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House Appropriations Committee advances H.173 after adding per-diem language for working-group legislators
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Summary
The House Appropriations Committee voted to advance H.173 on April 23, 2026. The bill narrows a previously proposed removal of an initial screening for vocational rehabilitation claimants, requires a clearer notice form for injured workers, creates a temporary working group to review intake and access, and adds apprenticeship language to align with federal requirements; the committee approved an amendment clarifying per diem and expense payments for two legislative working-group members.
The House Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to advance H.173, a measure addressing vocational rehabilitation and apprenticeship program language, after approving an amendment to clarify payment for legislative members serving on a short-term working group.
Sophie Sedatny, legislative counsel with the Office of Legislative Council, told the committee that H.173 originally removed an "initial screening" step that Vermont had required for workers' compensation claimants who might be eligible for vocational rehabilitation. Sedatny said the screening — performed by hireAbility in the Department for Aging and Independent Living — had drawn concerns because staff were "not necessarily familiar with workers' compensation," which can leave injured workers stuck in intake rather than receiving full vocational services.
The bill, as amended, keeps a narrower statutory change: it requires the Department to provide injured workers with a plainly written form that explains their rights, including choice of vocational rehabilitation provider, how to challenge a denial, and "the right to request vocational rehabilitation services in the future if the work injury affects the worker's ability to earn a worker's preinjury wage," Sedatny said. The working group created by the bill will study whether the existing intake questions and oversight are useful and whether alternative approaches could improve access and cost-effectiveness.
Representative Jonathan Cooper, a member of the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, said House Commerce added apprenticeship-related language requested by the Department of Labor to conform state statute with federal changes and preserve access to federal funds. Cooper described the changes as less prescriptive in some sections and said the bill would add a five-year strategic-plan requirement with reporting on how federal funds are allocated and what impact they produce.
Explaining the fiscal impacts, a staff member introduced as Chris (summarizing the committee's fiscal note) said the direct cost to the Department of Labor would be limited to reimbursements and premiums for working-group members and estimated "roughly $4,000 for up to five payments." He added that clarifying payment authority for the two legislative members would cost about $2,700 and could be covered from the General Assembly budget if the committee chose to amend the bill.
Committee members pressed on several implementation details. One member asked whether the working group duplicates existing vocational training and whether DOL already provides similar counseling; Sedatny said vocational rehabilitation counselors connect claimants to appropriate options and that the bill does not create a new training program. Members also asked about terminology changes — for example, replacing "registered" with "certified" for pre-apprenticeship programs — and Cooper said he would follow up with specifics on why the federal language differs.
On the procedural amendment, Sedatny presented language replacing subsection g of the working-group section to preserve DOL payment of public-member expense reimbursement and to add a second subsection entitling legislative members "to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses pursuant to 2 VSA section 23 for not more than 5 meetings," with those payments made from monies appropriated to the General Assembly. The committee voted to approve that amendment (recorded in the transcript as 7-0-0).
After adopting the amendment, the committee voted to approve H.173 as amended and advanced the bill to the next legislative stage. The chair noted the bill's effective date would be July 1, 2026, and said further review and reporting by the working group would conclude by December 15, after which the group "shall cease to exist."
The committee chair closed the meeting by thanking staff and members and previewing upcoming agenda items, including bills on libraries and on economic development.
What's next: H.173 was advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee and will move on in the legislative process; the working group will convene for up to five meetings starting in August and report by December 15, 2026.
