[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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",[32,76],{"_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":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6619389,"mediaKeyId","2836322-a0471cec61d4b95ec73f863e672df1bc","parentId",2836322,"title","House advances plan to shift emergency shelter services to community agencies, orders third reading","audioSeconds",5006,"startMs",1254000,"endMs",6260000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2836322-a0471cec61d4b95ec73f863e672df1bc&start=1254&end=6260","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2836322-a0471cec61d4b95ec73f863e672df1bc/thumbnail_1254000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6619389/Vermont/House-advances-plan-to-shift-emergency-shelter-services-to-community-agencies-orders-third-reading","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619389-559e5680a52abfcaeeeef1de69d90162/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191172&Signature=aJ-OuFwiNiOlazPAkq7XRX3cwTOxYmE0eJM~Xwc-ZpJ6FsQQNZBXhSs4uaj2FNwLidVO4axf-LidW4NnsrhuyFrIk4Hd6GQQ0cv2O1FfEZD5fgpwpMF4xPTRQTP9-Bp0v72xZpoIRAz3uUhtALW2j3o~5BYGpV7WwyXnblBanCt8d-rYsDjD3bl3jFVxbB~37wR5EMX83qJPFNTMnpwDFDxU9ZORaXffqQwIYhUosXeNir5-0P0flku8JbWkivG4WKQDQ03118rbt0q7oSAxTT6Q~~kGYQkkASSGPKgpS83~vIyg4mktXfczvD4onOFWT6UMyfkA-lrV9ZQWya6NOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Vermont Legislature","date","2025-04-01T16:52:57.883Z","article","The House of Representatives on April 1 amended House Bill 91, a comprehensive measure to reorganize the state's emergency sheltering system and shift operations from state-run hotel/motel placements to community-based providers.

The bill, as amended, creates the Vermont Homelessness Emergency Assistance and Response Transition to Housing Program (VHEARTH) in statute and directs the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and the Agency of Human Services (AHS) to develop an implementation plan and funding allocation method for a phased transition. \"This bill makes the transition to a community based service system that can be creative, quick acting, responsive, and most importantly, focused on preventing homelessness,\" said the Member from Waterbury (Representative), who opened the floor presentation for the bill.

H.91 matters because it restructures how Vermont spends existing emergency housing dollars and sets up regional responsibility for shelter and supportive services. The bill would consolidate funding now used for the General Assistance hotel/motel program and the Housing Opportunity Grant program into VHEARTH, require regional needs assessments and planning, and authorize community action agencies (CAAs) and a statewide domestic-violence provider to operate and coordinate shelter and transitional services.

Lawmakers said the change is intended to prioritize community-based shelter options, expand supportive services, and reduce reliance on isolated hotel placements where outreach and case management can be limited. The Member from Britport, Representative McGill, described how the bill establishes statutory findings and legislative intent and then adds new language to Title 33 Vermont Statutes Annotated (creating a new chapter) to establish the program. \"It is certainly a mouthful,\" Representative McGill said of the program name, and the committee's report details that the new chapter will include definitions, duties for CAAs, and obligations for DCF and other AHS departments.

Key provisions in the amendment adopted by the House floor include:

- Creation of VHEARTH in statute (new chapter in 33 V.S.A.).
- Designation of the state's five community action agencies and a statewide organization serving households affected by domestic violence as primary operators (subject to funding and federal confidentiality rules for survivor services).
- A requirement that DCF develop a coordinated implementation plan, in consultation with CAAs and a temporary advisory committee, and file that plan with the House Committee on Human Services and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare by Feb. 1, 2026.
- Interim funding and transition language that preserves existing programs during FY26 while community providers build capacity.
- A July 1, 2025 effective date for most sections and a July 1, 2026 effective date for the statutory creation and statewide operation of VHEARTH (section 3).

The House Appropriations committee reported that $10,000,000 in one-time FY26 funds would be made available to support the transition and build capacity among community providers, including staff, IT upgrades, training and shelter development. \"This appropriation would bring the level of spending in FY26 equal to that in FY25 and would be, as you heard, used to build capacity within community providers,\" Representative Bloomley (Member from Burlington), speaking for Appropriations, told the chamber.

Floor debate ranged widely. Supporters called H.91 a necessary, strategic reorientation of how the state responds to homelessness and emphasized the immediate humanitarian concerns of Vermonters who lack shelter. Opponents questioned the cost, workforce capacity at CAAs, and whether the bill addresses underlying barriers to building affordable housing. The Member from Poltenay (Representative) voiced concerns about recurring costs after one-time transition funding is exhausted; another member called the approach \"an expensive band aid\" without concurrent regulatory changes to increase housing supply.

The House voted to amend H.91 as recommended by the House Committee on Human Services. The amendment vote was taken by voice; the clerk recorded that the ayes had it and the amendment was adopted. After amendment, the House ordered a third reading of H.91. The transcript does not record a final passage vote on third reading during this session.

Discussion vs. formal action: committee reports and member remarks described policy goals, operational elements (hotel/motel block contracting, regional needs assessments, appeals processes, expanded 2-1-1 intake), and fiscal assumptions. Formal floor action captured in the record: the House adopted the committee-recommended amendment and ordered third reading. The bill's implementation schedule and appropriation authority are explicit in the amended text and in the committee fiscal reports; several members urged additional statutory or budgetary review as the plan is finalized.

What happens next: DCF must prepare the statutory implementation plan in collaboration with the CAAs and the advisory committee and submit that plan to the legislature by Feb. 1, 2026. Section 9 of the amended bill sets the general effective date as July 1, 2025, but the statutory establishment of VHEARTH takes effect July 1, 2026.

Votes at a glance recorded on the floor: the House adopted the amendment recommended by the Committee on Human Services (voice vote; ayes prevailed) and ordered third reading. Committee votes reported during floor debate: the House Human Services committee reported the bill out by a vote of 8-2-1; House Appropriations recommended passage with a fiscal allocation and reported 8-3-0 in committee (the floor record later corrected the human services committee tally to 8-2-1 for the report-out).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Session: 2025-04-01-10:00 a.m.","oneSentenceSummary","The House of Representatives amended House Bill 91 on April 1 to create a new statutory program—VHEARTH—to shift emergency shelter operations toward community action agencies and ordered the bill for third reading.","taxTitle","HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",29454,"location","Vermont","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6619384,"House passes capital construction bond bill, introduces new measures and reassigns committee jurisdiction",5054,1205000,6259000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2836322-a0471cec61d4b95ec73f863e672df1bc&start=1205&end=6259","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2836322-a0471cec61d4b95ec73f863e672df1bc/thumbnail_1205000.jpg","/articles/6619384/Vermont/House-passes-capital-construction-bond-bill-introduces-new-measures-and-reassigns-committee-jurisdiction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6619384-e1297791c01cb6723b2f44a4870bb59c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191172&Signature=hHqPesizeNVDWuJOc9RetkrMDDdMT4yqhCSe1w7p9LKBAoH6TN~ie5XOOOD4OjKvpP0BEFNTltV2EaAJmfeymvSlOot2-6YiVq75t00OIVm4AvQU3cgOV13SS1Zn-oUlSRVBQx4NPcU3zTP-8FrwCH6vAwJ4So8YEM~HvesyXvgVKFiUfKN57DzyCi0-Y1rRB371Q0~hkGK3BNU5NjtnUJsrDTALoSEiHJgJG6P9J8SVlrMM7u1W9dwhaM9ndgRCwjk3dUbpSn5muAnAqielNk7vD0BsWnIycH-663vcRtSKTux3p8Bwj3OTJ1y-tzvFTdTlKYD0XWUvC8lFc1A18Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Vermont House completed a slate of procedural and substantive floor actions on April 1, advancing a bonding bill to final passage, reading several bills for first referral, and carrying out committee jurisdiction changes.

The chamber passed H.494, \"An act relating to capital construction and state bonding,\" on third reading. \"The ayes do have it, and you have passed the bill,\" the presiding officer announced after the voice vote.

Separately, the House introduced and gave first readings to four House bills and three Senate bills. Those first readings were followed by committee referrals as specified by the clerk:

- H.497: An act relating to student freedom of expression rights in school-sponsored media and approved independent schools and postsecondary schools — referred to the Committee on Education.
- H.498: An act relating to prohibiting municipal regulation of homelessness and supporting municipal programs to address homelessness — referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs.
- H.499: An act relating to establishing the task force to study and develop reparation proposals for the institution of chattel slavery — referred to the Committee on General and Housing.
- H.500: An act relating to automated license plate recognition systems — referred to the Committee on Transportation.
- S.46: An act relating to the taxation of vehicles used for forestry operations — referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
- S.71: An act relating to consumer data privacy and online surveillance — referred to the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.
- S.126: An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform — referred to the Committee on Health Care.

The House also announced that H.454, a revenue-affecting education governance and finance measure, had been referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 35(a).

In a procedural floor action, the Member from Middlebury (Representative) moved and the chamber agreed to relieve the Committee on Appropriations of House Bill 67 (an act relating to legislative operations and government accountability) and recommit it to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs. The presiding officer recorded that \"the ayes do have it.\" The transcript does not list individual teller votes for that motion.

The clerk also read House Concurrent Resolution 59, which the House and Senate adopted pursuant to the consent calendar. HCR 59 honors Linda C. Johnson for her work with Prevent Child Abuse Vermont and directs the secretary of state to send a copy of the resolution to her and the organization.

Other routine business on the floor included guest recognitions, caucus and committee notices, and the motion to adjourn (the body agreed to stand adjourned until April 2 at 1 p.m.).

Because several items were first readings, the primary next steps are committee consideration and scheduling; H.494 has passed the House as recorded on the floor.","On April 1 the Vermont House passed H.494 (capital construction and state bonding), read several bills for first reading and referred them to committees, and voted to relieve Appropriations of H.67 and recommit it to Government Operations; the chamber also read a concurrent resolution honoring Linda C. Johnson.","actionData","errors"]

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House advances plan to shift emergency shelter services to community agencies, orders third reading

House passes capital construction bond bill, introduces new measures and reassigns committee jurisdiction