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House and Institutions Committee backs amendment limiting Agency of Human Services’ ability to advance forensic facility work pending feasibility
Summary
On May 20 the House and Institutions Committee recommended an Appropriations amendment to S193 that bars the Agency of Human Services from advancing development of a Vermont forensic facility beyond tasks needed to complete a required feasibility plan; members questioned whether the language would block interim out-of-state placements or competency restoration programming.
Montpelier — The House and Institutions Committee on May 20 recommended an Appropriations amendment to S.193 that would prevent the Vermont Agency of Human Services from advancing development of a proposed forensic facility beyond work required to complete a legislatively mandated feasibility plan.
Committee members said the Appropriations Committee inserted the amendment after reviewing the bill and raising concerns that, absent the change, the agency could begin contracting for the facility before the Legislature provided direction. “That’s what this amendment says,” the chair told the committee as members reviewed the posted amendment language.
The feasibility plan itself, members and staff explained, requires the agency to study possible out-of-state placements for people currently held in corrections and to consider establishing a competency restoration program within the Vermont Correctional Facility — provided that such services are not delivered under contract with the Department of Corrections. Several members pressed whether the Appropriations amendment would bar those interim arrangements, including therapeutic or restoration programming that might require contracts with out-of-state providers.
One committee member criticized the amendment as “draconian,” while others said their reading was that the amendment limits only development of the forensic facility (as defined in the bill’s Section 5) and does not prevent actions described within the feasibility plan. A staff presenter addressed the committee to explain that, in their interpretation, the amendment does not forbid the agency from entering contracts for out-of-state placements or for limited interim programming spelled out in the feasibility plan; members asked additional clarifying questions during the exchange.
After discussion, a member moved and another seconded to receive the Appropriations amendment as favorable. The committee conducted a hand/voice vote and the chair then thanked staff; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally.
S.193 was expected to reach the floor later the same day, and the committee said it would coordinate a conference committee as the next procedural step. Members also scheduled follow-up briefings on related local matters, including remarks about the Bennington Monument and an update on the Julian Scott house in Johnson.
The transcript records questions about whether the amendment would affect interim placements and competency restoration programming but does not resolve that issue definitively; the committee’s action was to recommend the amendment and to proceed to conference committee and floor scheduling.
