Senate Appropriations Committee approves H.480 appropriation report after debate over BOCES grants, Guard tuition benefit, phone‑free schools and AED plans

The Vermont Senate Committee on Appropriations voted to approve its appropriation report for H.480, a miscellaneous education bill, after members discussed changes to grant timing, use of an existing National Guard tuition benefit and school safety provisions.

Senator Weeks, who walked the committee through the bill, said the committee was not changing funding amounts in the sections discussed but was adjusting when or how existing funds can be used. “We’re not increasing the grant. We’re not decreasing the grant,” Weeks said, describing a change that would allow a potential BOCES to use a $10,000 formation grant earlier in the formation process rather than only after formation is complete.

The nut graf: Committee members pressed staff on fiscal impacts and implementation details but the committee’s fiscal reviewers said there was no fiscal note attached to the version before the committee. With that caveat, the committee moved and passed the appropriation report for H.480.

Most important provisions discussed

BOCES formation grant timing — Weeks described a provision in section 7 that affects a $10,000 BOCES formation grant. The change would allow funds to be used during the formation phase rather than only after a BOCES is formally established. Weeks said the amendment “doesn’t increase or decrease the grant.” Committee members also noted an underlying reference to a $70,000 sum in related…