 143,000. Finally, have a few pieces of language in section E. Starting on page 123, sections Excuse me, section E-one 111 has the language for the business analyst position that's being added to the tax department and it notes that this position will come from the position pool. On page one twenty seven, section e 135, there's language relating to the added mediator position at the Vermont Labor Relations Board. In subsection c two, it notes that the mediator may provide free mediation services to the public and private sector collective bargaining units and employers if they have the capacity to do so. And subsection C3 requires the board to develop policies and procedures on ensuring the confidentiality of mediation information. On page 133, section E139 has standard language relating to the use of $70,000 for the grand list litigation assistance. Section E one hundred thirty nine one authorizes the use of pilot funds for the payments of two municipalities for grand list maintenance that was referenced before. And sections one hundred forty two and one hundred forty four have standard annual language relating to pilot and the pilot special fund. Madam speaker, I would like to yield to the member from Waterbury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Bennington yields to the member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood]: Thank you, madam speaker. I'll be reporting on my portfolio which includes the legislative budget, the Department of Human Resources, the Agency for Commerce and Community Development, the Agency of Agriculture and Farm Markets, the Human Rights Commission, the Land Access Opportunity Board, and Vermont Legal Aid. As with the others, I will do my best to provide the page and line references as I go through this budget. The Department of Human Resources appears in section b one zero eight, which is on page 10 and the bill is introduced. Section b one zero eight is the operations budget. B 108.1 is for the VTHR operations and the appropriations committee concurs with the governor's recommend. Section b 109 provides for DHR employee benefits and wellness and the committee concurs with the governor's recommend. The legislative budget starts with section b one twenty five on page 17. Section b one twenty five is the legislative council budget. Section b one twenty six is the budget for the legislature personal services and operating expenses. Section one twenty six point one is the budget for legislative information technology. Section b one twenty seven is the budget for this joint fiscal committee. Section b one twenty eight is the budget for the sergeant at arms office. The committee concurs with the governor's recommend. One time I'm sorry. The the agriculture food and markets budgets are sections b two twenty two through b two twenty five point two and appears starting on page 37. B two twenty two is the administrative budget. B two twenty three is the food safety and consumer protection budget. B two twenty four is the agricultural development budget. B two twenty five is the agricultural resource management and environmental stewardship budget. B two twenty five point one is the budget for the agriculture and environmental lab. And b two twenty five point two is the clean water budget. We concurred with the governor's recommend in all of those sections. One time appropriations for the agriculture food and markets appear on page 100 in section b 1,100 l one, two, and three. Section b 1,100 l one is a $500,000 appropriation to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont for their crop cash, crop cash plus, and farm share programs. These programs help Vermonters buy food at farmers markets that they may not otherwise be able to afford. They are successful programs that will be fully subscribed. Section two is $300,000 in grants to Vermont's 14 natural resource conservation districts to help communities navigate the at times complex applications for grant resources. And section three is 400 a $400,000 grant to the Vermont Food Bank for the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program. This highly successful program will grant money to farmers who will then share their harvest for distribution through the food bank. The Human Rights Commission appears on line b two thirty six on page 42 of the bill as introduced. We restored the governor's recommended vacancy savings of approximately $65,000 and added another $107,500 to their base to combine so that they can pay for an additional attorney investigator. The Human Rights Commission has been under capacity for more than several years. They have had funding denied them by the current HUD administration and will no longer receive funding for most fair housing cases they are able to litigate. They will remain under capacity especially as funding cuts in other legal legal organizations forces calls to the HRC. We recognize that this one position is not enough but it will make a difference. The agency of commerce and community development starts with section B 800 on page 81. My report will not cover the Department of Housing and Community Development. Section b 800 is the administrative budget, b eight zero one is the economic development budget, and b eight zero six is the tourism and marketing budget. We concurred with the governor's recommend for all of these budgets including a one time expenditure of a $150,000 for two year contract for a consultant to provide to promote trade between Vermont and Quebec as well as a $75,000 appropriation to the professionals of color network. These appropriations are found on page 98 in section b 1,100 g sections one and two. The land access and opportunity board is housed within the structure of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, is represented in section b eight eleven, and they have a separate budget within that construct. The governor's recommend did not fulfill the LAOB's request for a higher base increase, but it did receive a 3% increase and nor did it include further requested funding for projects. The LAOB works with a number of agencies to enhance outcomes for housing programs and we were not able to find the funding beyond the governor's recommend at this time. Finally, Vermont Legal Aid is found in several places in the budget including under the auspices of the Agency of Human Services budget. And I just want to there are four one to four key appropriations. One is the annual from recurring from the AHS secretary office appropriation. The governor's rec was 2,367,000.000, and the house concurred with that as a base level funding. The they have a legal helpline funding, and it was increased. The governor's rec was 100,000. We took testimony from legal aid and they provided data that their their helpline has doubled. The the number of calls to it have doubled over the last two years and so we increased their appropriation another $100,000. The healthcare advocate base increase the governor's recommend was $2,000,000.400 and $2,000,406 and there was a request to increase the base another $450,000 the bulk of which will be through general commitment money. The cost of the general fund was approximately $58,000. And then the last one here for legal aid is $200,000 for funding for a an immigration attorney to help with the crises that we're reading about that have been the chaos that's been brought in by by the state to the federal by federal actions. Madam speaker, I would like to yield to the member from Underhill.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Waterbury yields to the member from Underhill.

[Representative Trevor Squirrell]: Thank you madam speaker. I'll be reporting on the criminal justice system areas, Agency of Natural Resources and the Land Use Review Board. I'll be referencing the b numbers in the web report and bill and page numbers of the bill as appropriate for all those sections. B 200, attorney general's office, we converted a home improvement specialist from limited service position to permanent classified. We also added $85,000 to the base for that position. The position changes in e 100 page one eighteen. Court diversion b two zero one, we converted a limited service position to permanent classified for assistant director court diversion and pretrial services, and that's found in e 100 in page one eighteen. B two zero two, Defender General Public Defense. We had a base increase of $350,000 for contracts, case rate administration, and in house training. B two zero three, Defender General assigned counsel. We agree with the governor's recommend. In B two zero four, judiciary, we have a base increase of 250,000 for the additional for additional court security of and we also have the conversion of 26 limited service positions to permanent classified. These positions were established in FY '24 to help in part to address the court backlog, and these positions continue to be needed for the foreseeable future. This would also be found in e 100 page one nineteen. B two zero five, state's attorneys, restored vacancy savings and supported deputy state's attorneys in the amount of $330,000, $392. B two zero six, special investigative unit, we agree with the governor's recommend. In B two zero six point one, crime victims advocates restored vacancy savings in support of the victims advocates in the amount of $1.47 $470. And b two zero seven, sheriffs restored vacancy savings in support of transport deputies in the amount of a $139,235. B two twenty, Center for Crime Victim Services, we have $350,000 in one time transfer of funds to backfill the sexual violence domestic violence special fund. You can find that transfer on page one thirteen. $100,000 in base was also added to augment grant administration. B three three five, corrections administration, we agree with the governor's recommend. And b three three six, corrections parole board, there's a $75,000 appropriation to DOC, the higher external legal counsel to support the parole board legal counsel pilot project, which was referenced in House Bill five fifty nine. B three thirty seven, correctional education. There's we agree with the governor's recommend. And B three three eight, correctional services. There was 606 excuse me. $650,000 appropriated in FY '26 for the pretrial supervision program and 850,000 in the FY '27 governor's recommend and is being reverted and reduced respectively. The program has had an unsuccessful implementation and the funds are being reappropriated to other areas of need. We did retain 660,000 of base funding and a carryover of 200,000 one time funds to either continue a pilot of this program or potentially use the resources for the accountability court stock activities. B three three eight dot 1, corrections justice reinvestment two. B three three nine, out of state beds. B three forty, correctional facilities recreation, b three forty one Vermont offender work program. We agree with the rec governor's recommend. B 700, secretary's office, agency of natural resources, we agree with the governor's recommend. B seven zero one, state land local property tax assessment, agree with the governor's recommend. B seven zero two, fish and wildlife, the elimination of a proposed RIF, a reduction in force of 65,997. It was due to a higher than expected funds from the Dingle Johnson Fund after the budgets were put together. We also backfilled an access fee revenue of 50,000. It was in the governor's recommend, but not authorized in house bill nine thirty three. B seven zero three, Forest Parks and Recreation Administration, and B seven zero four, Forestry, B seven zero five, State Parks, B seven zero six, Lands Administration and Recreation, B seven zero eight, Forest and Parks Access Roads. Agree with the governor's recommend. B seven zero nine, Management and Support Services. And B seven ten, Air and Waste Management and Department of Environmental Conservation. Agree with the governor's recommend. In seven eleven, Environmental Conservation Office of Water Programs, 300,000 is appropriated for two additional positions, environmental engineers and supportive activities related to act one twenty one of 2024, the Flood Safety Act, and that can be found on page one seventy seven and which is e 700 dot three. Also, 175,000 in a one time approach appropriation in support of h seven eight eight, which is the dam safety bill, 250,000 to the Vermont Emergency Management, and 125 to Department of Public Safety in support of an emergency operations plan pilot project as, again, referenced in h seven eighty eight. Thank you. And I now yield to the member from Saint Albinstown.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Under Hill Hill yields to the member from Saint Albinstown.

[Representative Casey Toof]: Thank you, madam speaker. I will be reporting on the following sections of the bill, Libraries, Governor's Office, Lieutenant Governor's Office, Treasurer's Office, the Vermont Pension Investment Commissioner VPIC, the Office of the Secretary of Human Services, the Human Services Secretary's Global Commitment, the Department of Health, the Department of Public Health, and the Green Mountain Care Board. My references for page locations in the bill are from the bill as introduced. In section B104.1, this is the pensions, page eight, it is for the retired state employees pension plus funding from the treasurer's office. This is the governor's recommend that added 15,000,000 to the retirement fund. This extra pension plus amount will be added each year until 2038 to fully fund the pension. Section b five thirteen page 71 also shows the retired teachers pension plus funding. It's the governor's recommend. B five fourteen page 72 is the state teachers retirement fund. Again, another government governor recommend. B five fourteen point one page 72 is the state teachers retirement system Administration. This shifts the OPEB investment consulting to VPIC. The OPEB is the basically the healthcare for teachers after retirement. E five one four point one on page one sixty seven to one sixty eight reflects this change in language. E five fifteen page 72 is the retired teacher's health and medical benefits as the governor's recommend. E five fifteen page one sixty eight is language breaking down the source of

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: the

[Representative Casey Toof]: funding. B 100 one ten, excuse me, is for the libraries. That's on page 12, and this is the governor's recommend we concur. B one twenty four is the governor's office. Page 17, we concur what the governor's recommend. B one twenty nine is lieutenant governor's office. Page 19, the also, we agree with the governor's recommend. B 31 is the treasurer's office page 30. There is a reduction shifting OPEB, again, the retired health care for teachers for the investment consulting to Vermont Pension Investment Commission or VPIC. Additional budgets for other parts of the treasurer's office are on pages 20 to 21. B 132 is unclaimed property. B 133 is Vermont State Retirement System. B one thirty four is the Municipal Employees Retirement System. B one thirty four point one is Vermont Pension Investment Commission. All of these are the governor's recommend. There are several language changes that affect these parts of the treasurer's office. In d one zero one b one c on page one fourteen, there is a transfer from unclaimed property to general fund. E 100 page one seventeen to one eighteen, there's language for the treasurer for a new position for unclaimed property and language for VPIC. It's a transfer of a position from the treasurer's office for OPEB for the investment consulting expenses. In e one thirty one page one twenty five, there's language for a report from the treasurer on the higher education endowment trust fund. In e one thirty three and e one thirty four on page one twenty six, there's language for state and municipal employees retirement system. In VPIC commission, operating budget and source of funds. In b 300, which is page 44 to 46, we have the human services secretary's office. There is an additional appropriation to the healthcare advocate from the global commitment fund in this. There's also additional budgets for other parts of the human services secretary's office, page 45 to 46. B three zero three is the developmental disabilities council. B three zero four is the human services board. B three zero five is the AHS administrative fund, and all of these are governors recommend. There are several language changes for the AHS secretary's office. In section b 1,100 c two and three on page 97, there's language for the global commitment for nurturing parents and parent child centers. In section B1100D 1.2 on page 98, there is language for the additional appropriation of the healthcare advocate. Section B1100D three and four on page 98, there's language for Meals on Wheels and Dale. For section C100E on page 102, there's language for human services caseload reserve appropriationed through the secretary's office. In d one zero one a five a on page one thirteen, there's a transfer from earned federal receipts to the general fund. B three zero one, which is page 44 to 45. This is the agency of human service human services secretary's office global commitment. This is the area of the budget known as the mixing bowl. It is the part of the secretary's office that administers the global commitment grants for Medicaid. It operates under a federal waiver that allows the state flexibility in allocating Medicaid dollars. The appropriations committee increased the total grants by $8,736,293. This includes both general and global commitment dollars. The list of grants is on the web report which is available on the JFO website. This includes annualization of both the Area Agency of Aging and for tier one enhanced residential care included in the Budget Adjustment Act for fiscal year '26. It also includes federal funding for home and community based skilled nursing, elder care program at the Department of Mental Health, and for DAs, SSAs, and HCBS. And it's a transfer from the Green Mountain Care Board and Federal Match for the Healthcare Advocate. In E301, E301.2, E301.3 on pages 140 to 143, all of these sections have language for the global commitment with more specifics on funds and transfers for agency of human services and the extension of the global commitment waiver. B. Three eleven on page 48 is the Department of Health. It has added an additional appropriation for AHEC for primary loan repayment for doctors and MD placement. B 1,100 d little I one and two on page 99 to a 100 is language for automatic automated external defibrillators in schools and a grant to the Vermont State Youth Council. E three eleven page one fifty four. The statute of 18 VSA section 33 relating to medical students in primary care calling for a sunset of 07/01/2027. This statute is deleted. Section B three twelve page 48 to 49, the Department of Health, Public Health. There is an additional appropriation for the free and referral clinics with general fund and federal funds. Section b three forty five, page 64 is the Green Mountain Care Board. It has an additional appropriation for build back funds for the state chair of the health care advocate along with special funds. Madam speaker, I will now yield to the representative from Morrisville.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Saint Albans Town yields to the member from Morrisville.

[Representative David Yacovone]: Thank you, madam speaker. I will be reporting on the Department of Vermont Health Access, Department for Children and Families, and the Department of Aging and Independent Living. Start with the Department of Vermont Health Access on page 46, B306, the administration portion of their budget. There are 372 employees in the department. The department served 234,000 Vermonters last year, and they paid their claims, tens of thousands of them, 99% within thirty days. It's a busy place. Some of the changes that I wanna highlight for you include one is a result of HR one, the bill passed by congress on July 2025. With eligibility changes, the department will need to add 12 additional staff who will come from the hiring pool to help deal with eligibility issues. These are known as benefit assisters. The department serves some 30,000 plus new adults annually. Those adults will now have to apply twice a year for their benefits, hence the increased work that is needed. In addition to that, in the administration area is a change of work with the agency of on education of education. The agency for many years going back to some early two thousand, two thousand and three has been billing Vermont Medicaid. The work to bill Medicaid is going to shift from education to the Department of Vermont Health Access. That's sort of that's where the mechanics of all the billing will occur. There will be some employees, four, I believe, who will remain with the agency of education to assist the schools and the districts with how to reinvest some of the Medicaid funds, some $17,000,000 into schools for intervention and prevention. The next item in DIVA or the Department of Vermont Health Access B307 under global commitment, there's some increased spending there, small but very important, small relatively I should say, for what we call ACCS, assisted community care services of a little more than $200,000 Assisted community care services serve people who are not quite frail enough to be in a nursing home, but too frail to really remain at home. They play a very important function. This service has been going on since the mid nineteen nineties. Next is section b three zero nine, what we call state only funding services. There's $500,000 that will be appropriated for bridges to health. This is an important service for Vermonters who are not eligible for Medicaid but need the service comes through our extensions has come through our extension services. And finally, in DIVA, the Department of Vermont Health Access Section three ten. This is a waiver service that's allowed for Medicaid match. It's $250,000 as soon as I can see it, for AHEC services in addition to what the member from St. Albans Town just covered. In the department, moving on to the Department for Children and Families, section B316, and this one can be found on page 51 for those who might want to follow, is funding for what we many of us know as two one one, some 2, $220,000. Two one one is fast becoming has been part of our social safety net that so many people rely on for communications in a myriad of different ways from housing to childcare and much more. This is funding to help them keep the lights on, keep it staffed, and keep functioning. Moving on to the Department of Aging and Independent Living on page 57, section b three two nine. This is a position that's been authorized by your committee on appropriations for

[Representative Jed Lipsky]: a $130,000

[Representative David Yacovone]: for disabled a disable disability housing coordinator. This is an area that's growing as well it should, and many Vermonters need assistance as to where to turn for disabled housing and plus the development of disabled housing that's been growing recently, particularly in the area of intellectual disabilities. The next area is a $13,030,000 dollars. And this, madam speaker, if the members ought to remember anything I say today, I hope it's this. It was Helen Keller who said, kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear. When our committee learned of a federal funding for the deaf blind population, they're not deaf or blind, they're deaf and blind, to help them with interpreter services, we unanimously agreed to put this money in the budget to continue that very essential service for these special Vermonters. I'm gonna cover, briefly, madam speaker, some one time, funding. Excuse me. But before I do that, I wanna cover some language in the Department of Aging and Independent Living. It's on page 164, section three twenty nine. Our policy committee on health and human services requested that we add some language in the choices for care area of the budget to separate out the home and community based services that are funded through choices for care from the nursing home and create two line items so they stood on their own so one was not usurped by the others. It's primarily, nursing homes needing to take from the community services, and that language was approved by our committee and added to the bill. In the area of of one time funding in, excuse me, section 1,100, page 96, there's some IT there are some IT services for Diva that are necessary as part of the HR one requirements, the big bill from Washington, and that's over a million dollars. There's also in in that same page area, a 194,000 for prevent child abuse Vermont for the nurturing parent program that serves some 13,000 children and families last year. We decided that this program was scheduled to be eliminated given that the Department for Children and Families recommends that many of the families who are at high risk, unfortunately, of abuse or neglect can use the additional services through prevent child abuse Vermont with much success. We're funding that program or recommend to you that we fund that program, and that is in the amount of a $194,000 in total. And finally, madam speaker, there's the campaign $200,000 recommended for the Vermont to end the Vermont campaign to end homelessness. And additionally, in that same section, a $130,000 for supervised visitation of children with their families with the hope that they can be reintegrated, but they need a lot of coaching and observation before that can happen. Thank you, madam speaker. At this point, I will yield to the member from Burlington.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Morristown yields to the member from Burlington.

[Representative Brian Cina]: Madam speaker, my budget sections include substance use programs, mental health, portions of the DCF budget, and housing. I begin with b three thirteen, the budget line for substance use programs within the Department of Health on page 49 of the bill. Our committee accepted the governor's recommended budget but added 102,000 in global commitment in line with its share of increases in payments to DA's and SSA's, designated agencies and special service organizations. The budget includes two language sessions related to the division of substance use programs. The first, section e three twelve on page one fifty four is standard language authorizing the annual distribution of special and general funding for AIDS, HIV, and harm reduction services. General funds appropriated for these services purposes total $740,000. Second language section, section e three thirteen on page one fifty six directs the Department of Health to review all past appropriations from the opioid abatement special fund and make recommendations concerning which grants would be more most appropriate to that fund and which could be supported through the substance misuse prevention fund. This language mirrors language in h six sixty which the house has already passed. Turning to the Department of Mental Health, whose budgets three b three fourteen and three fifteen can be found on page 50. The governor's budget for the Department of Mental Health included one significant bay base budget addition. Approximately $5,000,000 in global commitment funds to reflect the transition of designated agencies and social service agencies into certified community based integrated health centers. This transition has been encouraged by the federal government and is rewarded with a higher reimbursement rate, which will narrow the gap between the true cost of services and what Medicaid will play. We restored several cuts in the governor's budget for programs that both the human services and healthcare committees consider essential. A base appropriation for community based mental health services for elderly Vermonters who are homebound located in the base mental health budget on page 50. And two one time appropriations found on page 100 for community outreach services, and for the single day resource center that is open to unsheltered Vermonters in Chittenden County. The cuts were not only opposed by house policy committees, but in public testimony offered by advocates and legislators believing them to be critical to the continuum of Vermont's mental health care system, the budget restores these programs with one time funding. Turning to the department for children and families within the agency of human services, sections b three twenty one to three twenty seven found on pages 53 to 56 of the bill. We made no changes to the governor's recommended budgets in sections three twenty two, 23, and 24. But we did add language in section e three sixteen on page one fifty seven requiring the department to submit a report, Department of Children and Families to submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, Committee on Human Services, and Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. This report must include an actionable phased in plan of up to five years to eliminate the reach up rateable reduction along with cost estimates. Currently, the ratable reduction limits a household's reach up benefit to about 50% of a household's calculated standard of need. Notably, one component of that calculation for housing is based on 2001 data. Base appropriations related to emergency housing, including shelter development and operations, case management, rental assistance, supportive services, and motel housing are funded across two sections, b three twenty one on page 53 and b three twenty five on page 55. One time appropriations are listed on page 97. As we will hear in our discussion of h nine thirty eight, total funding for the programs in base one time federal and global commitment sources is 82,600,000.0. The same amount the governor proposed and in the same increments by funding source. We added a one time appropriation of $200,000 to provide targeted housing services for homeless Vermonters who are disabled. House appropriations also accepted the governor's budget for b three twenty seven, which included a one time $4,000,000 appropriation for temporary secure residential treatment facilities for youth, listed on page 56. In its letter to us, the Human Services Committee raised concerns about the high cost of such facilities exemplified by a five year contract signed by Department of Children and Families this year for the new three bed program that will cost $4,300,000 to run next year, equivalent to $4,000 per bed per day, whether or not a child is even using the program. In response to these concerns and a desire for full for full transparency and legislative input, the bill includes language on page one thirty nine that requires DCF to report monthly on what is being done to develop the Green Mountain Youth Campus and the total projected cost of the entire high end system of care for youth. The language also prohibits expenditures for further development of the Green Mountain Youth Campus in FY 2027 unless the Joint Fiscal Committee approves the resumption of spending approves the resumption of spending after reviewing the required reports or the general assembly authorizes the resumption of spending. And finally, to housing. The budget makes several important investments in housing. Our committee accepted the governor's proposal to appropriate $4,000,000 in base funding for the VHIP program, which included is included in b eight zero two on page 82. We agreed with the governor's proposal outlined on page one eleven to appropriate the full statutory allocation of the property transfer tax. $3,700,060,454,000 to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for housing development and conservation. And the committee also included two one time appropriations for housing, which can be found on page 99. We accepted the governor's proposed 800,000 appropriation in one time funding for manufactured housing improvements and repairs, and we included $1,000,000 for the Rental Arriers Assistance Fund, a fund established in the Vermont State Housing Authority through act 47 in 02/2023 and recommended for funding in h seven seven two. Both of these appropriations can be found on page 99. And I now yield to the member from Putney.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Burlington yields to the member from Putney.

[Representative Michael Mrowicki]: Thank you, madam speaker, and thank you to the member from Burlington. I'd like to start my presentation though with with a budget fact based on a question I received this morning. The member asked me if if in fact the state of Vermont has been saving money and putting money in rainy day funds. Title 32 section three zero eight requires that. We not only have one, we have four stabilization funds. The general fund, education fund, transportation fund, and the human services caseload fund. Not only do we maintain these funds, but Pew Charitable Trust rated Vermont in the top 10 in the nation for maintaining our funds. And this is part of how we get such a good rating from the bond rating institutions that are out there. I hope that clears up the question that that came to me this morning. I'll be reporting on the ethics commission, secretary of state's office, department for child and families, child development division, Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Support, Vermont Commission on Women, the Office of Child Advocate, and Higher Education in Vermont. Start on page 22, section b one three six point one, the ethics committee Ethics Commission. The governor's recommendation was 214,306 thousand dollars. However, two years ago, we passed a bill that expanded what we were asking of the ethics commission, but we didn't add any extra money or staff for that. They had requested two full time employees, but because of our budget constraints this year, we were only able to offer them one. So, we added 150,000 for a total of $364,306. B two three two is found on page 40 of our bill. This is the secretary of state's office. The governor's recommend was $27,675,000.09 0. One of the things that the secretary of state requested above that was $540,000 for 2026 election support. This election support funding used to come from the federal government, but this current administration in Washington has cut money for election support. So, we added that $540,000 requested. We also added $450,000 for the Vermont Access Network that brings community television for select boards, school boards, and other civic actions. In addition, the secretary requested $90,000 for the community radio network. And, this comes to a total of $28,125,490. Section b three eighteen is found on page 52. It's two and I have two of the six divisions from Department of Children and Families. This is the child development division. The governor's recommendation is 233,829,726. The house offers no change to that recommendation. The other DCF division is the office of child support. This is a division that actually saves Vermonters money by following up on unpaid child support, making sure it's paid. Otherwise, many of the people who don't get their child support wind up receiving public benefits in TANF. They're forced to do so because the parent's not fulfilling their obligation. The governor's budget recommendation is 18,595 thousand $697 with no change suggested from the house. B three four three, found on page 64, is the Vermont Commission on Women. Governor's recommendation is $540,002.88. The house offers no change. B three four six on page 64 is the office of child bad advocate. The governor's recommendation is 407,107 and the house offers no change. B 600 starts the largest section of the report on Vermont Higher Education. This goes on 70 page 73 of the bill. For the University of Vermont, the governor's recommendation is 59,099,447 with no change from the house. The governor recommends for the state Vermont State Colleges 54,042,753 with no change from the house. Then there's section B603, Vermont State College's Allied Health Plan, 1,806,000, no change. B605 is VSAC, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation with $27,897,494 no change from the house. B605.1 is the flexible pathways stipends, 82,450 thousand with no change. And then, B606 is the New England Higher Education Compact, 86,520 with no change. The total for higher ed, 143,014,660 with no change. I wanted to add that with the $20,000,000 that we were able to address additional requests, we were able to add 2,320,000 for the VSAC Freedom and Unity Scholarships. Now, at this point, I'd like to yield to the member from East Burke.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Putney yields to the member from Burke.

[Unidentified Representative (Burke)]: Thank you, madam speaker. I'll primarily focus on top level highlights of my budget sections, which include the Department of Public Safety or Public Service, Public Utilities Commission, Vermont Community Broadband, Education, and the Agency of Transportation. I'll be referring to the pages of the 179 page bill itself, and we'll go through the basic agency and department budgets at the beginning of the bill and reference language pieces and sections that I'll note afterwards. The public service, the Department of Public Service budget is found on page forty and forty one. They have an appropriation of $32,800,000 there. These include typical increases for salary benefits, fee for space, IT, and other areas. There is one, there's no change here from the governor's recommended budget and their budget was accepted by the committee. On page 41, the Vermont Community Broadband, their fund total is $46,200,000 Please know, members, that 94% of their budget is funded by federal grants. The remainder, the small amount remaining is funded by state funds. There was no change from the governor's recommended budget, and it was accepted by the committee. Of note, this year, however, here, early on this last year in October 2025, is the recent Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program BEAT Award of $93,000,000 that had been denied in October and subsequently appealed by the state with a positive result. That allows their work to continue along the way to provide construction of high speed internet that includes installation of satellite where practical. Their interactive website continues to advance and updates are provided there regarding miles completed across the state, and we encourage the members to please reference that. The Public Utilities Commission, their budget can be found on pages 41 to 42, B-two 34. Their appropriation of $5,200,000 here also has the typical increases for salaries, and we accepted the governor's recommended budget. One brief note to add, and this was referenced earlier this session here, that public utilities were moving to drafting their periodic telecommunications plan every five years instead of every three years. This will provide bitter relief here for the staff of the Commission, and over the long term will result in significant savings here for the state. Each one of those telecommunications plans typically runs around $500,000 to complete. The Agency of Education, their sections B501 to B515 can be found starting on page 66 and extend to page 73. Their general, their total general fund for general education in total this year was $3,020,000,000 That's 3,000,000,000. I'll give the entire direct specific amount here. So, billion 28,332,352. That is the total of their general education total funds here for this year. Of note here, the budget primarily follows the governor's recommend in all areas, as noted in those sections. I will note that there was one net technical change, as referenced by the member from Morrisville here earlier here, moving some funds here out of outdoor education here to DIVA. Some other notable adjustments is in the is included on pages 104 to 106, Section C. If you take a look at that in the budget itself, there was a total of $2,865,000 here to be spread across specific years to allow the agency to continue their education transformation work with $1,452,500 to to transition to award transition grants to school districts and CSAs to work required to transition to to future new governance and administration. This represents part of their reorganization here this past year to care at their responsibilities. 5 and 62,500 for five positions that were previously dedicated to limited search service, which are now permanent positions, and $850,000 for contracted services to facilitate school boards to study the forming of union school districts, as well as support districts. Other funding, as noted in the budget summary, which many of you picked up yesterday, there was $182,000 to the Agency of Education for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a USDA grant to provide reimbursement for nutritious meals for eligible children and adults in non residential care settings. The last budget area here is transportation, beginning on page 85 to 95. The agency of transportation comprises 22 budget areas. You can see those listed here specifically in the web report may be helpful for all. The committee accepted the proposed budget for all budget areas for a total of $934,000,000 excuse me, $934,702,973 to be reported today later on by the Transportation Committee. And as a reminder, more than 50% of their budget comes from the federal government here, and there is one piece here in section E. It's on page 178, the second to last page of the big bill here. There was just a little bit of an adjustment here in some language. Please, as a reminder from last year's budget, there was a change in language referencing that no transportation funds shall be appropriated for the support of government other than for the agency here, and that language is a little bit different here this year. It does start off with the same verbiage here I just referenced. No transportation fund shall be appropriated for the support of government other than the agency, the Board, Transportation Pay Act funds, construction of transportation capital facilities, transportation debt service, the purchase of, this is the new language here, the purchase of level one and level two electric vehicle supply equipment, charging ports by the Department of Housing, and community development for the purposes provided in '23 VSA March, and the operation of information centers by the Department of Buildings and General Services. And now, madam speaker, I'd like to yield to the member from Middlebury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Burke Yields to the member from Middlebury.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Madam speaker, the vote on this bill was a unanimous eleven zero zero. We also have an amendment to report, I will address additional sections of the budget at that time.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: So now for the committee on ways and means, member from Brattleboro.

[Representative Emilie Kornheiser]: Madam speaker, your committee on ways and means began this legislative session with the committee on appropriations identifying together how much revenue was available, the future revenue challenges we have before us as a result of federal action, and the really remarkably tough situation our appropriations committee was in given all of the needs throughout our state and for our people. Your Ways and Means Committee reviewed this year's budget when it was referred to us. We heard from witnesses from the Joint Fiscal Office, our legislative council, the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, the director of Medicaid policy from the agency of human services, number of folks from school districts. And on a vote of eleven zero zero, We supported your committee on appropriations work on the budget and we ask for your support. Thank you.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: And now the member from Middlebury, representative Shy and others offer an amendment to the bill that the first assistant clerk emailed to members at 11:33AM today. This amendment is also posted on the house overview webpage and paper copies are available at the main table. Member for Middlebury.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Madam speaker, the amendment looks long at 30 pages. However, a good portion of that is the pay act, which will come a little bit later in the presentation. Every time we put together a budget this big, there are, it's very complex and sometimes we find new things even after we have published the budget. So, there's a couple of those things and then decisions get made and that's why we have an amendment. I'm going to talk about the first few amendments which are pretty minor. The first amendment is in the section in in a one zero eight, which is called the legend area. We added an extra number, the section to address the inclusion of the pay act. So in that becomes section f and the dates of effectiveness effective dates are become section g. So that was the first instance of amendment. And the second instance of amendment, actually, the second, third, and fourth relate to several changes in the b 300 section correcting some global commitment numbers and putting them in the correct categories. So in the second instance of amendment, we are correcting the section to move some money from general fund and increase federal funds by about 349,000 for global commitment appropriation in section b three eleven. So this is related to the AHEC global commitment payments where we got the right number. In the third instance of amendment in section b three eleven, again, we are correcting this section to increase global commitment by just over 601,000 to correct the changes in b three zero one. Again, AHEC and global commitment number corrections. The fourth instance of amendment in section B three sixteen, we struck it and changed it because the we corrected the section to move $71,955 from grants to personal services. It was just in the incorrect category, and we moved it to the correct category. And then in the fifth instance of amendment, we're striking out section b three forty seven, total human services in its entirety, and inserting a new b three forty seven to reflect all the changes that I just mentioned in the previous instances of amendment. And now I will yield to the member from Linden to talk about the next sections.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury yields to the member from Linden.

[Representative Martha Feltus]: Yes, madam speaker. Our sixth amendment deals with our funding for the adult education system. You will perhaps remember from last year's budget, there was a section in the budget that asked, the various providers of adult education services to work with the age or we asked the agency of administration to work with the various providers to come to an agreement on how the established funding for adult education funding should be divided among the various providers around the state. So this amendment, the six, incentive amendment is the result of that negotiations that went on, that coordination between the groups. So that we now have a formula that can be used in the future. So, section the first one, section five zero four point E, five zero four point two simply redefines or it does not refine. It reconfirms the definition of a local education provider, the statewide AEL count, the statewide AEL student hours, and at that an annual appropriation is to be made. And then it goes on to describe that in 2029, the formula shall be of the total amount that is appropriated from the whole from the education fund and the and the general fund. Of that amount, $80,000 will go to each county and then the remaining amount will be divided according to the number of students that are served in each county. And that it it defines the the providers in each count it doesn't provide the exact providers, but there is a provider for each county. And then section the the third portion there indicates that in years '27 and '28, that formula distribution will be slightly different. It will be $80,000 per county as a base amount, but then the balance of the funds that are appropriated will be divided 85% to according to the number of students and 15% according to the number of hours that have been provided to each student. That is the system that will continue for '27 and '28 because there is an existing three year cycle in the that process. In 2029, it will go back to what it is mentioned here in Section one. There is a repeal then of this twenty seven-twenty eight Section that shows up in 05/2003. And then in 05/2005, this is a contingent amendment or a contingent change that will occur when we go to the foundation formula in 2029 because it simply adds in the word categorical base amount. So as we can differentiate this payment from the student education opportunity payment that will be described in the foundation formula. So we just wanted we need a change in terms here so we don't get the two confused. That is, as I say, a result of the discussion between the agency of administration and the various providers of this service. And I will yield then to the member from Waterbury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Linden yields to the member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood]: Thank you, madam speaker. So the rest of this bill, save for the final section, which is, which will be effective dates, is about the pay act. It's the pay act is negotiated every two years. It it fully funds the first and second years. This pay act for 2728 fully funds the first and second years of collective bargaining agreements between the state of Vermont and the Vermont State Employees Association and the Vermont Troopers Association for the period of 07/01/2026 through 06/30/2028. The the pay increases that have been established in this compensation structure for classified and exempted statutory employees across all three branches of the state government will also be used for the legislative pay as well. So regardless of whether one is in the unions that are listed here or not, everybody in the government structure will be receiving the same pay increases. For fiscal years '27 and '28, and actually before I get into the actual numbers, just want to point out if you're looking at the if you're looking at what was crossed out in this amendment versus what is being proposed, you'll see that last the last references to this in the amendment have two columns and the new information for this year for this agreement is in three columns, and I'm going to explain that right here. For fiscal years 2027 and 2028, the average value of steps will be 1.9%. Actual steps that are received vary upon employee pay plan. Not every employee receives a step each year. The across the board increase then on top of that will be 2% in January 2026 and two percent more in January I'm sorry, July 26 and two percent more in January 2027. This will result in an approximate annual rate of adjustment of 5.9% in the fiscal year 2027 and the across the board increase will be 3% in July 2027 which will result in an approximate annual adjustment of 4.9%. The as I said the judicial legislative branches traditionally follow the annual rate of adjustment negotiated by the executive branch. Section two is an authority to extend provisions to employees not covered by the bargaining agreements. Sections four through nine are the statutory salary adjustments. So if you wanted to read through here, you will find out what our elected officers, heads of departments, officers of judicial branch, sheriffs, and states attorneys are being granted as base salaries. Their salaries are adjusted using the annual rate adjustment. Moving all the way up ahead to the appropriation section, which is on page 25 of the amendment. It shows that the fiscal, the appropriations for this will be on top of what has been appropriated in the past for these salaries, an additional 23,000,000, almost $24,000,000 appropriated from the general fund to the Secretary of Administration for the distribution to departments to fund the fiscal year '27. The transportation and amount from the transportation fund, an amount $3,000,000 is appropriated from the t fund to the secretary of administration for distribution to the agency of transportation and the department of public safety to fund the fiscal year twenty twenty seven collective bargaining agreements. And then other funds may be found to fund the growth in salaries and benefits. Estimated amounts are $27,000,000 from a special fund, federal funds and other resources. There are transfers as well. And then in fiscal year twenty twenty eight, the general fund amount of 24, nearly $25,000,000 is appropriated for those purposes as well from the T fund. Another $3,000,000 will be appropriated for those purposes already outlined and the other funds will the other estimated funds for the other the other funds will be $29,000,000 The that's going to take us there are specialties. There are special elements throughout. The chief justice of the supreme court may extend the provisions of the judiciary's collective bargaining agreement to judiciary employees who are not covered. And in fiscal year twenty twenty seven, the first year of the two year agreements for the judicial bargaining unit for the period July 21 07/01/2026 through 06/30/2027 in salary increases for employees in the judicial branch not covered by the bargaining agreement shall be funded in the amount of 3,800,000 from the general fund 277,000 from other sources to the judiciary. And in fiscal year 2028, that will be that number will be 2,466,000.000 from the general fund and 179,000 from other sources. The legislative branch from July 20 from 07/01/2026 through 06/30/2027. The general assembly including all legislative branch employees shall be funded as follows an extra amount on top of what we're appropriating earlier today. The amount of $914,634 is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative branch and for the period of 07/01/2027 through 06/30/2028, the General Assembly and including all legislative branch employees shall be funded as follows the amount of $778,939 is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative branch and that's the increase in the base that matches the 5.9% the first year and the 4.9% in the second year. Madam speaker, I would like to yield back to the member from Middlebury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Waterbury yields to the member from Middlebury.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Madam speaker, finally in this amendment, we have section g, which are the effective dates. All of section c, which relates to the current year f y twenty six budget, is effective on passage of the bill. In addition, three sections of the adult education language also become effective on passage. A number of sections related to the transfer of school based Medicaid Services Administration will take effect on 10/01/2026 when implementation of the program begins. And then the final section of the Medicaid school based fund E307.4, which reduces the amount of school based Medicaid reimbursement fund for the agency of education from 25 to 20% takes effect on 07/01/2027. And there is a section E923 related to T fund, also takes effect on this date. All other sections shall take effect on 07/01/2026, except for previously mentioned section of adult ed 504.5 that only becomes effective if the contingencies in act 73 related to the foundation formula occur. So that is the report of the House Appropriations Committee for the FY '27 budget. As I mentioned earlier, we heard from two thirty two witnesses. I have the list here on my desk for anyone who would like to see it. I would also like to thank our incredible joint fiscal office staff and our committee assistant Autumn for their unwavering support, endless patience in revising agendas, answering our questions, looking things up for us and creating the best spreadsheets and other documents anyone could ever ask for on an appropriations committee. We could never have put this budget together without you. And finally, would like to recognize and thank the entire appropriations committee for working together and getting us to a place where we could have a unanimous vote on this bill. There was a lot of hard work, many conversations and much listening. The result of this was a vote of eleven zero and we hope you will support the committee by voting yes on this bill. Thank you.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be amended as offered by the member from Middlebury and others? Are you ready for the question? Member from Dover.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Madam speaker, I am relieved and grateful to both the appropriations committee and the ways and means committee for their unanimous support of these. I know this result reflects a lot of compromise, that there are things in here that people love and things that people do not love, and we'll all have to decide if it's the balance is there to vote for it. I will be voting for this, and I do really appreciate in these tough times the ability to come together. But I do need to bring up, something that I seriously object to, and I'm going to beg the member's forgiveness because I'll be speaking to it several times today. Madam speaker, I would like to interrogate the

[Representative Casey Toof]: point of order.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Member from Pultely, what is your point of order?

[Representative Michael "Mike" Tagliavia]: Are we on the amendment, the pay act, or are we on the the entire bill?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: We are, member from Pultely, we are on the amendment. The amendment has several sections. Member from Dover.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Madam speaker I am speaking. I want to ask questions about B139. I think I've jumped the gun.

[Representative Martha Feltus]: Okay. Thank

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: thank you members. The question is shall the bill be amended as offered by the member from Middlebury and others, member from Northville?

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: Thank you madam speaker. I would like to interrogate the member from Middlebury on the amendment.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury is interrogated.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: Madam speaker, if I followed it all correctly, I understand the section on adult education funding add some appropriations that were not in the underlying budget at this point. Am I right?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: I don't believe so. And I would prefer to yield to the member from Linden if the questions are about adult education.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: Thank you. They're about that and the other part in terms of added money. But if it's specific to this, then the member from Linden

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Thank you.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: If I may interrogate her.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Linden is interrogated.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: Yes, ma'am. So Madam Speaker, the question is there appears to be allocations in this as an amendment to the budget. Are those allocations, additional funds added to the budget as presented which were not there previously?

[Representative Martha Feltus]: No. They are not. In the regular budget b five zero four, there is an amount of 4,349,673 of general fund. And in May one already in the budget, there is an amount of $22,000,008.09 $9.07 82 from the education fund which is part of flexible pathways. So the money that is going to be expended on adult education is already in the budget. The purpose of this was to simply define how it's split among the various providers. I thank the member

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: for that clarification. And Madam Speaker, now if I can interrogate the member from Middlebury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury is interrogated.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: My question is quite similar. Obviously I know that the, as a whole there was space in the budget as I recall for the pay act, but this is now specific. Is that the same figure or does this add or reduce what was in the budget as presented?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: It is the same figure that was in the budget as presented.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: I thank the member.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is shall the bill be amended as offered by the member for Middlebury and others? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor please say aye. Aye. All those opposed please say nay. The ayes appear to have it. The ayes do have it and you have amended the bill. Now the question is shall the bill be read a third time? Member from Dover.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Thank you, madam speaker. May I interrogate the presenter of the b one thirty nine section? The

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: I believe it's the The member from Bennington is interrogated.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Madam speaker, can you please remind me what this section does? I I know that this section has to do with our tax appraisals, but in more more specifically.

[Representative David Durfee]: In section b one thirty nine. So I think the section that you're referring to was came comes up in language and in that budget. So several points and actually I think we heard mention of it in our work report on miscellaneous tax yesterday. This is the reappraisal and listing payments that go to municipalities to assist with grand list maintenance created on a per parcel calculation. It is a typical expenditure that has happened out of the typical appropriation out of the general fund and this is in this year's budget moving that to the pilot special fund.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Okay. Thank you, madam speaker. So typically from the general fund this year from the pilot special fund. Madam speaker, does the member know the balance in the pilot special fund?

[Representative David Durfee]: I can say that the projected, the estimated balance for the end of FY twenty seven is expected to be about 13,000,000.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Madam speaker, the pilot special fund is the result of taxes that are raised at the municipal level. I believe now by authorized by 50 towns, 13, I think, new this year. And the law allows for those taxes to be raised as an alternative method of raising municipal revenue. Sorry, madam speaker. I wanna make sure that I still have a question for the member, which I believe that I do. So the rationale is an alternative method of raising municipal revenues. All four, four of my towns have elected to tax themselves in this way, And in large part, that's the pressure on the property tax, which makes it, really challenging for municipalities to raise revenue for other, needs that they have in the town. Did the, appropriations committee take any testimony from municipalities about using these funds or from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns?

[Representative David Durfee]: We did not.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Madam speaker, was this the recommend from the administration?

[Representative David Durfee]: Yes. This was included in the governor's proposed budget.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Including utilizing the pilot funds? Yes. It was. And madam speaker, did the appropriations committee take any testimony from the administration about the rationale for using these funds?

[Representative David Durfee]: There was a conversation when the budget was presented from the administration around this and further conversation within our committee. I think a lot of those focused on ensuring appropriate use. Obviously there's a policy decision on what somebody considers appropriate use but for our purposes, I think the conversation focused on the fact that pilot funds should be used in appropriations that serve municipalities and probably the only other piece of that conversation was a focus on ensuring the long term health of the pilot special fund.

[Representative Laura Sibilia]: Madam speaker, thank you. That that's the end of my questions. But I do wanna say that these funds, the pilot, special funds are, that surplus is growing every year. And I think as we've talked a bit about the pressure on the property tax, we are seeing more and more towns elect to tax themselves in this way. Having, had to help convince my taxpayers of the necessity to do this, you know, taxpayers are they wanna know where these funds are going. It's not just a, you know, where we get to keep a portion. They wanna know what's happening with the portion that is coming to the state. And for members that don't know the, right now, the towns are able to collect to keep 75% of what's collected, and 25%, goes into this pilot special fund, which is to pay, pilot in lieu payment in lieu of taxes for state buildings. And so that is an appropriation that is going out to towns. This is not an appropriation that is going out to towns. Madam speaker, I strenuously object to, the administration and the legislature taking money out of these funds, and I intend to vigorously contest that throughout the rest of the session. My communities would like that money returned to them, or returned in the form of appropriations to Vermont municipalities. Again, I am going to support the budget, and I really do appreciate how much collaboration has happened. Thank you.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is shall the bill be read a third time? Member from Northfield.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: Thank you, madam speaker. I I had just two questions and then one comment. I wanted to make my comment is considerably shortened by the excellent comments by the member from Dover, which was the same topic that has given rise to great concern to me and, to one of my towns, who recently, began, voted for and began to use a local options tax. And it was very distressing to me to hear that there was no testimony taken from the towns involved in this because, you know, there it may not have been I don't know if it was ever specifically in statute, don't think necessarily, or that it couldn't be changed by the legislature. But there has always been an understanding that the revenue that the state kept was going back to towns through the pilot funds, specifically that mechanism. And if we're going to change that, change the use because there isn't a need for the full use, and we're going to change that and not return it to the towns. The towns really feel they should have been asked or involved in that discussion whether that was the most appropriate alternative use if it wasn't going to be returned. And it's I think it's a problem that the money is being diverted elsewhere, but it goes beyond just being a problem. I think it's deeply problematic that there would be no discussion with the towns whose money is involved in this and where that's going to be going. So I joined fully in the what the member from Dover just said. I did have two questions just for clarification on the larger budget itself. If I may inquire of the member from Middlebury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury is interrogated.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: The first one is right in the beginning of the member's presentation. She gave some statistics in terms of percent changes. Those were numbers I had been looking for and hadn't been able find in any of the documents. And I'm wondering because it was pretty fast, I didn't jot everything down, if they could be repeated or maybe a written document that members can have so that we know those percentage changes in the general fund and the total represented by the budget?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Yes, certainly Madam Speaker, I just did the math and made notes on the highlight sheet. And so the two percentages that I referenced were, if you do happen to have the highlight sheet which was handed out yesterday during the caucus of the whole, the unduplicated appropriations went from 9,188,000,000.000 to 9,334,000,000.000, which is an increase of 145,860,000.00 or a 1.6% increase in the total budget. So that was one of the numbers that I quoted. The other one was general fund increase. In FY '26 is adjusted by the budget adjustment act. There were $2,498,000,000 in general fund. And in this proposed FY '27 budget, there's $2,000,000,005.50 and change for an increase of $52,280,000 or a 2.1 increase over the FY twenty six budget as adjusted by the budget adjustment. And I was just, the other thing I happened to say was in FY twenty six the previous year, under the total unduplicated appropriations, there was a, it was a 3.7% increase versus a 1.6% increase this year.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: I thank the member for that information. I was aware that one could calculate the percentage mathematically, but I would not remotely have trusted, my math. And the second question, is in terms of, when I reviewed the, the web report and, saw at the end in terms of the grand total general fund, It gives what the governors recommend well, gives fiscal year '26, governors recommend the house change, and the house total. What it doesn't give though I mean, that's very helpful in knowing that total difference. But what it doesn't tell us is in that change what was the total number of new expenditures the House is proposing in contrast to, whatever number of items were reduced from the governor's proposal. So the $17,000,000 in other words could be because there's $20,000,000 in new costs and $3,000,000 in removing something that was in the governor's proposal. Is there an identification that I can find of those numbers if that was clear?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: I'm sorry. I'm not sure we have a spreadsheet for that particular question. In general, I mean this has, these numbers also include bills that are potentially coming. It also includes the transportation fund and the education fund. So it's a little hard, you know, I can't break it out by just the budget exclusive of all of those things very easily without talking to JFO and seeing if that's even possible. But this you can see on the very last page of the web report, all the different funds. By and large, we from a general fund standpoint, we accepted virtually everything that the governor proposed in his budget. We added we were able to find we had about $10,000,000 in additional revenue. I'm kind of rounding here. So, that would be base. And, we had about 9,500,000.0 more or less in one time, which was not in the Governor's budget.

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: So Madam Speaker, so yeah, we're in the ballpark of the 17,600,000.0 with those two. So based on additional revenue or one time, that basically reflects what was added to the budget. There wasn't anything that was, added further but was offset by, removing something in the governor's budget.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: From a general fund standpoint,

[Representative Anne B. Donahue]: that would be correct. Thank you very much, madam speaker. That was, what I was trying to sort out. Okay.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: So the question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Member from Rutland City.

[Representative Alicia Malay]: Thank you, madam speaker. May I interrogate the, presenter of the bill?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury is interrogated.

[Representative Alicia Malay]: Thank you. I'm referencing, section b one zero one D1. The transfer of 9,500,000.0 of accrued interest from the Technology Modernization Special Fund to the General Fund is my question. Is this a financially responsible use of money intended for the technology maintenance and upgrades?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Our committee felt that this was an appropriate use of these funds that the funds so I could try to explain this, but I have to say that the representative from Linden, the member from Linden, this is her budget and I would like to have her explain it more because she was actually there at the beginning of when we this whole fund was created and they part. So I am going to yield to the member from Linden.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury yields to the member from Linden.

[Representative Martha Feltus]: Thank you, madam speaker. The I've forgotten its its appropriate name. You just the technology modernization fund

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Yes.

[Representative Martha Feltus]: Was created originally in 2022 with $60,000,000 and then an additional approximately $30,000,000 was added to that the next year in '23, I believe. And it was designed to fund specific IT projects. One was the tax department I believe no, one was excuse me, was the DMV project, one was the UI project and I'm sorry I can't remember the others. But there were four or five specific IT projects that ranged, know, $20,000,000 apiece, $10,000,000 apiece, $30,000,000 apiece. And we set that money aside for those specific items knowing that it would take some time to expend the money. But we were flushed with money at the time and we put it aside because we knew we would need it. Those funds have been used over the intervening four years, five years I guess, for those various projects. And they're not totally completed yet, but they are all now totally the funds have all been encumbered. And some of the projects are finished, some of the projects are still in motion, but the funds are all encumbered. But during those last five years, that $80,000,000 was sitting in the bank and gaining interest. Now that we're at the point where it has all been totally encumbered, We looked at the interest that had come in from '90 from excuse me, from '23, '24, and '25, and that interest is approximately $9,500,000. We felt that it was appropriate to take that money and use it for some other needs that we had. There is still money in the fund because it hasn't been totally spent out the door yet. So, there is still interest gaining. And as we get to the end of '26 or '27, we will determine what to do with that remaining interest.

[Representative Alicia Malay]: Okay, member. And I have another question. Why is notwithstanding language necessary to make the transfer?

[Representative Martha Feltus]: I don't know. I'm not sure what the original language was that requires the notwithstanding. I would need to ask someone from JFO if we could take a minute.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The house will stand in a brief recess. Will the house please come to order and members kindly take their seats. Will the house please come to order? Member from Linden.

[Representative Martha Feltus]: Yes. The question was why was not withstanding language needed in order to move this fund? It is because in the original legislation, it indicated that interest earned on the fund should remain in the fund. We and the appropriations committee looked at that and decided that there were different priorities this year, and we felt that we could take that money out of the fund, leaving still a balance to continue to grow until those projects are totally complete.

[Representative Alicia Malay]: I thank the member for that answer. And one more. And so we took 9,500,000.0 and moved it into this. And what is this technology going to what did it offset? What is this technology money going to be used for other than what it was prescribed?

[Representative Martha Feltus]: I guess I misunderstand. The money in the fund is used for all of those IT projects Yeah, no,

[Representative Alicia Malay]: I'm member. It's know that the money is being taken from the the sorry, technology maintenance fund. We know that. But it then that money was used for what purpose?

[Representative Martha Feltus]: That particular 9.5, the interest that we moved from the technology modernization fund is basically the money that we used for all of the one time expenditures for this year. Thank

[Representative Alicia Malay]: you very much, member. I would just just say that that along with some of the other comments that were made here on the floor that we need to keep our money where our mouth is. Thank you very much.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Member from Ferrisburg.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Thank you, madam speaker. First, I just wanna express my great gratitude to your, appropriations committee, and the immense amount of work that had to go into creating this this this budget. I know it's a very tough year, and I really respect all the effort that was put into it. However, I don't love that word. However, I I do have some some some concerns. In yesterday's floor discussion, happened to be about the yield bill. We heard we heard advocates say things like, we need to be fiscally responsible. We'll be starting next year at 30 to $40,000,000 in the hole. We don't know what's coming next year. And so if those were all true yesterday about saving money this year and not spending more money this year even though in that case it directly aided Vermonters by lowering their property taxes. How can we then today turn around the very next day and and promote spending even 1p more than the budget that the governor offered to us, much less over $16,000,000 more? Yeah. I've heard it said that regarding next year's economy or the coming economy, narrow sources of economic strength will render the economy highly vulnerable to downside risk from external shocks. So given that, I I just have a few questions that I would like to ask the presenter of the bill. Madam speaker, may I interrogate the member from Middlebury?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury is interrogated.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Again, I highly respect all the work that was put into this, but I just have some questions for for clarification. So so given that it looks like we're starting, and these are just estimates, 30 or $40,000,000 in the whole, did the committee discuss what the revenue outlook looks like for FY27 and also even into FY28?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: We always keep the revenue outlook in mind, and we have access to that information, and so we certainly have that as we make our decisions.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: And kind what was the result of that discussion? Did it raise some concerns?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: That's why we did not, we really were very careful in choosing what we were gonna fund this year. That's why we used a lot of one time money and we were very clear with people that one time is one time and not ongoing money. So we really were working to both use our money wisely and also support Vermonters who have a lot of great needs. And we aren't getting the help that we have gotten in the past from Washington and federal funds. So we really have to think about who is hurting in Vermont and how can we minimize harm to Vermonters with the limited amount of funds that we have.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Yeah, thank you. I remember I have a few more questions, I really do appreciate that level of concern that was applied there. But but given that we're looking at a and in fact, the January e board forecast indicated a general fund revenue downgrade. Given that, why why would we actually pro pro propose a $7,000,000 increase in the base funding that's gonna carry on not only from '27, but into '28 and beyond?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: We stayed within the limits of the revenue forecast, and both for base and for one time. We did not exceed anything, any revenue that we were told. Stayed within the of the sandbox of what we agreed the revenue was. And we worked with ways and means, and we worked with joint fiscal office, and with the speaker's office, and all agreed what the number was gonna be.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Okay. So we and we in the one time appropriations increase from and I was just trying to roughly count in the back of the book. It looks like we went from the governor's roughly 10 recipients of appropriation to 40 or more, it looked like, in in the bill for one time recipients. So we we went well beyond, in fact, million dollars beyond what the the governor was suggesting. Were there any new appropriations in this bill that we haven't funded before?

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Yes, there have been a few appropriations that we haven't funded before. The member from Morrisville mentioned the elimination. A lot of it has to do with the elimination of federal programs. So, the elimination of funding for people who are deaf and blind and use and need interpreters who they touch hands together in order to communicate. That program went away and we felt it was very important to take care of these Vermonters. The federal mediation program was eliminated by Washington and anybody who's been on a school board or a select board and has had to do contract negotiations to come to an impasse, a federal mediator used to come for free and work with the school boards or select boards on negotiations. The program has gone away. We were told that the cost of individual schools or select boards hiring an attorney to do this would be $450 an hour. And so it made sense to us rather than sinking the budgets of local communities that the state pay for one mediator. So that's a new program. So those are couple of examples.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Okay. Yeah. Thank you for those. And I do understand the importance of those. Given that, what cost cutting measures from other areas were considered to reduce the budget so that we didn't have to increase it by the 7,000,000 for base funding and 9,000,000 for one time funding.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: The governor recommended some programs to cut. We asked agencies and the administration to look at that, and we accepted many of their cuts.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Couldn't quite come up with enough to offset the desired increases.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: No, but we also stayed within the box of revenue that we felt was reasonable.

[Unidentified Representative (Ferrisburgh)]: Okay. Thank you. Thank you, member. I I really do appreciate your your responses. Thank you very much. And again, I appreciate the hard work that the that the committee has done. But madam speaker, I I gotta say that the warnings from the e board are clear. The majority was clear in yesterday's floor discussion. We need to be fiscally responsible. We need to be we're gonna be starting next year 30 to $40,000,000 in the hole, and and we really don't know what's coming. So I don't see how we can afford this budget. I'll be I'll be voting no, and I hope others can see the clear warnings and vote in accordance with yesterday's fiscal responsibility recommendations.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? Member from Waterbury.

[House Reading Clerk (unidentified)]: Thank you, madam speaker. I, am rising today in support of this budget. I really believe that the appropriations committee listened to Vermonters, listened to the feedback and input of their colleagues here in this building, and, listened to the governor and his administration in developing this budget. In particular, I just want to call out the the balancing act that they did in achieving some support for some of Vermonters in our state who most need that support. So for instance, restoring services for people who are deaf blind.

[Representative Theresa Wood]: It wasn't a large budget item, but I can tell you it has a dramatic impact for those individuals who are both deaf and blind. Restoring dollars for residential care home providers, people needing long term care in our state. As we all know, that is a need here. Fully funding childcare for young families and supporting parent child centers and other community partners. Food support for older Vermonters and people with disabilities. This was a balancing act all the way through, and I believe that our house appropriations committee has achieved that balance, and I, fully intend to support this bill and hope that others do as well.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? Member from Milton.

[Representative Lori Houghton]: Madam speaker, may I read a statement?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: You may.

[Representative Lori Houghton]: While I recognize the hard work of the appropriations committee, I know I can see as an outsider cuts that can be made. I truly believe no matter what political party we belong to, I believe we can sharpen our pencils to bring a more affordable budget to our Vermonters that depend on us. I know I will be a firm no till we can bring something that people can afford.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Are you ready for the question? Member from Burlington.

[Representative Kate Nugent]: Madam speaker, may I interrogate the member of appropriations responsible for reporting on the salary of the administration?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Waterbury is interrogated.

[Representative Kate Nugent]: Madam speaker, can you share a little bit about the testimony the committee heard about why Vermont, the second smallest state, has one of the highest paid governors in The United States?

[Representative Theresa Wood]: No. We did not receive testimony on that. This was a document that came to us in its finished form as a result of negotiations between the executive branch and the VSEA and the state troopers for their pay act and those increases are automatically applied to the salaries of the people who are listed in this amendment starting with the elected officers and going down to the judiciary, sheriffs, etcetera.

[Representative Kate Nugent]: Madam speaker, am I hearing that the governor and his administration who are responsible for negotiating contracts with state employees receive the same deal that they make with the employees?

[Representative Theresa Wood]: The negotiated increases that are mentioned in this document are applied to all the branches of government with some exceptions, but but the executive branch would receive those as well. Some of the the lesser positions or more appointed positions have different flexibilities perhaps but this is just an automatic adjustment to the salaries that exist.

[Representative Kate Nugent]: So, madam speaker, does the governor and and the administration are they held to any kind of evaluation process when being given a raise? Or do they get an automatic raise based on the outcome of negotiations in which they're in control?

[Representative Theresa Wood]: I'm not aware of any human resource based evaluation of their work.

[Representative Kate Nugent]: That must be nice. Thank you, member. Madam speaker, there's a lot of good things and important things in the budget. But if I vote yes, I have to do so once again with with this statement of protest that every year that I've been here, I've heard a governor come into this room and shame me and tell me that I'm asking Vermonters to live outside of to that they need to live within their their means, and we need to, you know, cut this and cut that. And I have never heard the governor and his administration offer to not get a raise. And we're talking about an administration that of the second smallest state that's one of the highest paid in the country. The governor of Maine only makes $70,000 a year, the lowest paid governor in the country. So if we need to live within our means, let's start at the top. Thank you.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? Member from Derby.

[Representative David Yacovone]: Thank you, madam speaker. Madam speaker, I'm pretty sure the governor gets an evaluation every two years. It's called an election. Thank you.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: Are you ready for the question? Member from Barrie City.

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: Madam speaker, may I interrogate the presenter of the bill?

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury is interrogated.

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: Currently, Barrie City has a position that handles our homeless population, and I'm just curious if there is, any allocation that addresses that.

[Representative Robin Scheu]: Could you explain that a little further? Were you expecting the state budget to pay for a position in the city of Barrie? I'm a little confused.

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: It's my understanding that last year, the state did fund the the homeless intervention liaison or homeless liaison in Barrie City at the tune of, I believe, it was a $100,000. And I'm just curious if if there is any

[Representative Robin Scheu]: It's not something I'm familiar with, but I'm gonna yield to the member from Waterbury.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The member from Middlebury, yield to the member from Waterbury.

[Representative Theresa Wood]: Thank you, madam speaker. We did receive requests from the city of Barrie regarding this position, and I do believe that they received some funding through the housing opportunity program, otherwise known as HOP, for a portion of the the salary that that person received. I don't believe that it is included in the budget that we are looking at right now. However, in a future bill that we hopefully will get to discuss today, h nine thirty eight, there is money for municipalities and their services for people who are experiencing homelessness that could be available to the city of Barrie.

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: But, madam speaker, it's not fully funded. Is that correct?

[Representative Theresa Wood]: Madam Speaker, I don't understand the question.

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: It's not fully funded at the $100,000 that was funded last year. Is that correct?

[Representative Theresa Wood]: I don't know the precise dollar amount that was funded last year. I don't I'm I'm not sure if the Department for Children and Families through the HOT program whether they funded the entire position or a portion of that position not being in the decision making authority for the department.

[Representative V. L. Coffin IV]: Okay. Thank you, madam speaker. I appreciate that.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time, member from Essex?

[Representative Lori Houghton]: Madam speaker, I rise in support of this budget, much like the, member from Waterbury indicated, your house health care heard from dozens and dozens and dozens of advocates, state agencies, providers, regular Vermonters. The needs are so great. And to look at the recommendations that your committee on health care sent to appropriations, They listened to us. They prioritized the needs of Vermonters. This budget supports the visiting nurse associations. Those are the nurses who care for Vermonters in their homes when home care is best clinical practice. Strengthening home health services also helps preserve capacity in skilled nursing facilities and hospital inpatient settings, which are full, and it saves them for those who truly need that higher level of care. The budget also invests in our free and referral clinics and Bridges to Health. These are providers delivering care at no cost to the patients they serve. And without these organizations, Vermonters who have lost insurance or who face high deductible plans that they can't even afford to use would delay needed care or turn to our already overstretched emergency departments. This funding literally keeps the lights on for these clinics. And finally, the budget invests in our designated agencies and special service agencies, the organizations that serve some of our most vulnerable Vermonters every day. I believe that a budget is a reflection of your values. This budget is a reflection of my values because I value the health of Vermonters, and I hope everyone else will support this as much as I do.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? Member from Pultely.

[Representative Michael "Mike" Tagliavia]: Madam speaker, we have heard many times about the precarious financial landscape we face. First, when we gathered for the legislative briefing in December. Prior to that briefing, we received a letter from the chair and vice chair appropriations warning us that this year was going to be different. Next, when the emergency board met in January. Again, multiple times in house appropriations prior to markup, and just yesterday when we debated the yield bill. It appears everyone in this chamber got the memo, but it seems many were not listening. Certainly, the governor got the memo, not that he needed it. He submitted to us a budget that met the needs of Vermonters, but also made some difficult decisions about what we could afford and what we would have to leave to another day. It prioritized because that is his job and that is our job in this chamber as well. Just last night, the chair of appropriations stated we are looking at a 30 to $40,000,000 deficit on next year's budget. The budget we have before us does not do that. It is an all of the above budget that reads more like a shopping list than a than a strategic document. It includes 41 time appropriations, more if other bills are counted. It raises our base by more than $7,000,000 over the governor's proposal. All in, this document funds almost $20,000,000 in additional appropriations. To do that, it raids a technology fund because, well, we all know our technology projects as well as any other type of project consistently comes in under budget. Right? In the meantime, the agency of transportation made the difficult decision to riff 35 employees, 35 Vermonters now without employment in order to deal with the $30,000,000 deficit the transportation fund faced. I want to acknowledge the hard and difficult work of our colleagues on house appropriations. I believe there is not a committee that works harder or more tirelessly, but I cannot support a budget that ignores the fiscal reality we face, takes money from critical technology projects, and leaves all the difficult decisions for the senate and the governor. We cannot continue to raise the base and use one time funds Vermonters cannot afford. I will be voting no for almost 20,000,000 reasons. And realizing that we are under time constraints today and we've got a lot on our plate for today, I will hold off a roll call until tomorrow.

[Speaker Jill Krowinski]: The question is, shall the bill be read a third time? Are you ready for the question? If so, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, please say nay. The ayes appear to have it, the ayes do have it and third reading is ordered. May I see house leadership up at the podium at the house of Stanton East. Will the please come to order and members kindly take their seats? Will the house please come to order? Members after conferring with house leadership, it is my understanding that the house democrats would like to break for a caucus so the house democrats will be meeting in Room 11 and the house will stand in recess until the fall gavel at approximately 04:30. The house will stand in recess.

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