House refuses to concur with Senate on FY2026 budget adjustments and appoints conference committee

House members on Wednesday refused to concur in the Senate proposal of amendment to H 7 90, the fiscal year 2026 budget adjustment act, and appointed members to a committee of conference to resolve differences between the chambers.

A motion to suspend the rules to take H 7 90 off the notice calendar for immediate consideration passed by voice vote. The House Appropriations Committee (member from Middlebury) told members the Senate agreed with most House items but made several changes that "warrant further discussion," including significant changes to a previously appropriated $50,000,000 for the emergency board (noting expanded uses and questions about support for public housing authorities and Section 8), changes tied to developmental services payment reform, and modest adjustments to Vermont Food Bank and meals‑on‑wheels appropriations. The committee reported a straw poll of 11‑0‑0 to not concur with the Senate's amendments.

The House then voted to refuse to concur in the Senate amendment and requested a committee of conference. The Speaker named the House conferees from the record as "the member from Middlebury, representative shy, the member from Linden, representative felt this and the member from Burlington, representative bloomly" (as read on the House floor). The House also suspended the rules to message its action to the Senate forthwith.

The refusals and appointments were procedural steps to move the budget differences into a committee of conference; no final budget outcome was reached on the House floor during this session.