[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6288073,"mediaKeyId","2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d","parentId",2544986,"title","Education committee chair seeks funding for State Board work, transformation planning","audioSeconds",1071,"startMs",3578000,"endMs",4649000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d&start=3578&end=4649","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d/thumbnail_3578000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6288073/Vermont/Education-committee-chair-seeks-funding-for-State-Board-work-transformation-planning","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288073-264b629d83f88454847039871ef2c856/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196921&Signature=Y-b5ZIUcMcWKgKiWlt06Yb2KDiofomDOHVycKlGdTngi2MsLEeb2cBvfMfQC0DaxjDvbXijuV-8kMKhdhGPGZ1cjD4eDM9Kq3JNRwPw~iA2JduFH1IJI8~7jggggDo~GioeUzY6t5ahkjaHpXvQO3YcwLX9i4i-F-V4BpW-WzIkqfIXNJBzeqnQKS0jEC9B7SoOSzlVZh4r5HjwfCBOZBND5oOCIHrSPg8nOV7PwdOESsesH63YNiGa3NNOMtOcTSMnohbbwA-PtgKvZtenXilj4DvPv3sla~Xu8yD3hgkrxJHZMj4msVwnEN8jMW~e3h7lgyp-lPJ4x25~qTPIpaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-11T20:09:05.977Z","article","At the March 11 Appropriations hearing, Peter Conlon, Chair of the House Education Committee, outlined his committee’s budget letter and requests for the Agency of Education (AOE) and the State Board of Education.

Conlon said the State Board seeks increased annual operating funding and a one‑time appropriation to clear a backlog of rulemaking and to examine the board’s responsibilities. He and his committee support the request on the grounds that the board has limited staff and legal support and needs resources to modernize rule sets and clarify statutory responsibilities.

Conlon described the AOE request for $4,000,000 in education transformation funds as a high‑level, transition‑support proposal intended to help the agency support districts through possible structural change. He and members said they need more specificity about how AOE would use consultant or temporary staffing dollars, what outcomes would be purchased and how the money would be deployed to support districts. Several members urged AOE to return more prescriptive plans showing intended hires and deliverables before the appropriation is finalized.

Other items the education committee noted in its memo included concurrence with state college funding requests that align with the governor’s ask, support for small program increases such as Governor’s Institutes and Advanced Vermont, and a hunger‑free/CACFP request that staff said could draw federal matching funds if AOE serves as fiscal agent.

Why it matters: education transformation and state board capacity shape how future governance, district organization and support to schools would be implemented, and the committee signaled it wants clearer deliverables and staffing plans prior to committing significant transition dollars.

Conlon asked that Appropriations consult with other subject committees as transformation language and district reorganization proposals take shape; no appropriation votes were recorded at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - 2025-03-11 - 2:45PM","oneSentenceSummary","Peter Conlon, chair of the House Education Committee, briefed Appropriations on the State Board of Education’s request for increased operating funds and a $4 million education‑transformation package that would fund transition work by the Agency of Education.","taxTitle","Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30573,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6288078,"Committee reviews H91 language, hotel/motel caps and DCF contracting priorities for emergency housing",550,2683000,3233000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d&start=2683&end=3233","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d/thumbnail_2683000.jpg","/articles/6288078/Vermont/Committee-reviews-H91-language-hotelmotel-caps-and-DCF-contracting-priorities-for-emergency-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288078-bec0d9a682976e959378b668bab9537b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196921&Signature=nMcoFuMKcfogxClVSUHuaHK6aMViCQKin5~dftZOX8P~m2PaTGHeL7UYNZQsYzV0AwRf7FhPJTbjrTSfD6k~y6JS82QrJvhemN6kK6-yw7Urs22rHJsjvVo7sEcluO1CcWOFmqroP17t4v461LH69hnEzB-s8ulTe8oFnmZPOueOfor0ALpk6Ic64jQtUeaiOuq6XJe8FMCSfm1Z4ORM4Urir5RQ3ZFQ1XaQ3QkrhYjreIlCgJhouu7VfL4uVJFXqaB0N0IfLKI7FV3PV05HADZKUCLmE0~hnhNarzNT1sLSjdecqeT4PXAJkjGJZGmCsc2z76lIiwlzab8ME8zuPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the March 11 hearing, members of the House Appropriations Committee reviewed draft budget language tied to H91 and the state’s general assistance emergency housing program, including eligibility rules, prioritization and capacity limits.

Human Services Chair Theresa Wood said the language continues the hotel/motel program for the transition year while the Vermont Hearth program is phased in, and implements an LCAR (Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules) ruling that the department should not establish priority groups among eligible households. The draft requires DCF to provide emergency housing on a first‑come, first‑served basis for eligible households and to make conforming website changes to update eligibility information.

The committee discussed a move away from an annual per‑person 80‑day cap to a fixed number of hotel rooms and a fixed appropriation; Wood and staff cited a fixed room cap of about 1,437 rooms in the draft materials. Members clarified that the cap counts hotel rooms only and does not constrain shelter capacity, which remains uncapped in daily use; shelters continue to operate with separate capacity rules.

Section C of the draft budget language directs DCF to prioritize contracts with organizations “in close proximity to the community served” and organizations familiar with local needs, a provision members said was intended to reduce high out‑of‑state contractor rates and encourage locally based providers.

Why it matters: the language alters program administration rules, clarifies eligibility consistent with an LCAR ruling and adjusts how capacity is measured; these changes affect how emergency housing will be delivered during the transition from the hotel/motel program to Vermont Hearth.

Committee members asked staff to verify the fixed capacity figures and to confirm how room caps interact with shelter operations before finalizing language.","Appropriations examined proposed budget language implementing H91’s transition year for emergency housing, including LCAR‑related changes to prioritization, a shift to a fixed hotel‑room capacity and language prioritizing local contractors for shelter operations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6288083,"Committee questions new recovery campus pilot and funding source for recovery services",687,2095000,2782000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d&start=2095&end=2782","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d/thumbnail_2095000.jpg","/articles/6288083/Vermont/Committee-questions-new-recovery-campus-pilot-and-funding-source-for-recovery-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288083-f599fc5daf75a0d32a089a9747c4c698/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196921&Signature=Hz3JU0yatjH4lKqmd-HNMc4nEYrJpi8KBYdX5o2mVcz5rVi6mM4BmocxLULtDqzSfGMalRzQs2DhiMHelML21IdPeXGFuxpV76i-N7YWZg75beOlPLbwexl5Mfj1y9TQOeclRVZcfBWOupuRsvxLWRuR~ERLPY52wMiZD~JjMcrDGKdDIGv3K-VZTD14OweUm3SSoZ61Mwlv6wVimirqYUEMVtBfPDK8INUfsJbK-yeDji0bqXL7HlEN9pGCh6DXEf0cssC4ZQFQKrf7yBj8ze7mXFOtjpjS2eCNOkdp2fKwNF-GDF70vTuLzslIv~w6ErasQ~LQFKUJEk9YGxvLig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House Appropriations Committee on March 11 discussed a new recovery services proposal the governor included in the FY26 request: a pilot 15‑bed “recovery campus” and additional funding for recovery centers and recovery housing supports.

Human Services Chair Theresa Wood described the proposal as a 15‑bed pilot with $500,000 one‑time for fit‑up and renovation and roughly $1,500,000 in operations in the governor’s proposal (the transcript references $1,500,000 but not the full time period for that amount). Committee members pressed for more detail on program design, length of operation covered by the operational dollars, and whether courts or federal partners had shaped the model. Wood said an RFI had been issued and that the federal judiciary had been involved in conversations to identify gaps in the state’s continuum of substance‑use treatment and step‑down supports.

Several members said they were troubled the $500,000 fit‑up money and the pilot concept had not been reviewed by the opioid abatement special fund advisory committee; Wood said the advisory committee was not presented with the proposal and the committee felt it should have been part of that body’s deliberations. Members also noted limited information on a site; Wood said only “rumors” existed about a location and that details remained under development.

The committee also discussed recovery centers, which Wood described as daytime supports — open evenings or weekends in some cases — focused on relapse prevention and peer and clinical supports. Human Services recommended spending part of prevention funding (dollars derived from the cannabis excise tax that now help fund prevention activities) on recovery centers rather than the opioid settlement fund, arguing centers perform preventive work.

Why it matters: committee members signaled concern that a sizable new pilot needs clearer community engagement, oversight and alignment with the opioid abatement advisory process before base funding is added to the FY26 budget.

The committee asked staff and administration representatives for more detailed cost estimates, siting information, planned services and a clearer explanation of why the opioid abatement advisory committee was not consulted.","Appropriations members discussed a proposed 15‑bed pilot recovery campus and increased funding for recovery centers, raised questions about oversight and whether the opioid abatement advisory committee had reviewed the plan.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6288088,"Appropriations reviews rate study funding to shore up home and community‑based services",799,1159000,1958000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d&start=1159&end=1958","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d/thumbnail_1159000.jpg","/articles/6288088/Vermont/Appropriations-reviews-rate-study-funding-to-shore-up-home-and-communitybased-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288088-7fe3edeb4660f122c7f705ee655199f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196921&Signature=MlFi6sD1HCbzDQ6g6QJKj1AQ6Uf47b8HWb2pftOQbnxPIqsu4CQcRTHuSAWqLr4Q4X4SS44P11cOsHFDEPfYGTU4TRyU9YDBM-fsdGfzkwsB40mcFpYrXThi9uPmg7WcSJA26F396~q76UisXRdnVr0YFpSoI2EU-3Y3yQdw3GZfFb49bkBdvFg8wTD63gFYnrkvwJGG6eZad94iqQOuHnjQtsYZVUrj9zENK6UP4U1IFrE95yLhm~l0d5ft-LDAvhAZ1CWgWdq5v7TmJeJXFi7TzXPJSWpByZYyyeEUZ7LEo5tonYc9VXvbhfCwwO~jYX2AX1C1vftE2c4Faq9EQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Vermont House Appropriations Committee heard testimony March 11, 2025, from the House Human Services Committee about funding to implement a Medicaid rate study for home‑and‑community‑based services and a set of preventative programs aimed at keeping people in their homes.

Theresa Wood said a rate study completed in fiscal 2023 found several home‑and‑community service rates were substantially below cost; the committee described the residential care rate as roughly 79% below cost and said the state has lost dozens of residential care homes. Wood said the governor’s proposal would fully fund the remaining phase of the rate study with $4,400,000 in general funds, funds eligible for Global Commitment.

Committee members discussed the goal of the funding: to slow closures of residential care homes and to help providers recruit and retain staff by boosting wages so they can keep people in home‑based settings rather than nursing facilities. Staff and members said implementation occurred in year 1 of a planned three‑year approach but that year 2 saw no changes, increasing urgency for the proposed FY26 funding.

Wood also described smaller, preventative programs: HomeShare, a low‑cost program that matches homeowners and household seekers, would receive funding to expand into the Northeast Kingdom and serve roughly 100 people; Meals on Wheels would receive an additional $2,000,000 general fund and $4,850,000 in Global Commitment funds to raise average state and federal reimbursements to about $10.65 per meal against an average delivered cost of $13.43; and an $800,000 one‑time request to stabilize adult day centers for allowable absences.

The committee noted a $5,800,000 budget line for conflict‑free case management required by federal rules; Human Services said the administration budgeted for a full year of implementation but that some developmental disability contracting may delay spending until later in the fiscal year, producing a one‑time savings.

Why it matters: legislators framed these investments as preventive, less costly alternatives to nursing home placement, and as measures to stabilize a provider network that has been under severe financial pressure.

No formal appropriations were adopted at the hearing; members asked for additional fiscal detail and implementation timelines from the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living and the Agency of Human Services.","Committee members heard that a Medicaid rate study showed residential care rates far below cost and the Human Services committee is proposing $4.4 million to finish implementing rate increases and additional funding for HomeShare, Meals on Wheels and other home‑and‑community services.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6288093,"Appropriations hears requests to stabilize shelters, maintain emergency rental caseworkers",1488,2256000,3744000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d&start=2256&end=3744","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2544986-7b3a10e77a894d84b616958ae40d327d/thumbnail_2256000.jpg","/articles/6288093/Vermont/Appropriations-hears-requests-to-stabilize-shelters-maintain-emergency-rental-caseworkers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288093-a8a6d10b04bbbdfd75fd192b95555014/orig.mp4?Expires=1771196921&Signature=ekLZJ6oOhETgq6-2bDb3yi3A-054Fq3ymBddlYHfOSGD2kOBZIdeMIKg8m94xzH0L8Knt2PaUU2RsZPNEqfgoCz7RHiMXJVJvyg5DslT6Hm0~7gbf9c7MXBZVFL4V8d48qQg167mfC8RKbiGSJFtFn2gqtWLw5urYLcjgH-mi9MLXhMPnYfEjq1fnflVK4Xxj4gepS1n0CbSSlCF09D1vlk2tMxXbkt2sJ5HIJKzu0B6ZrRQObRp6xseoJWsXImnWqy16Wr32VC8JKq5ySl8jZygUbmhj-1FXnR3~Y6vW9uMYrHRiDYGOe36wy9a2faAOYwB73HeOEn9LLYmnRrueA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On March 11, 2025, the Vermont House Appropriations Committee continued consideration of the Human Services budget, with Theresa Wood, Chair of the House Human Services Committee, asking members to convert one‑time shelter startup funds to ongoing operations and to protect housing support staff and community providers.

Wood told the committee the governor’s budget proposes a $3,700,000 increase in base funding for the Department for Children and Families’ Office of Economic Opportunity to reflect operations for shelters started in fiscal 2025 with one‑time money, plus $2,000,000 in one‑time funds to expand additional shelter capacity. She said those grants support shelter services, HUD funding flows and the statewide Housing Opportunity Program (HOP), which distributes grants to community organizations for short‑ and longer‑term shelter needs.

The committee also discussed maintaining 33 case‑management positions created during the COVID period under the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Wood and staff explained the governor’s budget includes roughly $3,750,000 to sustain those 33 positions, which the committee and providers described as essential for preventing homelessness by linking tenants, landlords and housing programs. Committee members asked whether the positions are housed in state agencies; Wood clarified they are employed by community providers, including community action agencies, housing providers and shelters, and that the ARPA funding that initially supported many of the roles is ending.

Committee members pressed for program details and eligibility limits for HOP grants and other housing supports. Wood said eligibility varies by program and that some housing supports target very low incomes, while other HOP services have program‑specific eligibility. Members also discussed the state’s home program, which helps with rental and security deposits and — under the current request — would extend assistance to 36 months and add 50 families to the roughly 92 currently enrolled. Wood said she would confirm which community providers currently administer that program; she referenced the Community Action Program network and CVOEO as administrators in related contexts.

Other Human Services requests described to the committee included a 4% cost‑of‑living increase for community‑based HOP providers, and a micro‑business development FTE for each of five community action agencies. Wood said community action agencies also requested funding for financial‑coaching staff (the request cited about $357,000) and for other multi‑component asks that the committee would reconcile to avoid duplication.

Why it matters: committee members emphasized that maintaining caseworkers and converting shelter startup dollars to base funding preserves capacity that prevents homelessness. Wood warned the loss of federal funding and ARPA support will require state decisions to sustain programs that local providers say are “lifeblood” services.

The committee did not take votes on these items during the hearing. Members asked staff to provide additional program‑level details, eligibility rules and where different funding streams currently flow so the Appropriations Committee can reconcile overlapping requests before budget decisions.

Next steps: Human Services’ budget letter and supporting materials will be folded into the committee’s draft appropriation recommendations as staff verify program administration, eligibility and overlaps with federal funds.","House Appropriations Committee heard Human Services Chair Theresa Wood detail requests to convert one‑time shelter funding into base operations, maintain 33 emergency rental assistance caseworker positions and provide a 4% cost‑of‑living increase for community housing providers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Education committee chair seeks funding for State Board work, transformation planning

Committee reviews H91 language, hotel/motel caps and DCF contracting priorities for emergency housing

Committee questions new recovery campus pilot and funding source for recovery services

Appropriations reviews rate study funding to shore up home and community‑based services

Appropriations hears requests to stabilize shelters, maintain emergency rental caseworkers