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Other Senate T‑bill changes: Green Mountain Transit area clarification, kit‑car certification study, railroad lease renewals and technical fixes
Summary
Legislative counsel told the House Transportation Committee May 1 that the Senate’s T bill includes several discrete edits: clarifying Green Mountain Transit’s urbanized‑area language, ordering a study of certifying ultra‑low‑volume and kit vehicles, reinstating legislative approval for state railroad lease renewals, and technical DigSafe and DMV fixes.
During the May 1 House Transportation Committee meeting, legislative counsel identified several additional Senate changes in the T bill that the committee may want to review individually:
Green Mountain Transit area: Senate language revises an earlier phrase that referred to Chittenden County to instead use the U.S. Census Bureau’s urbanized‑area boundary for Chittenden County. Counsel said the edit does not cut existing fixed routes; it aligns statutory language with federal grant geography and gives AOT flexibility to approve service outside the urbanized area.
Ultra‑low‑volume and kit vehicles: the Senate added a provision directing a study on certifying ultra‑low‑volume manufactured vehicles, kit cars and home‑built motor vehicles, including whether Vermont could adopt streamlined processes for emissions and safety certification and provide a state VIN procedure for these vehicles.
Railroad lease renewals: the Senate reinserted a requirement that the Legislature approve extensions of leases for continued operation on state‑owned railroad rights‑of‑way, a policy the House removed last year. Counsel said supporters argue the Legislature should weigh in on lease renewals; others in the committee earlier opposed reinstating the review requirement.
DigSafe timing and DMV electronic fees: the Senate included technical corrections to update DigSafe timelines from 48 to 72 hours where needed, and the committee moved to remove a short DMV provision (section 33) that would have set an electronic‑record charge of $0.303 per record; counsel was asked to prepare strike language removing that section for further work.
Ending: counsel and staff told members these smaller edits may have operational consequences and recommended inviting agency witnesses on specific sections (AOT for transit and rail, AOT/DMV for DigSafe and DMV provisions, and appropriate manufacturers/stakeholders for the kit‑car study).
