The committee discussed H91, a vetoed bill that Speaker 2 summarized as the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing program (VHARF). Speaker 2 said H91 would have replaced emergency housing provided through the general assistance program and the Housing Opportunity Grant (HALT) with a transition program delivering supportive services, extreme‑weather shelters and emergency shelter through community action agencies and specialized partners; the bill included a $7,000,000 appropriation for FY26 to fund the transition.

Speaker 1 said she was disappointed the bill was vetoed and credited Representative Wood and her committee for significant work on the proposal. Committee members discussed that $10,000,000 remains in the budget for temporary housing but has not been obligated and that the committee would continue work to reduce reliance on motel programs, while highlighting that placements must be accompanied by supportive services for people with co‑occurring disorders or disabilities.

Speaker 2 noted other emergency‑housing bills introduced in the House (H594) for FY27 and FY28. The committee discussed general assistance mechanics, noting that emergency housing is typically funded through the budget and that eligibility and rules often change year‑to‑year as budget language is negotiated. Speaker 2 explained general assistance covers a range of last‑resort services, including weatherization, limited medical assistance and rental/mortgage arrearage support.

Next steps: the committee plans follow‑ups with AHS and DCF to determine next steps and will monitor budget language and appropriations to inform future policy options.