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Appropriations panel removes funding for building-energy support, keeps policy authority
Summary
The House Appropriations Committee approved amendment 1.1 to H718 on March 19, 2026, striking appropriations for a contractor registry task force and making that task force contingent on a FY2027 appropriation; the bill's municipal authority to adopt energy codes remains intact.
The House Appropriations Committee on March 19 approved an amendment that strips appropriations from H718, a bill aimed at strengthening enforcement and local adoption of building energy codes, while leaving the underlying statutory policy intact.
Ellen Shaowsy of the Office of Legislative Council told the committee the bill contains mechanisms to encourage adoption of energy codes and "a task force in this bill... that would be advising OPR on how to improve the contractor registry website." The draft amendment (1.1) replaces the bill's appropriation language with a contingency provision: "the duty to implement the residential contractor registry task force described in section 3 of this act is contingent upon an appropriation of funds in fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the office of professional regulation for that purpose."
Committee members asked whether removing that section also eliminated a separate roughly $200,000 appropriation intended to let the Department of Public Service provide technical support to municipalities. Shaowsy said striking the task force funding does not "impede the policy" and that towns retain authority to adopt codes, but she acknowledged the appropriation was intended to give DPS extra capacity to help municipalities. The chair summarized the practical effect: "Section 13 is struck out entirely. And there won't be any contractor registry task force or any of that unless somebody puts money back in. But it's not coming from us." (Chair)
Members noted the contractor registry already exists but described the website as "rudimentary" and said the task force would advise on user features and hosting. With that clarification, the committee voted on amendment 1.1 and then on the bill as amended; the amendment was accepted and H718 advanced from committee without the appropriations. The measure will next proceed to the floor for a full House vote and, if passed there, to the Senate.
Implementation details left unresolved in the committee record include whether and how the Department of Public Service would receive alternate funding to assist municipalities and whether stakeholders will reintroduce appropriations in the FY2027 budget. The committee record shows the task force's creation now requires a future appropriation before it can be implemented.
