[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6282839,"mediaKeyId","2592061-89eb2325f3de11b9dbb1b5099b4ea947","parentId",2592061,"title","Senate committee reviews bill to steer state advertising to Vermont news outlets","audioSeconds",829,"startMs",88000,"endMs",917000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2592061-89eb2325f3de11b9dbb1b5099b4ea947&start=88&end=917","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2592061-89eb2325f3de11b9dbb1b5099b4ea947/thumbnail_88000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6282839/Vermont/Senate-committee-reviews-bill-to-steer-state-advertising-to-Vermont-news-outlets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282839-8b7061b53be57d84fa261ec5fc424ac9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135946&Signature=ikeF2y5cDZ5GFyaesLMYyZWdwbdhJJQv4-p1NQEF0czJxWtjmLPezGU99yklQ~fHVDrzeisuVM1ZHMiY1yYzlstptbkkTb3IXA21wngpYlQ1NafR8Iy-bYwynqBKWa03wpdQgkPWjgNuBbsinmuYgXr~ayeuzkcvQ-GE02S48lyvuAG0qn5GRuy9reSSasfNXHALK058omGYUE4cUQzPGwVPeOjiuiDWHZelPCAhuuLdIOjUJ3HSfSwxYJDu9rB95tG6bSSzhBJPRc9Wi7Vd4-ZXt-DIixPK-16X~ifj-ttTFgsYJN9WvGZIe5GLcbWADV9WtK5sXScY6jq~cMn-Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-13T07:32:46Z","article","The Senate Committee on Government Operations on Wednesday, March 12 reviewed S.84 (drafted as SA 4), a bill that would require the state to spend at least 80% of the annual value of its print and digital advertising contracts and 80% of its radio and television advertising contracts with Vermont-based news organizations and broadcast licensees.

Jonathan Gray, legal counsel involved in drafting the proposal, told the committee the measure is intended to \"stand up local organizations\" and to make transparent how state advertising dollars are spent. Gray said the bill routes contracting authority through the commissioner of the Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS), and would require the commissioner to maintain a list of eligible local news and broadcast organizations for procurement.

The bill would define local broadcast organizations as entities licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast in Vermont. Its definition of local news organizations is more detailed: among other conditions it would require a news employer to engage professionals producing original public-interest reporting, employ at least one full-time employee working 30 or more hours per week who lives within 50 miles of the coverage area, and demonstrate regular publication (for digital outlets, at least one piece per week on average over the previous 12 months) or, for print, at least one publication per month over the previous 12 months. The draft also includes financial and ownership checks (disclosure of beneficial ownership or board members for nonprofits) and excludes organizations that receive more than 50% of gross receipts from certain political actors.

Gray flagged a potential constitutional question under the dormant Commerce Clause but said he did not expect a major obstacle, pointing to the market-participant exception that allows a state acting as a buyer in the marketplace to favor in-state suppliers.

Supporters and witnesses urged adoption or study. Paul Heintz, a journalist working with the University of Vermont Center for Community News and the coalition of Vermont news organizations behind the proposal, told senators the initiative is driven by in-state outlets and aims to be inclusive of for-profit, nonprofit, and broadcast organizations. Heintz said partial research by coalition members identified at least $7.5 million in state advertising spending in fiscal 2024 and estimated about 39% of that went to out-of-state vendors, though he described the accounting as incomplete.

Wendy Mays, executive director of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters, offered an example of local impact: WTSA AM/FM in Brattleboro, which she said once supported two full-time news staff and is now down to a part-time reporter because of declining advertising revenue. Mays described a 2023 incident where an out-of-state advertising agency redirected a Vermont Lottery account away from local radio stations; she said the Lottery restored purchases after the agency became aware of the local-market consequences.

Committee members raised implementation questions. Senators asked how BGS\u0000s contracting role works in practice and whether agencies that operate under delegated contracting authority already manage advertising purchases. Senators also discussed narrow exemptions that would not count against the 80% target; the draft currently exempts tourism advertising and committee members discussed adding an explicit exemption for employment ads (job postings), or exempting them while requiring they also be posted in-state. Jonathan Gray said exemptions and the reporting provision could be adjusted in committee.

Several senators asked for a fiscal analysis. One senator suggested asking the Joint Fiscal Office for a fiscal note to estimate the bill\u0000s practical effect, and others noted the importance of knowing current baseline spending so the committee can assess whether 80% is reachable or symbolic. Heintz said the House has a companion bill scheduled for markup, and committee members said they would take more testimony at the next hearing and invite BGS and other agencies to explain current procurement practices.

No formal committee vote was recorded on S.84 during the March 12 session. Committee members agreed to solicit additional testimony and to consider amendments addressing exemptions (tourism, jobs), administrative implementation (the BGS list), and possible integration with the state's e-procurement tools. The draft as presented included an effective date of July 1, 2025 for provisions in the bill.

The committee accepted offers to invite the commissioner of Buildings and General Services and publishers and smaller broadcasters back for further testimony, and several senators signaled support for continuing to move the bill forward with technical edits.

Ending: Committee leaders said they will take more testimony at the next meeting and will monitor action on the companion House bill; sponsors suggested the bill could be adjusted to exempt certain ad types while requiring in-state posting for job ads and to refine the eligibility definitions and the commissioner\u0000s administrative role.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Government Operations - 2025-03-11 - 1:30PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Committee on Government Operations on Wednesday, March 12 reviewed S.84 (SA 4), a bill that would require the state to direct at least 80% of its annual print/digital advertising and 80% of its radio/television advertising contracts to Vermont-based news and broadcast organizations.","taxTitle","Government Operations, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",38232,"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},6282836,"Committee hears revised draft to form Office for New Americans study panel",453,3673000,4126000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2592061-89eb2325f3de11b9dbb1b5099b4ea947&start=3673&end=4126","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2592061-89eb2325f3de11b9dbb1b5099b4ea947/thumbnail_3673000.jpg","/articles/6282836/Vermont/Committee-hears-revised-draft-to-form-Office-for-New-Americans-study-panel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282836-58698f7799fcbb9fa1c24bb46e87af24/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135946&Signature=hArxeD05AoAhBWbKSpMKNNBUtgf5vlH2XJAabZVeSFatRARVdWDLbeLkZNCcBjah9mq9yIAfgnF6S7Vbz~RVq-yJBW8FzjGTkTsx26lvXDZI1UZSruy3jI0MyPnsqDy41J4bqMnvbQ9GHYoI-3d1L-G-e6uyi29AxbWMiG2f4y8-yWvtWCjWKs6XMOCvZ~uVf8ejS3QVrxKZ~~jeyLdH7ahb0qIOi322b1hs8ohTJw6S1BrYJ5ZhvhSXTpht0PetcZEv1i5HkKk6E~MIDf5zqcrMSGFC4gUfMzJgwR5WqXT447qdANDt-e-IkhWQffpUMPDdBwexlxi5zX9sk0ETwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Government Operations on Wednesday, March 12 reviewed a revised draft of S.56, which would create a study committee tasked with designing an Office for New Americans and reporting recommendations to the legislature.

Tim Devlin, counsel for the bill sponsor, presented the revised draft and said it pares back an earlier version by reducing the study committee\u0000s membership and the number of required meetings, and by deferring a statutory definition of \"new Americans\" to the committee itself. Devlin described other edits: empowering the study group to form subcommittees as needed, clarifying the committee\u0000s duties to assess structure, funding and staffing needs for a prospective office, and adjusting membership expectations.

The draft specifies a smaller membership roster (committee discussion suggested 10 members rather than the prior 14) and reduced the planned number of meetings from 20 to 10, though final numbers were left to committee deliberation. The bill would charge the study committee with consulting community-based organizations that serve new Americans, relevant state agencies, municipalities, educational institutions, labor and business stakeholders, and others in formulating recommended structure, duties and funding for the proposed office.

Senators sought clarity on appointments and on where the study committee\u0000s final report would be filed. One senator asked whether the Senate Committee on Economic Development should receive the report; committee members did not finalize recipients during the session. Committee participants also discussed membership detail, with senators noting potential duplications in appointing organizations and asking staff to tidy appointment language.

Devlin said he would incorporate the committee\u0000s suggested edits (including reducing the member count and allowing flexible subcommittee formation) and circulate the redline to committee members by email. No formal committee vote was recorded on S.56 on March 12; senators signaled willingness to move a revised draft forward once membership, consultative language and reporting destinations are clarified.

Ending: Sponsor and counsel will circulate an updated draft reflecting the membership and meeting changes and will follow up with committee staff to finalize the committee\u0000s charge and report recipients before the next markup.

","Senators reviewed S.56, a bill to establish a study committee to design an Office for New Americans. The draft on March 12 narrowed membership and meeting requirements, directed the committee to define \"new Americans,\" and allowed it to form subcommittees; sponsors sought input on membership and report recipients.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate committee reviews bill to steer state advertising to Vermont news outlets

Committee hears revised draft to form Office for New Americans study panel