House rejects two S.325 floor amendments on interim Act 250 exemptions and forwards S.325 to Senate

The Vermont House of Representatives debated Senate Bill 325 — a package that recalibrates parts of Act 181 and Act 250 jurisdiction — and rejected two floor amendments before voting to propose the committee-recommended changes to the Senate.

Representative Carl Charlton (Chester) opened floor consideration of an amendment that would extend interim residential exemptions in tier 1 areas from 2028 to 2030. "The amendment changes the length of those exemptions from 2028 to 2030," Charlton said, arguing the shift would align the temporary exemptions with statewide housing targets through 2030 and give small and mid-size communities and developers more certainty. The House took the vote by roll call; the amendment failed, 66–76.

A member speaking for the House Committee on Environment (member from Middbury) urged rejection, saying the committee concluded the temporary exemptions would no longer be necessary once municipalities establish tier 1A and 1B areas and have the opportunity to opt in or out. "Our committee asks you to support our no vote on this amendment," the committee representative told the chamber.

Shortly after, Representative Dobervich (Williamstown) offered a second amendment that would have allowed, until Jan. 1, 2031, certain subdivisions of 50 units or fewer (with at least 20% mixed-income units) in designated village centers served by public sewer or water to proceed without a permit or permit amendment, while allowing a municipality’s legislative body to opt an individual project out. Dobervich framed the change as expanding interim Act 250 exemptions to rural communities that lack permanent zoning or subdivision bylaws. "This amendment makes the interim Act 250 housing exemptions established in Act 181 more inclusive by allowing communities with designated centers without permanent zoning or subdivision bylaws to benefit from the interim exemptions," Dobervich said. The House again used a roll call; the amendment failed, 60–83.

Floor debate reflected a sharp split between members emphasizing relief for rural communities and those warning of reduced local review. Supporters said the measures would let more rural towns benefit from near-term housing exemptions and help meet local housing needs. Opponents — including members citing the Land Use Review Board and committee analyses — argued the proposals could permit substantial projects in towns without zoning or development review, creating uncertainty and potential risks to low-income Vermonters.

After defeating the floor amendments, members debated S.325 broadly and then voted to propose to the Senate the bill "as recommended by the Committee on Environment as amended." A subsequent roll-call announced in the chamber recorded 141 yes, 0 no; the House ordered third reading of the bill.

The House also handled several other items on the calendar during the session, including H.953 (a Panton charter amendment on recall procedures) and a set of mostly noncontroversial concurrences with Senate amendments on health and safety bills. The chamber refused to concur on Senate changes to H.949 (education finance) and appointed a committee of conference on that measure. The House adjourned until May 7, 2026 at 1 p.m.

What happens next: Because the House approved proposing amendments to the Senate, S.325 will be returned to the Senate for consideration of the House changes; the House ordered third reading as part of its procedural steps.