Committee delays remittance of excess statewide education property tax under HB 739 until FY27

The House Education Committee approved an amendment to HB 739 that restores a 2011-repealed provision requiring municipalities to remit excess statewide education property tax (often called the "swept" amount) to the Department of Revenue Administration, but the committee added an applicability date to avoid disrupting current local budgets.

Representative Spilsbury explained that department staff and the Department of Revenue Administration raised timing concerns: many municipalities have FY 2026 budgets already set and mailing or voting schedules in progress. The amendment (0680H) leaves the bill effective July 1, 2025, but specifies that the first remittance of any excess swept amount would be due March 15, 2027, effectively deferring implementation one fiscal year to avoid chaos in town budget votes.

Representative Ames endorsed the delay as a practical accommodation to avoid short-term disruption. Representative Fellows voted no on the amendment, citing concerns recorded in the roll call; the amendment passed 17–1 on a recorded roll-call vote and the committee later voted OTPA on the amended bill (17–1).

Representative Spilsbury said the policy intent is to reinstate the pre-2011 remit of excess property tax proceeds to address distributional concerns, while giving municipalities and administration time to implement the change in FY 2027. The committee instructed staff to circulate the amendment language and noted the bill would proceed to division and finance for further consideration.

Votes at a glance: amendment 0680H passed (17-1); OTPA on HB 739 as amended passed (17-1).