House General and Housing committee approves omnibus housing bill draft 9.1 and forwards it to Appropriations

The Committee on General and Housing voted to approve draft 9.1 of a multi-part housing bill on March 13, 2025, sending the measure to Appropriations for further review and amendment.

The bill, approved in committee as draft 9.1, would add a Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program into statute and includes several appropriations for fiscal year 2026. The measure also contains reporting requirements for the Department of Housing and an appropriation of $625,000 to the Department of Health for recovery housing supports.

Why it matters: The committee bill seeks to move some programs from one-time session law language into the statutes (the “green book”), which committee members said makes them easier for the public to find and signals the administration’s intent to continue them in future budgets, even though future funding remains subject to appropriations. That change affects at least one program the bill would place in statute and several funding items that Appropriations will consider separately.

Most important facts

- Statutory change: The bill text adds the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program to statute (noted in the draft as “10 BSA section 700 is added”), which committee counsel said places the program in the green book rather than in session law. Cameron Murray of the Office of Legislative Council told the committee that VHIP is currently in statute and that the manufactured home repair program would be added to statute in the draft.

- Appropriations and funding: The draft includes an appropriation of $625,000 to the Department of Health, split in the draft as $300,000 “for funding of at least 3 new recovery residences certified by the Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences” and $325,000 “to cover first month fees for individuals entering a certified recovery residence.” Committee members discussed that the draft shows FY 2026 appropriations and that whether amounts are treated as one-time or base funding will be resolved by Appropriations and the administration when the budget is finalized.

- Reporting requirement: The draft was revised to clarify that a Department of Housing report on landlord certificate information should cover only the first year after expiration of the relevant lease requirements, not an ongoing annual submission.

- Effective date: Committee counsel noted an amendment to make the affected section effective on passage.

Committee discussion and concerns

Committee counsel and several members discussed the distinction between placing programs in statute (permanent language in the green book) and appropriating money for a single fiscal year. Cameron Murray explained the drafting and said the bill does not itself guarantee future appropriations: "You can have them in the green book in permanent. And if they're not funded, they're not funded." He added that the Appropriations Committee typically locates and adjusts budget language when it reviews measures.

Members debated total funding levels and whether the committee should trim major line items before the bill goes to Appropriations. One member asked if the committee should reduce a large appropriation from $25 million to $12 million; other members argued that starting with larger asks protects smaller, high‑impact items from deeper cuts and that Appropriations is likely to trim the top-line totals. Several members praised the drafting process and the compromises reflected in the draft. Representative Farley said, "I am very happy with this bill," while other members described the bill as a set of strategic investments.

Vote and next steps

A member moved and a second was recorded to approve draft 9.1. The committee called the roll and approved the measure. Recorded votes on the motion in committee were: Representative Bartley — yes; Representative Krasnow — yes; Representative Burrows — yes; Representative Charlton — yes; Representative Dalton — yes; Representative Dodge — yes; Representative Howard — yes; Representative Lamont — yes; Representative Parsons — no; Representative Peso — yes; Representative Mahali — yes. The committee chair said the measure will be reported out of committee and "will be immediately referred to Ways and Means," with an expected subsequent referral to Appropriations for fiscal review.

The committee assigned members to report sections of the large bill on the floor because of the bill's size; the chair said members will be given portions to present. The bill will proceed to the House floor after Appropriations and any committee adjustments.

Ending

The committee approved draft 9.1 and forwarded it for fiscal committee review. Committee members emphasized that the draft represents negotiated language from the administration, stakeholder organizations and committee edits, and that final funding and placement of items will be determined in Appropriations and later in conference with the Senate.