House Appropriations Committee reviews updated spending spreadsheets, moves $200,000 for Advance Vermont to Labor

MONTPELIER — The Vermont House Appropriations Committee on Monday, March 24, 2025, reviewed an updated set of budget spreadsheets that included several line‑item restorations and reductions and showed $47,620,000 available in one‑time funds. Committee staff said they will move a proposed $200,000 advance for “Advance Vermont” from the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) to the Department of Labor and that an updated web report will be posted tonight; the committee did not take a final vote and intends to reconvene to vote after staff finalize language and the web materials.

The committee met online to walk through changes staff added since a 1 p.m. session earlier in the day. Emily Byrne of the Joint Fiscal Office summarized the changes and highlighted newly added items. Byrne said, “I highlighted and bolded these changes that we that have been added since we talked at 01:00,” and reported, “The bottom line…available one‑time is now at $47,620,000.”

Why it matters: The spreadsheet changes allocate or restore funding for multiple state programs and will shape the bill the House considers for final action. Lawmakers and agencies use the Joint Fiscal Office spreadsheets and the committee’s web report to check line items and reconcile the bill text before votes.

Key changes summarized by staff: - $650,000 added to buy back vacancy savings for the state’s attorneys (line 8.1). - $500,000 for “emergency food” at the Department of Public Safety Emergency Management (line 15.1). - In the Department of Mental Health, staff reported restoring $249,211 of a $269,211 reduction (a $20,000 remaining difference) (line 30.1.b.3.14). - The committee’s one‑time balance stands at $47,620,000, according to staff calculations. - A one‑time appropriation for mobile portable radio equipment was reduced by $120,000 to $800,000 (row 9 of the one‑time spreadsheet). - The Vermont Professionals of Color Network line was reduced by $50,000. - VSAC free community grants were reduced by $1,000,000 to $1,500,000; staff noted a remaining balance figure of $1,530,000 in the spreadsheet printout.

Representative Nigro alerted staff that a VSAC advance had been placed under the wrong agency in the draft. Grady (staff) said he would correct the bill text: he will add a new subpart to appropriate $200,000 for Advance Vermont to the Department of Labor and remove the VSAC reference for that advance from the bill text. Committee staff told members the web report and the “house changes” column will be updated to reflect that correction.

Committee staff also discussed drafting and proofreading items. A committee member asked staff to standardize language and to include a statutory definition for a proposed mileage‑based user fee; staff noted that defining that term in statute will be necessary if it remains in the proposal.

No formal motions or votes were recorded in the portion of the transcript made available; staff said they will go offline to finalize the language and web report and will reconvene for a full vote once those documents match. Emily Byrne and Joint Fiscal Office staff said JFO personnel would remain available while members review the updated materials.

The committee’s next steps are procedural: staff will update the bill language and web report, post the updated materials tonight, and the committee will resume to finalize and vote on the package after members have had time to review the changes.