Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Appropriations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House Appropriations Committee reviews FY25 budget adjustments, includes $3 million reversion to state insurance reserve
Summary
The House Appropriations Committee reviewed the FY25 budget adjustment on Feb. 3, discussing reversions, transfers and updated revenue forecasts; staff flagged a $3 million reversion routed to the State Liability Self‑Insurance Fund and an updated year‑end reserve projection of roughly $133.6 million.
The House Appropriations Committee met Monday, Feb. 3, to review the fiscal year 2025 budget adjustment bill, focusing on a set of reversions and transfers that include a $3,000,000 reversion from an AOA finance account moved into the State Liability Self‑Insurance Fund, committee staff said.
Emily Burns of the Joint Fiscal Office told the committee members the materials include a “reversion” sheet and other spreadsheets showing how the House’s changes differ from the governor’s recommendation. Burns said the $3,000,000 reversion was among the changes and that language in the bill redesignates certain one‑time appropriations so agencies can spend the funds.
The discussion laid out several one‑time and base adjustments: $6,000,000 net increase for provider stabilization grants; an $11,000,000 reconciliation tied to the Brattleboro retreat alternative payment model moved into FY25; removal of a $14,000,000 bond redemption backfill previously included for the treasurer’s office; and additional funds for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for pilot projects and housing funding. After adding the reversions and the updated revenue forecast, staff said the projected reserve for the end of FY25 rose from a governor’s recommended $87,250,000 to about $133,590,000.
Staff also walked committee members through transfers and direct appropriations. Burns explained the Emergency Relief and Assistance Fund, or EREF, as the funding stream the state uses to cover the nonfederal share of matching requirements for FEMA disaster response. Committee members asked questions about how matching percentages vary by disaster declaration and how some matches depend on municipal actions such as adopting plans.
Committee members raised several specific items for follow up. Members asked staff to check the status and rationale for a $25,000 reversion tied to a Vermont commission line and a $150,000 reversion listed for the Everyone Eats program; staff agreed to follow up. Committee members also noted that some line items are reductions in services, and Burns clarified that negative entries reflect amounts moving out of the general fund into other funds, while positives represent money coming into the general fund.
Other points during the review included corrections tied to prior acts: committee staff said an earlier double‑count involving property transfer tax language in Act 181/Act 180 required reversing a transfer because the change had already been enacted. The committee noted that certain adjustments previously described in other bills were being reconciled in the budget adjustment sheet.
No formal roll‑call votes or final committee actions appear in the transcript of the session. Committee members agreed to go offline to review the documents and reconvene for a check‑in at 3:30 p.m. The chair said the bill must be edited and introduced so it can appear on the calendar the following day, with the expectation it will reach the floor later in the week.
The committee asked staff to post the spreadsheets and circulate electronic copies; staff said the bill text will not appear on the committee web page until the bill is formally introduced.
