House Appropriations Committee favors S.56 to create study committee on Office of New Americans

The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted to favorably report S.56, a bill directing the creation of a study committee to examine whether Vermont should establish an independent Office of New Americans and, if so, how it should be organized, funded and staffed.

Tim Devlin, legislative counsel with the Legislative Council, told the committee that S.56 "is a very simple bill. It's in essence merely creates a study committee to examine the question of should an office of new Americans be created and, what should it look like?" The bill as passed by the Senate and unchanged by the House Government Operations Committee names membership categories, tasks and deadlines.

The bill tasks the study committee with preparing a written report by Sept. 1, 2026, that must include demographic, economic and public-health data on new Americans in Vermont; a survey of models in other states focusing on education, professional licensing, housing and municipal workforce support; consultation with community-based organizations and state agencies; and recommended structure, duties, funding and staffing for any new office. The committee must hold its first meeting on or before Sept. 1, 2025, may create subcommittees, and will have administrative, technical and legal assistance from the Agency of Human Services (AHS).

Chris Rupp of the Joint Fiscal Office summarized the fiscal note, saying the principal cost is per diems and expenses for public members. "The per diems and expenses are the fiscal impact of the bill," Rupp said, estimating a one-time general-fund appropriation of about $6,200 in the Senate budget to cover per diems for the five governor-appointed public members. Rupp said the estimate reflects variants in mileage and attendance and that costs could be absorbed in base budgets if the appropriation is not enacted.

Committee discussion touched on membership, outreach and compensation. Devlin described an eight-member committee structure that would include ex officio participation by the director of the Vermont Refugee Office (who should serve as chair), one member appointed by the labor commission, one member appointed by the executive director of the Office of Racial Equity, and five governor-appointed members who "must be a new American with lived experience." The draft also nominates seats from community groups including the Association of Africans Living in Vermont, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, the Vermont Afghan Alliance, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and Migrant Justice.

Members asked whether the Agency of Human Services was the appropriate department to provide administrative support; Devlin said the Vermont Refugee Office is located within AHS, and that other locations such as the Department of Commerce could be considered. A committee member asked whether federal immigration authorities would be involved; Rupp and Devlin said the bill does not add federal representatives and that immigration law is federal, but committee members noted federal policy could affect the study's findings.

Members also discussed per diem levels and whether compensation would allow community participants who cannot easily miss work to participate. Rupp explained different per diem calculations for public members versus legislative appointees, noting a legislative per diem of $179 is used when legislators serve. The bill allows payment of per diem and reimbursement pursuant to 2 V.S.A. § 0.3 for legislative members serving in their capacity as legislators for not more than 10 meetings.

A motion to favorably report S.56 was made and the committee recorded votes in favor. The clerk recorded the motion as carried and S.56 was reported favorably from the House Appropriations Committee for further action.

The bill establishes deadlines and a structured process but does not itself create an Office of New Americans; it directs a study and recommendations. If enacted as written, the study committee would deliver recommendations to multiple House and Senate committees, including the House Committees on Commerce and Economic Development and on Government Operations and Military Affairs and the Senate committees named in the bill.

The committee emphasized that membership and details of structure remain subject to amendment on the House floor and that interested members would pursue possible amendments—such as adding additional institutional representation—before final House action.