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Senate adds $600,000 for demand‑response volunteer coordinators; committee told DVHA and transit agencies must address background‑check and contract risks
Summary
House Transportation Committee members were briefed May 1 on a new Senate proposal to fund grants for coordinators who recruit and retain volunteer drivers for nonemergency medical transport and older‑adult services; committee counsel and staff flagged multiple implementation details and requested testimony from DVHA and transit providers.
House Transportation Committee members were briefed May 1 on a Senate amendment that would create a grant stream to help public transit agencies hire coordinators to recruit and retain volunteer drivers who provide demand‑response rides for nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) and older adults and persons with disabilities.
Logan Mumeri, fiscal analyst, Joint Fiscal Office, told the committee the Senate proposes to fund the grants with $600,000 freed by moving $1,150,000 in town‑highway nonfederal disaster spending to pilot‑fund dollars. “Basically, there is a need for additional volunteer drivers within the program, and this is hiring grants to help the agencies hire coordinators for their volunteer programs to recruit and retain those volunteers,” Mumeri said.
Committee discussion focused on operational and legal hurdles. Members and counsel flagged several areas that need further review or testimony: whether Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) contract changes for NEMT will degrade service, overlapping background‑check requirements that can bar volunteers, and HIPAA and privacy constraints that may limit coordination between health providers and transportation agencies.
David Leonard, legislative counsel, told the committee the Senate’s language asks DVHA to provide the Joint Fiscal Committee with an analysis showing that any new contracts for NEMT will not “degrade the service to eligible individuals or impact the financial stability of the public transportation systems.” Leonard and other staff said DVHA has objected to parts of the language and that the committee should hear from DVHA and transit advocates to identify sticking points before moving forward.
Committee members also discussed outreach and efficiency: the Senate language contains provisions for broader outreach to recruit volunteers, limited informational materials from DVHA, and a mandate to examine whether coordination between medical providers and transit providers could reduce the number of trips (and thereby the program’s cost). Staff warned that HIPAA and other privacy laws could constrain some proposed data‑sharing.
Ending: lawmakers asked staff to schedule testimony from DVHA and public‑transit providers about background checks, contract terms, and how the coordinator grants would operate in practice before accepting the Senate language.
