House Appropriations Committee reviews draft of additional FY27 funding, holds items pending tax bill

The House Appropriations Committee reviewed a draft of additional funding for the fiscal 2027 budget on March 19, 2026, and agreed to finalize language with Joint Fiscal Office staff before voting. Chair opened the 4:30 p.m. session and asked Emily Burn and Jamie Z of the Joint Fiscal Office to present a spreadsheet detailing proposed revenue sources and appropriations.

The Joint Fiscal Office told the committee that two of the largest proposed revenue items are conditional: a miscellaneous tax bill change (net roughly $9.22 million across FY26 and FY27) and a one-time transfer of interest earned by the Technology Modernization Fund (approximately $9.4–$9.5 million). "We have not yet passed the miscellaneous tax bill. If we don't pass it out, we don't have this money," Emily Burn said, underscoring that several lines in the draft depend on those separate actions.

The presentation catalogued a series of reversions, carry-forwards and direct applications to free one-time dollars, including an emissions repair program reversion (about $600,000), Department of Corrections reversions (~$850,000 and ~$650,000), and smaller balances such as an ~$80,000 leftover GIS appropriation. JFO also proposed increasing an existing Agency of Human Services direct application from about $4.6 million to a tidy $5.0 million.

Committee members and JFO staff walked through the draft’s allocations. Items highlighted in the draft include: data brokers funding ($50,000 tied to a bill passed out of committee), H410 recidivism/statistics placed in the base, a mediator position for the Vermont Labor Relations Board, funding for the parole board (H559), and assumed support for bills still pending (for example, a reach-up asset test in H657 and an amortization task force in H567).

The draft also lists targeted appropriations across human services and community programs: proposed rate increases for district agencies (DAS), designated agencies (SSAs), and home-and community-based services; adjusted funding for the statewide helpline and legal aid; primary care placement ($21,000) and loan repayment ($231,000) for health workforce recruitment; one-time AED funding for schools ($150,000); food-security supports (a $400,000 direct food-bank allocation plus a $500,000 rapid-response set-aside); Homeshare expansion ($235,000); $200,000 for Homelessness Vermont; and expansions for municipal technical assistance, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and VITA tax assistance for low-income filers.

Chair noted several transfers and fund alignments intended to streamline administration, including a $350,000 placeholder for defender general funding (to be broken out), a $350,000 domestic and sexual violence fund transfer paired with a $100,000 appropriation for the Center for Crime Victim Services, and restorations of positions such as a home-improvement specialist in the Attorney General’s Office, which the committee said has produced consumer recoveries.

The spreadsheet, JFO said, leaves a modest balance: after proposed revenues and appropriations, roughly $540,000 remained in the construct across one-time and base funds. Staff emphasized the draft status of the package: many items could change depending on floor action, amendments, or whether the miscellaneous tax bill and pay act move forward. "Nothing's decided until everything's decided," the Chair reiterated.

Committee members agreed to a short timetable: JFO will integrate the discussed items into the governor’s spreadsheet and post a consolidated document; staff and members will review and mark up language that evening and reconvene at 8:00 a.m. the next day for final review and anticipated votes prior to adjournment. The Chair also said some bills would be passed out to the floor as the committee finalizes amendments, and that members should expect additional conversations with other committees about items such as the education/yield bill and emergency-management omnibus.

No formal roll-call votes on the draft appropriations occurred during the session; committee members described which bills had been 'passed out' to date and which remained assumptions in the draft. The committee closed by thanking staff and urging members to review the posted materials ahead of the next meeting.

What's next: JFO will post the consolidated spreadsheet and committee staff will review and revise statutory language tonight; the committee scheduled a reconvening for morning markup and potential final votes the following day.