[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,75,87,98],{"_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",6243105,"mediaKeyId","3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516","parentId",3242664,"title","Conference negotiators protect transportation fund; SSDI license discount removed from T bill","audioSeconds",266,"startMs",774000,"endMs",1040000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516&start=774&end=1040","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516/thumbnail_774000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6243105/Vermont/Conference-negotiators-protect-transportation-fund-SSDI-license-discount-removed-from-T-bill","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243105-70cc859986c3cd921d117efaa99ae5d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773679531&Signature=KAZVp21IN5GB4kvi5eAss8OjTPKQgu58p8F7nXx8n3VCCRIXNvI0Hj2~vtFcsxksBfRitptlCsaNll~vppH03ly3la6LH6GsWU~SNjcxeah80ChRyxgNSQt3Jjm5eyMi7sZAnvH~U2V2mamId5loKbuVultiLhDmpzibOvX9e9zwm9sRi2TQuzggHNUGijLqJGh63jdUe3hYslcuYhuqqMf5rWFNqDaRaUvuPj7~SE9ebg~gDs9Jf6GQBpz5B1SOGjeJojXe97oqpDc-iDQM~IZrP6HjXAsPvusPf532pnuqqiSGHaZEO6yJ1uQ-Z4WwMWkaAct1-r0X32Hw~L0uBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-08T19:41:54Z","article","Members of the House–Senate transportation conference committee said they will protect transportation fund revenues and noted that an SSDI/SSI license fee discount provision was dropped from the motor vehicle bill draft under consideration.

A committee participant summarized the caucus position: transportation revenues are constrained and the committee intends to protect the Transportation Fund so road maintenance and infrastructure priorities remain funded. The participant said the preference is to find assistance for low-income SSDI and SSI recipients from the general fund or human services budgets, not from transportation revenue.

Committee staff discussed draft bottom-line figures and potential adjustments. They identified prior line items and an existing $550,000 figure on the bottom line that could reduce the need for separate sections, and noted that because S46 is not moving, some previously estimated costs can be reduced by roughly $300,000. The transcript indicates the SSDI/SSI license discount as currently drafted is under $50,000 but was removed from the motor vehicle bill pending decisions on funding sources.

Negotiators did not adopt new appropriations in the conference session recorded; instead, they signaled a unified position to protect the Transportation Fund and to seek other general-fund sources if policymakers want to provide fee relief to low-income license holders.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee of Conference - H.488 - 2025-05-08 3:30PM","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members emphasized protecting the transportation fund and said the proposed SSDI/SSI license discount was removed from the motor vehicle bill; negotiators said assistance for low-income license fee reductions should be funded from the general fund or human services sources, not the transportation fund.","taxTitle","Senate Transportation, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",51841,"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},6243110,"Committee probes railroad telecom leases; agencies report about $100,000 annual telecom lease revenue",60,1449000,1509000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516&start=1449&end=1509","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516/thumbnail_1449000.jpg","/articles/6243110/Vermont/Committee-probes-railroad-telecom-leases-agencies-report-about-100000-annual-telecom-lease-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243110-5bcc2e688c516d26dfba876173b43173/orig.mp4?Expires=1773679531&Signature=iODUv9qLruQcmZWO56RN6Oc8ZHjllkkfYU-cAMGaLO98eHTgT7btISNoQ2AWYjj1MPetpNdyE484Y~jPG1c~FcOfWoUqAndYhZzwqXCFj6N2pps9sZkJqVf6RCvDQW~fAL2XB2PKT0Qq5SxYAoetNucxBOZ~sUfW5ncYgbojQngGT1FpEl0kFytoXK5kBRy8NgO~UwBZaANffDZNFfnVnkzHqvTTPDcDyyvTWJO5c87Gg6CwYgeiJUDe3CS8z0of4ONiictvP3JAR-BSJqiJWRFT7kzw8ndr~IMosw9QP97ginQ-8ckgdimkiza3kVb~ijBYhtSttJk6MrfJmSIqYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the House–Senate transportation conference committee debated replacing section 32 with alternate language addressing railroad leases and telecom use of state right-of-way and requested more granular revenue information for future negotiations.

Michelle Boomhower of the Agency of Transportation told the committee that “in this particular case, 50% of the revenues go to the railroad and 50% go to the agency, and that's the way the lease is structured. And the revenue for this lease is about a hundred thousand dollars a year.” She said the lease in question has produced about $100,000 annually, with roughly $50,000 going to the state.

Committee members and agency staff discussed the limits on subleasing in existing railroad leases, emphasizing that railroad leases are restricted to railroad-specific activities and that non-railroad uses would be managed directly by the agency. Boomhower said the agency can lease non-railroad operations directly and that leases include provisions protecting the railroad’s ability to reclaim property if needed for rail operations.

Staff said a broader analysis is underway to inventory state-owned property and compare lease practices and revenues across railroads, highways and airports. The report—referenced as the product of recent administrative work and expected in a later submission to the General Assembly—will provide more detail on annual revenues, lease types and comparability to other states. Committee members asked agencies to use the interval before any railroad lease renewal to gather additional data and set expectations for future negotiations.

No formal action or vote was recorded in the provided transcript on replacing section 32; participants described the proposed language as an alternative approach under the conference committee’s remit and agreed to gather more information before finalizing text.","Conference members discussed replacing section 32 with language about railroad telecom leases, learned that a fiber-optic lease generates about $100,000 annually split roughly 50/50 between the railroad and the state, and asked for a broader report on state-owned property revenues.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":78,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6243115,"Mileage-based user-fee language remains unresolved in conference talks",579000,639000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516&start=579&end=639","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516/thumbnail_579000.jpg","/articles/6243115/Vermont/Mileage-based-user-fee-language-remains-unresolved-in-conference-talks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243115-102732aedd06322c74d2d0725ccbca8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773679531&Signature=I-qRewC3EKyVP0043n3w3BRqwegMOt0uD6d158icohX-JdbU5yy5j1iZ0yDoYmSb2uh0HL~15mCuxj6qxGeKJT3EIkjEUt0mNWS2JXWHLRAi142eK3zCE3Qv7wNv6aTvZnWQUoj3iUpvfTrZyJfNTLEVikPn6jBQevf77xXjCbUNyiqJvwhxkls8zaYc-gDDlU2WsZdMHsRPQyrTz9fM1Bw9pfbJ1LusA8e2GmBtYx6Mgf6iMB0wBRyFy~8i4Aaey2vInBq0OhKRWyRuPJ-rOhLYC9HFrM2q2E6h2rOIWQ89teTYIcwoukliohI-psfhzmbLjCpUGnkrYqmMFCOgbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Conference negotiators left intent language for a mileage-based user fee unresolved, saying the parties had not reached agreement on whether the MyLeadBase user fee would be an interim pilot, staged expansion to all motor vehicles, or whether that policy detail should be decided later.

Committee staff reported a yellow-highlighted addition in the Senate draft that had been proposed the previous day; negotiators said the sides were still considering whether the mileage-based approach should be framed as interim or as part of a broader, eventual replacement for fuel taxes.

Members also discussed a provision tied to the elimination of state fuel taxes for motor vehicles and whether clarifying language should be included. Committee participants said the debate over scope and timing is the primary remaining question for that section of the conference draft and that the language remains “open” pending further direction from committee principals.

No final text was recorded in the provided transcript and no formal vote took place; the conference committee left the matter open for further negotiation and possible amendment when additional fiscal and policy information is available.","Members of the House–Senate transportation conference committee left intent language for a mileage-based user fee (MyLeadBase) unresolved, with disagreement over whether it is an interim step, a gradual expansion to all vehicles, or whether the language should be set now.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6243120,"Conference committee agrees on replacement language for section 27 on volunteer drivers, schedules FY2026 report",80,96000,176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516&start=96&end=176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242664-c26111b260b96253d748f88378f67516/thumbnail_96000.jpg","/articles/6243120/Vermont/Conference-committee-agrees-on-replacement-language-for-section-27-on-volunteer-drivers-schedules-FY2026-report","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243120-de48b1cd1a832e373d45af476fab5895/orig.mp4?Expires=1773679531&Signature=Z~J95NeaC-LRDwmy-VmnjSyAqNrq~-B-ky6YtMxUrqrfr0o057Lk8sJQFtN-qqhTdET3V9QD~HLXw6s7XS2rUxNt3CCaxa3U~sdDlRniFGmGlaEPSVJYKoV~CDa4mrWXjdqaGDUoDsZ28W~a3fvb7CmyRrwmA9~YkCDfBN8j4Wtd~XuQido7NM0vDz2UWmoP8qnkc-DQ8qdvDHezmJRH-9MmN8qgMbD6CwGKdFtqVl9Ofz5UBNrwQwz2JmiZ4bw8lKQUS1lPwV3ZLBU9ahmlFX0X2fyxHgnazOfMb-Wfa2ikSB2SRspPrj4W5pM2mWoV8A5XI7Ka2KIsiOIfBr-1BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Conference committee members for the House and Senate transportation bills said they reached agreement on replacement language for section 27, which deals with volunteer drivers and the emergency Medicaid medical transportation program, and that a report will be due in fiscal year 2026.

The change was presented by Ashley Berliner, director of Medicaid policy at the Agency of Human Services, who told the committee, “we spent the better part of this morning working to come to an agreement on some of the language that is in this bill, specifically related to a report that will be due in fiscal year 2026.” She said the revised language is intended to keep the program “within the confines of federal regulations related to the emergency Medicaid medical transportation program, while still working in collaboration with VTrans.”

The committee and agency staff also agreed to strike yellow-highlighted language in an earlier draft after the agency indicated the highlighted text was not acceptable. Michelle Boomhower of the Agency of Transportation confirmed the agencies and committee staff were aligned on the revised text and on preserving federal compliance and agency boundaries.

Committee members said sections 26 and 28 would remain intact and that section 29 (30 in some drafts) is still under negotiation. The discussion included clarifications that the replacement affects only the text of section 27 and not the other demand-response transportation sections of the bill.

No formal committee vote was recorded on the floor during the portion of the transcript provided; participants described the outcome as an interagency agreement reached during the conference work session. Staff said the agreed language would be placed on the afternoon agenda so agencies can provide a short testimony confirming the agreement.

The exchange included repeated cautions that any sharing of information or operational changes must comply with federal privacy and Medicaid rules; AHS emphasized retaining “appropriate boundaries around the federal requirements they have.”

The committee expects the agreed language and the FY2026 report timeline to appear in the conference packet presented to members for final consideration.","Members of the House–Senate transportation conference committee said they reached agreement on replacement language for section 27, which governs volunteer drivers and medical transportation, and that a report will be due in fiscal year 2026; agencies stressed the language must comply with federal Medicaid rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Conference negotiators protect transportation fund; SSDI license discount removed from T bill

Committee probes railroad telecom leases; agencies report about $100,000 annual telecom lease revenue

Mileage-based user-fee language remains unresolved in conference talks

Conference committee agrees on replacement language for section 27 on volunteer drivers, schedules FY2026 report