[{"_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",6058213,"mediaKeyId","3298793-b794392799ed28703f5bf6d44505ba59","parentId",3298793,"title","Committee reviews DMV report language, seeks data on inspection affordability and purchase/use tax appraisals","audioSeconds",402,"startMs",2181000,"endMs",2583000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3298793-b794392799ed28703f5bf6d44505ba59&start=2181&end=2583","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3298793-b794392799ed28703f5bf6d44505ba59/thumbnail_2181000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6058213/Vermont/Committee-reviews-DMV-report-language-seeks-data-on-inspection-affordability-and-purchaseuse-tax-appraisals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058213-003d4808658388d2acb22f1e8f80ae51/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160102&Signature=lj7Bu3BR86K01JZVnyJkrVPP6EV7u-zVR3e112fyA8hHSdXzZRUi6qOdQ~pZcJwKACYBBmCDdFum5byXT2bs1u31eD6OqtOKO7oXLYplSij~5mGy5QuA90zjY0bxzzjQo8XJ37ZMvB7inR4CbfIsXAPuMiD8xVcrhe5E9mYDgYPKGpiwDgLGyT0xdai30bzxTzva8NvwRm0qizgqLUDV6kYsPlK4R0ERNagup~fzmOMZ2LryvewMPT004bxpYcqJrZ0EeJ65dy9DwQTxg22UvBKUYSylFdsmmc2~3tq08-pirHZZda8xswM69E9Ls8nTr2YQ24wQWu14FZQn47691Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-14T14:03:44Z","article","The House Transportation Committee reviewed language requiring the commissioner of motor vehicles to deliver a written report by January next year on the purchase and use tax appraisal process and the financial impact of annual motor vehicle safety and emissions inspections. The report as described would cover the number of people in calendar years 2024 and 2025 who used the dealer appraisal process for purchase and use tax, vehicle age and types, differences between clean trade-in value and appraised value, the number of appeals and the number of appeals that resulted in revisions.

Committee staff also explained the bill would require the commissioner to summarize funding or assistance available for inspections to Vermonters with lower incomes and to examine options to reduce inspection costs, including a proposal to allow inspections every two years. Damon Leonard of the Office of Legislative Counsel said the department \"is proposing to probably do just a contact form on their website rather than an email address\" for Vermonters to register concerns and that the committee had changed some wording to focus outreach on the department's website, department locations and motor vehicle dealers.

Why it matters: Committee members and staff said testimony has raised concerns about the cost of annual inspections and the bill would provide baseline data to inform legislative options. Staff noted the report should include a summary of existing assistance programs; during discussion staff referenced testimony that \"a and r apparently has some grant funding available for individuals to help with emissions inspections,\" and asked the department to document how such programs are used.

Details in the text: subsection c would require the commissioner to establish an email address or other electronic means for Vermonters to contact DMV regarding taxable-cost concerns; the committee discussed amending that language to allow a contact form rather than an email address. Staff also removed a requirement that outreach go through inspection stations. The report would include recommendations for legislative action and an examination of approaches to reduce the financial burden, including the two-year inspection frequency proposed in an amendment by Representative Noise.

Next steps: Committee members said they will hear two more witnesses on related topics the following day and aim to \"roll the bill out\" with two more committee stops before floor consideration. No vote was taken on the section at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Transportation - 2025-05-14 - 10:03AM","oneSentenceSummary","Committee staff explained a bill section requiring the commissioner of motor vehicles to report on dealer appraisals for purchase and use tax, appeals, and options to reduce the financial burden of annual vehicle inspections; staff recommended a web contact form and the committee signaled further deliberation.","taxTitle","Transportation, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",35155,"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},6058218,"Committee hears call to clarify municipalities' authority to maintain legal trails",1386,34000,1420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3298793-b794392799ed28703f5bf6d44505ba59&start=34&end=1420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3298793-b794392799ed28703f5bf6d44505ba59/thumbnail_34000.jpg","/articles/6058218/Vermont/Committee-hears-call-to-clarify-municipalities-authority-to-maintain-legal-trails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6058218-1d37e251ec120cefa7f6776fbfc71cce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160102&Signature=MRn-9E6o2Wq~75tbDUKzH0EEGjlkRxFV-RXN4yHEOw1IFy2kH-M9qb68fga7T32qkJ2LbQE9d7LmiUHsy7mbFGczaL5iXG5USuA6YrT09~yjzUpp5gfHPawivqOkf1i~kZAdPwrbN7VKmL4L9U-wE3mhj9eIdj8sAGMJqt5f3Z3xkT4hX7sF8tdwMcHuRNwWaT3bu62uqe4pjL6AmP9X~QWZNUCGmBOaNAOvEq-H0qzKO6GLBu3Ado-YS0YBXZdmS2hIF~L8d-5292KPkEMwbT8X4~ghoSPCIzuvwmgMaQmXv5wXKdCVPOawr60Kd~lFlOscZUw6ZLivV2OJGLz6vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mike Covey, executive director of the Vermont Traditions Coalition, told the House Transportation Committee in May that the legislature should make explicit that municipalities have authority to maintain legal trails and may authorize others to do maintenance under municipal authority. \"This legislation created a deadline of 07/01/2010 to ensure that unidentified corridors were determined, and 07/01/2015 to assign them a classification and add them to town highway maps,\" Covey said, citing Act 178 of 02/2006.

The testimony focused on whether towns can clear, maintain or authorize volunteers to maintain legal trails without risking claims for compensation if a court later finds in favor of landowners. Covey said mapping deadlines in Act 178 meant corridors not added by the 2015 deadline reverted to adjacent landowners, and that mapping and classification by municipalities demonstrates legislative intent that towns have authority over those rights of way.

Why it matters: legal trails are mapped public rights of way used for recreation and emergency access across the state; Covey told the committee there are about \"547 miles of legal trail in the state,\" and he gave examples including the fishing access at Berlin Pond that sits on a legal trail. He argued that clarifying municipal authority would allow towns, volunteer trail groups and other community stewards to maintain trails without uncertainty about liability and would support outdoor recreation and public safety, including search-and-rescue access after storms.

Committee members asked for documentary evidence and maps. Committee staff and Agency of Transportation (AOT/VTrans) staff demonstrated that town highway maps are available on the AOT website and that legal trails appear on those maps as dashed lines labeled \"LT\"; members discussed that if a right of way is not on a mapped town highway list now, it generally no longer exists as a town right of way. The committee heard that the ongoing lawsuit concerns who may maintain a mapped legal trail, not whether the trail is a public right of way.

Discussion only and next steps: members and witnesses repeatedly framed the issue as a question of clarifying statutory language rather than creating new rights. Committee staff said the committee will hear additional witnesses on the topic the next day, including the landowner involved in the case. Several members expressed interest in passing language this session to remove ambiguity and explicitly permit municipalities and authorized volunteers or organizations to do maintenance \"under the municipality's authority.\" No formal action or vote was taken at the meeting.

Ending: The committee will receive two more witnesses on the subject at the next hearing and will decide how to proceed; members signaled intent to consider statutory language that affirms municipal authority for maintenance while recognizing the range of current maintenance practices.","Witnesses told the Vermont House Transportation Committee that Act 178 (2006) and town highway maps show towns have authority over legal trails and urged the legislature to codify municipalities' ability to maintain and to allow others to maintain those rights of way amid ongoing litigation.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee reviews DMV report language, seeks data on inspection affordability and purchase/use tax appraisals

Committee hears call to clarify municipalities' authority to maintain legal trails