[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":55,"_73":55},"mediaId",6122056,"mediaKeyId","2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb","parentId",2695920,"title","Senate Finance advances motor‑vehicle omnibus bill after discussion of fee waivers, EV and veteran exemptions, and fiscal impacts","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1318090,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb&start=1318&end=1318","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb/thumbnail_1318090.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6122056/Vermont/Senate-Finance-advances-motorvehicle-omnibus-bill-after-discussion-of-fee-waivers-EV-and-veteran-exemptions-and-fiscal-impacts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122056-1acf5975c2e22ba9a34e7cd980a252b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775418278&Signature=iugWtR~ZgGWji-ffwaWi-MIJITWD~8HvP5YI~AKHQYAJGuSCQs69ZXkf9KHW8J6cBfvccjt3E~v8XKJsU8X4wUiSGWeEZ13Hce4ekv7~3uIt6-BycZEGVVD1bNFYNIM4mwnZ91WWfsaVY6vXxL7wmY2rI32z5qfugN9hemwaB1n4XDxj6BXCFMJGlrHbRIUxTQyhTuddT3NtMBWfCD5y8aWgseLmNaKQAJ~fsQBUkvYj4k8aEQz59xVdc76n6u8FC9WiiS0EwRIj2CYxFYAbzuFsVSs5Zoo-2NOyjkvl6V68wlthO8kiGEwufrF9FCjcDYXVN7y4~vUFBklpRQYF8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-19T09:25:07Z","article","The Senate Finance Committee voted to report favorably a motor‑vehicle omnibus bill after an extended staff walkthrough of fee waivers, registration and purchase/use tax clarifications, and several procedural and technical statutory changes.

Office of Legislative Council staff and DMV staff outlined fee waivers and changes contained in the bill: a $29 waiver of non‑driver ID fees for people exiting foster care; exemption from the EV infrastructure fee (noted in committee as $89 annually) for the state, municipalities and volunteer emergency organizations; expansion of a narrowly targeted veterans exemption for vehicles acquired with Department of Veterans Affairs financial assistance (committee staff said three current cases exist in the DMV system); and a proposed reduced charge for drivers receiving SSI/SSDI (staff characterized this as a net Vermont Transportation Fund reduction of about $309,000). Committee staff also described multiple technical updates: adjustments to how vehicle value is calculated for the purchase and use tax (reference to JD Power values), added proof options for registration refunds after total loss, a one‑year deadline to request a purchase and use tax refund, clarification of truck weight registration rounding, and updates reflecting federal “REAL ID/non‑REAL ID” distinctions.

The committee also discussed a longstanding scheduling fee for road tests that staff said DMV currently does not collect; if collected as written the scheduling fee could yield additional revenue (staff estimated roughly $116,000 from forfeited scheduling fees but said the statute currently allows the commissioner to waive the fee until electronic collection is implemented). Other substantive items included language clarifying permissible aftermarket tint (statute updated to reference required visible light transmittance thresholds) and a study of how purchase and use tax applies to used vehicles.

Committee fiscal staff summarized estimated revenue effects and said the bill the committee reviewed would reduce revenues by an estimated $353,000 statewide; staff also cited a related logging‑vehicle purchase/use tax bill (S.46) with a separate estimated revenue effect of about $330,000. Senators expressed willingness to move the bill but asked leadership to get DMV or commissioner testimony and Joint Fiscal details before the bill reaches the full Senate floor so members can draft any needed amendments. The committee then voted to report the vehicle bill favorably out of Finance.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Finance - 2025-03-18 - 3:15PM","oneSentenceSummary","The committee voted to move the DMV omnibus vehicle bill (discussed as S.123 in session) favorably after detailed staff review of fee changes and waivers; members asked for DMV testimony and revenue clarifications before floor amendments are drafted.","taxTitle","Finance, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",38150,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6122060,"Senate committee backs economic development bill, expands downtown tax credit and funds small‑business supports",2736,679800,3416130,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb&start=679&end=3416","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb/thumbnail_679800.jpg","/articles/6122060/Vermont/Senate-committee-backs-economic-development-bill-expands-downtown-tax-credit-and-funds-smallbusiness-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122060-0de8d438195c2ac6233b6092e554b695/orig.mp4?Expires=1775418278&Signature=Mwjutt~wp01MpUfVVDdDqrTSQHLgcUwjvJ7i1ESS8oCFAggrmzIjnN-Z8h~SbY6gt9RJS5cFAahHRj5gCSxE9pVnt-ptkTAnh9bsQ6TpminwstwQRjpeLZGo27nG9G-hlX1Ftj8frvufawBR7FW2dgZdeGPXYDd7XPhO-8ITt-GN8jEh6dglYZzl7UAxinIfBYc1zQMUQWtxMM7j7IMmJlJE5NFVEQaYVed5gHrWKuhGmSCdWkUTZrHXXbHmPE1vnhcyXt4Ar2-e8vNYWIwT33yQjrjXxMPXBJl7a4jWiOrOqXjh~uZcq54OugqdK2s47ujK6VSmO7QPCBDgseUXGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Finance Committee voted to report favorably a multi‑section economic and workforce development bill that includes a permanent increase to the downtown tax credit cap and several appropriations intended to expand small‑business supports.

Committee members discussed a provision that raises the annual downtown tax credit cap from $3,000,000 to $5,000,000, a change supporters said has produced a high return on state investment (committee discussion cited a 17:1 leveraging ratio). The committee heard that the credit has historically had more applicants than available funding and that many districts have benefited from the program.

The bill also contains targeted appropriations described in committee discussion: funding to Vermont Law and Graduate School’s small business center (training and pro bono legal support); $350,000 to a program transcribed as the “Vermont Depression of Color Network” for workforce and business technical assistance; $688,898 to the Vermont Small Business Development Center (an increase described as $300,000 above the governor’s recommendation); $100,000 to the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund for a resource guide and AI platform; $581,000 to the Office of Economic Opportunity for a microbusiness program; and additional matching and program funds for the Vermont Arts Council and film/media industry supports (committee discussion cited a federal match of $68,007.37 and additional funds to build a film resource guide).

Committee members asked Joint Fiscal for a revenue update before final floor action and discussed trade‑related additions to the bill: creation of a Vermont–Ireland trade commission (a 10‑member commission with reporting and fundraising restrictions and a sunset) and a tasking for the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to analyze access to capital. Supporters described the trade commission as a model intended to create bilateral trade, academic and business exchanges and said safeguards were added to restrict fundraising and require reporting of in‑kind donations.

The committee approved the bill as presented for Finance’s jurisdictional portions (members reserved further questions about the appropriations and asked for revenue projections to inform floor deliberations). Several senators voiced support for the downtown credit increase, while others expressed concern about competing budget priorities and asked Joint Fiscal to provide updated revenue projections.","The committee voted to report the package (referred to as S.122 in committee discussion) that raises the annual downtown tax credit cap from $3 million to $5 million and includes multiple appropriations to small‑business and arts programs; members requested fiscal updates before final floor consideration.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6122065,"Senate finance committee clears bill on criminal‑history fund; asks judiciary to decide fate of $26,000",519,57561,576950,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb&start=57&end=576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2695920-b294fb37c133248084d72ec0464869cb/thumbnail_57561.jpg","/articles/6122065/Vermont/Senate-finance-committee-clears-bill-on-criminalhistory-fund-asks-judiciary-to-decide-fate-of-26000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6122065-57c2bcce9b43e0a437a93fbb3c8a8917/orig.mp4?Expires=1775418278&Signature=l59lYsOGz2ymNOOW4QBmglPRS8Xve4-6UWT9jv52-2tIcEwI3SvA4YabvdgLUm-rgPEMX7KG7juULODjsjQ8H4C1FQhb-kmY6GnzrhQ0OgItQRJFa8vH0QwKUFnSIZpiHGXun-w6UytsTJ6pv73F~QGACJIYbbrV5wO0ip3Gahss7TZD9Oq5-sg7iSNG2m2KqDjDPp~vnD3sCJABpFA3FWb9zgEHDYR9gmO~E5auGianBhlmZw~iDrDwLEXa~KCJc0sTNL-8vS25zy3WyMWA~2dI9QuZMbha0bMRo3HUtcnl00PIGyX5yzX9okgrmGpPIQtr~l2jk2KXK64hwY18~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Finance Committee voted to report S.12 favorably after members raised questions about an unspent judicial fund totaling roughly $26,000 that committee staff said had been set up in 2019 but never operationalized.

Chair Cummings told the committee staff that joint fiscal had discovered the money and that the bill had been brought to the Finance Committee because the fund appeared on their list. Committee members said they did not know why an administrative fee tied to certain expungements had collected money in a fund that the judiciary had not activated. One senator noted concern that a $200 fee was being charged to some people seeking expungement while others were not, and suggested the Judiciary Committee, which created the fund, should decide whether to keep the fee, eliminate it, or redistribute the balance (for example to victim services, which were mentioned as struggling).

Members agreed to ask an emissary — identified in committee discussion as Senator Matos — to work with the Judiciary Committee to “clean this up” and recommend what should be done with the $26,000. The committee then voted to approve S.12 “as presented,” with the proviso that the emissary pursue clarifying language with Judiciary and, if necessary, address the issue in a later miscellaneous tax vehicle.

The committee’s discussion and vote were procedural: members did not adopt a specific plan for the fund’s disposition during the Finance meeting but explicitly directed follow‑up with Judiciary. The committee record shows a roll‑call in which the named senators called during the vote registered “yes.”

The committee’s chair and staff said the judiciary has separate authority over its funds and that any change to the use or disposition of the money would require judiciary action or clear direction from that committee.","The Senate Finance Committee voted to report S.12 favorably after members learned a $26,000 judicial fund set up in 2019 was never implemented; the committee asked an emissary to request the Judiciary Committee clarify how the money should be used.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Finance advances motor‑vehicle omnibus bill after discussion of fee waivers, EV and veteran exemptions, and fiscal impacts

Senate committee backs economic development bill, expands downtown tax credit and funds small‑business supports

Senate finance committee clears bill on criminal‑history fund; asks judiciary to decide fate of $26,000