| Bill | Position | Title | Sponsors | Note | Status | Committees | Upcoming Hearings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.589 High | An Act Relating To A Six-year Statute Of Repose For Actions Arising Out Of Improvements To Real Property | Rep. Rebecca Holcombe | Did not pass. H.589 would have established a six-year statute of repose for claims arising from improvements to real property, limiting the period during which architects, engineers, contractors, and other construction professionals could be sued for alleged design or construction defects. Supporters argued Vermont's lack of a general construction statute of repose increased insurance costs and exposed the industry to indefinite liability long after projects were completed. Opponents raised concerns that the proposal could bar claims involving latent defects that are not discovered until years later. The bill received extensive testimony but did not advance. Vermont remains one of the few states without a general construction statute of repose. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0589/H-0589%20As%20Introduced.pdf | Read first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary (01/07/26) | House Judiciary | ||
| H.717 Medium | An Act Relating To The Residential And Commercial Building Energy Standards And The Adoption Of A Residential Building Code | Rep. R. Scott Campbell | H.717 was an early-session proposal that would have directed Vermont to adopt a statewide residential building code while also restructuring administration and enforcement of the Residential and Commercial Building Energy Standards (RBES/CBES). The bill proposed giving the Division of Fire Safety primary code authority and represented one of the clearest legislative attempts to move Vermont away from its long-standing system of energy standards without a true residential building code. Unlike the later, broader H.718 vehicle, H.717 never received hearings or substantive movement and was effectively overtaken by the H.718 debate. Many of the core concepts — statewide code authority, RBES enforcement, contractor registry reform, and compliance administration — were later folded into H.718 discussions. | Read first time and referred to the Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure (01/20/26) | House Energy and Digital Infrastructure | ||
| H.718 High | An Act Relating To Building Energy Efficiency | Rep. R. Scott Campbell | Did not pass. H.718 served as the Legislature's primary vehicle for proposed reforms to Vermont's building energy code system. The bill included proposals related to statewide residential building codes, municipal RBES/CBES enforcement authority, contractor registry requirements, code compliance, and professional education standards. The House advanced a narrower version of the legislation, but the bill stalled in the Senate amid concerns regarding implementation, administrative complexity, and enforcement. Although H.718 did not become law, many of the issues it addressed remain active through ongoing rulemaking, the Building Energy Code Working Group, and implementation of updated energy codes under Executive Order 06-25. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/H-0718/H-0718%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20House%20Unofficial.pdf. | Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy (03/27/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Natural Resources and Energy; House Energy and Digital Infrastructure | ||
| H.757 Medium | An Act Relating To Manufactured Homes And Limited Equity Cooperatives | Rep. Gayle Pezzo; Rep. Marc Mihaly | H.757 focused on expanding and modernizing Vermont’s manufactured housing and limited equity cooperative framework as part of the Legislature’s broader housing affordability agenda. The bill proposed updates to financing, titling, and ownership structures for manufactured homes, while also creating clearer legal pathways for resident-owned communities and limited equity housing cooperatives. Much of the discussion centered on improving access to capital, modernizing outdated statutes, and preserving long-term affordability in manufactured housing parks. The bill moved through both House and Senate Economic Development committees with generally broad support from housing advocates, cooperatives, lenders, and affordable housing organizations. | House message: Governor approved bill on June 17, 2026 (05/29/26) | Senate Finance; House Ways and Means; Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs; House General and Housing | ||
| H.775 High | An Act Relating To Creating Tools For Housing Production | Rep. Marc Mihaly; Rep. Thomas Charlton; Rep. Ashley Bartley; et al. | H.775 emerged late in the 2026 session as the Senate’s primary omnibus housing and infrastructure vehicle, consolidating multiple housing finance, permitting, and development proposals — many of which overlapped with or absorbed concepts from S.328. The bill included provisions related to housing infrastructure financing, VEDA and VHFA authority expansions, municipal bonding tools, manufactured housing siting, revolving loan funds, and updates to programs like VHIP. During Senate negotiations, lawmakers removed the proposed off-site construction accelerator pilot that had been a major component of S.328, though supporters indicated they hoped elements of the concept could continue administratively or through future legislation. H.775 also became a vehicle for continued discussion of CHIP/TIF technical fixes. | Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31 (05/22/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Appropriations; House Ways and Means; Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs; Senate Natural Resources and Energy; House General and Housing | ||
| H.933 | An Act Relating To Miscellaneous Administrative And Policy Changes To The Tax Laws | House Committee on Ways and Means | H.933 makes a variety of changes to Vermont tax law, including updates to federal tax conformity, property transfer taxes, estate taxes, and business taxation. The bill increases Vermont's Research and Development (R&D) tax credit from 27 percent to 75 percent of the federal credit for eligible in-state research activities beginning in tax year 2027. It also raises the Vermont estate tax exemption to $5 million and closes a property transfer tax loophole involving certain second-home transactions.
To preserve State revenue, the bill decouples Vermont from selected federal tax provisions for larger businesses, including certain bonus depreciation, research expensing, and foreign-income provisions. The legislation also increases the share of Public Utility Commission and Department of Public Service assessments deposited into the Transportation Fund, generating additional transportation revenue while reducing corresponding transfers to the Education Fund. | House message: Governor approved bill on June 18, 2026 (05/29/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Appropriations; Senate Finance; House Ways and Means | ||
| H.949 | An Act Relating To Homestead Property Tax Yields, The Nonhomestead Property Tax Rate, And Technical Changes To Education Finance | House Committee on Ways and Means | H.949 establishes FY2027 education property tax rates and implements several education finance changes. The bill transfers approximately $100 million from the General Fund to the Education Fund to reduce FY2027 property tax rates and modifies components of the education funding formula, including yield calculations and income sensitivity provisions. H.949 also advances implementation of future property tax classifications by directing continued data collection and analysis related to homestead, nonhomestead residential, and nonresidential properties. The bill serves as the primary annual vehicle for setting education tax rates and funding mechanisms for FY2027. | House message: Governor approved bill on June 18, 2026 (05/29/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Appropriations; Senate Education; Senate Finance; House Ways and Means | ||
| H.951 | An Act Relating To Making Appropriations For The Support Of The Government | House Committee on Appropriations | This budget fills all statutorily required reserves, meets all pension obligations, and makes essential investments in health care, human services, housing and economic development, education, public safety, and the environment. To develop this budget, the Committee of Conference worked from the Senate-proposed budget and engaged with administration officials, standing committees, and interested stakeholder to inform its changes. The Committee of Conference also reviewed testimony, conducted research, and considered input submitted throughout the budget development process. General Fund appropriations total $2.57 billion, a 2.88% increase compared to fiscal year 2026 adjusted appropriations. $215.11 million is transferred to other funds and reserves, including a one-time $100.90 million transfer to the Education Fund for property tax relief. Total appropriations from all funds (unduplicated) are $9.38 billion, a 2.10% change from fiscal year 2026 appropriations. Budget highlights document: https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Uploads/FY-2027-Budget-Highlights-Committee-of-Conference-H951-v2.pdf | House message: Governor approved bill on June 16, 2026 (05/29/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Appropriations; Senate Finance; House Ways and Means | ||
| H.955 | An Act Relating To Next Steps In Transforming Vermont's Education System | House Committee on Education | H.955 establishes a multi-year framework for restructuring Vermont's public education governance, service delivery, funding system, and property tax structure. The bill creates seven regional Cooperative Educational Service Areas (CESAs) to provide shared services, including special education support, business operations, transportation coordination, information technology, and merger facilitation.
The bill initiates a statewide school district governance review process involving 21 regional study groups. These groups are charged with evaluating potential governance changes, including district mergers and regionalization opportunities, and must submit recommendations by December 1, 2027. Proposed governance changes may subsequently be considered by voters beginning in 2028. H.955 accelerates implementation of a foundation-based education funding formula and establishes a framework for future property tax classifications, including separate treatment of homestead, nonhomestead residential, and nonresidential property. Implementation of these tax reforms is contingent on future data collection, administrative actions, and statutory milestones extending through 2029 and beyond. The bill reestablishes a state-supported school construction aid program for the first time since the 2007 moratorium. The Agency of Education must develop rules governing project eligibility, prioritization, and aid awards by March 1, 2028, before grants can be awarded. H.955 also creates a potential legacy debt aid program for certain existing school construction debt, subject to future appropriations and statutory conditions. Districts seeking state construction aid generally may not issue bonds until the Secretary of Education has provided notice regarding aid eligibility. Additional provisions address class size standards, career and technical education, district operations, financial reporting, and implementation of regional service delivery systems. While most provisions take effect July 1, 2026, many of the bill's major reforms require additional rulemaking, studies, reports, regional planning efforts, local votes, and future implementation actions before becoming fully operational. Key Implementation Timeline. July 1, 2026: Most provisions take effect; CESA implementation begins. September 2026–2027: Various Agency of Education guidance documents and reports due. December 1, 2027: Regional governance study recommendations due. March 1, 2028: School construction aid rules due. 2028: Potential local votes on governance changes. FY2030: Foundation formula implementation accelerated. 2028–2029: Property classification data collection and implementation decisions. 2030: Earliest potential implementation of new property tax classifications. | House message: Governor approved bill on June 18, 2026 (05/29/26) | House Appropriations; House Education; Senate Appropriations; Senate Education; Senate Finance; Senate Rules; House Ways and Means | ||
| S.71 | An Act Relating To Consumer Data Privacy And Online Surveillance | Sen. Alison Clarkson; Sen. Wendy Harrison; Sen. Joseph Major; et al. | S.71 establishes a comprehensive consumer data privacy law governing how businesses collect, use, share, and sell Vermonters' personal information. The bill grants consumers rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain copies of their data, opt out of targeted advertising, data sales, and certain automated profiling practices, and challenge significant automated decisions affecting areas such as employment, housing, credit, and health care. The bill applies to businesses meeting specified data-processing thresholds and includes exemptions for government entities, insurers, HIPAA-covered health information, financial institutions regulated under federal and state law, educational records, journalism, and employment-related data. It provides heightened protections for sensitive data, including health, genetic, biometric, geolocation, neural, reproductive health, and immigration-related information, and prohibits geofencing around certain health care facilities. Covered businesses must comply with requirements related to data minimization, consumer consent, privacy notices, universal opt-out signals, security practices, and impact assessments for high-risk data activities. The Attorney General has exclusive enforcement authority, with no private right of action. The law takes effect January 1, 2028, and includes a temporary cure period through June 30, 2029. | Senate Message: Signed by Governor June 16, 2026 (05/29/26) | Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs; House Commerce and Economic Development; Senate Institutions | ||
| S.325 Medium | An Act Relating To Regional Planning And Act 250 Tier Jurisdiction | Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy | Passed. https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/S.325. S.325 repeals the Act 181 "Road Rule" and eliminates the requirement that the Natural Resources Board prepare a Tier 3 designation report. The bill retains the Tier 3 critical resource framework while directing the Land Use Review Board (LURB) to develop a public engagement plan and recommendations for future identification and protection of critical natural resources. It also authorizes regional planning commissions to amend regional plans to support Tier 1B implementation and extends several temporary housing-development exemptions through 2028.
The bill modifies Act 250 jurisdiction by clarifying that projects seeking to utilize the 50-unit/10-acre housing exemption must locate all project elements within 10 contiguous acres. It also requires additional reports and recommendations concerning sprawl, Act 250 jurisdiction, and the treatment of on-farm commercial activities. S.325 establishes a new framework for certain on-farm accessory businesses, allowing qualifying farms to conduct activities such as agritourism events, farm-based retail sales, processing of farm products, and limited farm stays without triggering Act 250 jurisdiction, provided statutory conditions are met. The bill includes operational standards addressing noise, hours of operation, scale, and the requirement that agricultural production remain a substantial component of the overall enterprise. Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026, with certain on-farm business provisions effective July 1, 2027. | Senate Message: Signed by Governor June 16, 2026 (05/29/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Appropriations; Senate Finance; House Ways and Means; Senate Natural Resources and Energy; House Environment | ||
| S.328 High | An Act Relating To Housing And Common Interest Communities | Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs | Passed House and Senate. Delivered to Governor June 12. S.328 expands state and local tools intended to increase housing production and improve housing affordability. The bill authorizes additional housing financing and infrastructure programs, expands the Treasurer's "10 Percent for Vermont" investment authority, broadens VEDA's housing lending capabilities, and creates an Off-Site Construction Accelerator Pilot Program. It also modifies municipal planning and housing requirements, expands opportunities for manufactured housing, extends and modifies certain local zoning preemptions related to duplexes, accessory dwelling units, and multi-unit housing, and establishes additional housing development incentives and reporting requirements. Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Docs/BILLS/S-0328/S-0328%20As%20Passed%20by%20Both%20House%20and%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf. | Senate Message: Signed by Governor June 18, 2026 (05/29/26) | House Appropriations; Senate Appropriations; Senate Finance; House Ways and Means; Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs; House General and Housing |