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Committee revisits 127: members ask how study panels will include lived experience and handle potential federal funding cuts
Summary
During discussion of item 127, committee members asked whether study panels can function if federally funded partner organizations lose staff or funding, how to ensure people with lived experience participate, and procedural questions about quorum and Service Members Civil Relief Act checks.
The House General and Housing committee on April 24 discussed item 127, which would create two studies. Committee members focused on membership, how to include people with lived experience, and what would happen to panel operation if federally funded partner organizations lost funding or staff between enactment and panel convening.
Committee members asked whether the study panels could convene without every named organization present. Legislative Council counsel said a panel can operate as long as it has a quorum of its membership and that organizations could still participate informally or voluntarily even if they lacked official staff available because of federal funding cuts.
Members raised Vermont-specific examples, including the Vermont Center for Independent Living and the Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council, and questioned whether a federal funding cut could render a formerly eligible organization unable to designate an official member. Counsel said the practical remedy is to ensure the panel has a quorum and that the bill's budget or enabling language could provide per diem or compensation if the Legislature wants to enable participation despite federal funding constraints.
Committee members also discussed procedural and enforcement questions tied to related landlord-tenant topics: how courts use the Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and what proof landlords must produce in eviction proceedings. Counsel said the federal website and court practice discourage using an applicant's Social Security number to check military status and that verifications need to be current when submitted to a court. The committee heard that waivers of certain SCRA protections may have limited or conditional validity and that further research would be required to draft specific statutory language.
What the committee asked staff to do
Legislative Council will continue drafting the language for item 127 including details on membership and guidance on including people with lived experience and will research potential statutory language or budget mechanisms that would protect or facilitate participation if federal funding changes.
Ending
The committee recessed to a break and agreed to schedule another session to continue work on item 127; no vote was taken.
