Senate debates wide-ranging natural-disaster resiliency bill (S310); appropriations stripped in committee amendment
March 28, 2024 | SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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The Senate considered S310, a comprehensive package intended to strengthen Vermonts preparedness, response and recovery systems following the 2023 floods.
Government Operations Committee reporter (Senator from Addison) described major elements: creation of a Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Grant Program administered by the Department of Public Safety and Department of Environmental Conservation with an initial authorization of $15 million in the bill as introduced; grants to support stormwater and municipal infrastructure projects that meet state stream alteration and flood-hazard rules; technical assistance and prioritization for communities identified as vulnerable; and matching authority for federal funding.
Other provisions include increased funding to the Vermont Fire Service Training Council and the EMS Special Fund (training), statutory recognition of water/wastewater and public works personnel as first responders for emergency access and survivor benefits, expansion of survivor death benefits (increase to $50,000$80,000 ranges discussed), establishment of a pretrial-type emergency management staffing structure (new positions in DPS/BEM), urban search-and-rescue codification and a requested appropriation (initially $750,000), improvements to 211 data privacy (limit public inspection of lists and allow data sharing only for relief coordination), enhanced emergency communications work and evaluation of 911 tariffs, and language assistance requirements for emergency communications.
Senate Finance and Appropriations reported amendments. Appropriations offered an amendment that removed most of the bills appropriations (deleted the $15M grant appropriation, removed the 5.5 new positions and several smaller appropriations including the $750,000 for search-and-rescue and other appropriations). The Appropriations amendment was adopted on the floor. Finance and other senators debated a substitute amendment on section 19 (911 data reporting and customer outage notices): supporters said the 911 board, Vermont Emergency Management and certain carriers had helped craft compromise language that would bring VoIP providers into 911 data feeds and require carriers to notify customers of outages affecting ability to call 911; others urged more public vetting at the 911 board meeting before that language was finalized. The Senate adopted the Appropriations committee changes and later adjourned.
Government Operations Committee reporter (Senator from Addison) described major elements: creation of a Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Grant Program administered by the Department of Public Safety and Department of Environmental Conservation with an initial authorization of $15 million in the bill as introduced; grants to support stormwater and municipal infrastructure projects that meet state stream alteration and flood-hazard rules; technical assistance and prioritization for communities identified as vulnerable; and matching authority for federal funding.
Other provisions include increased funding to the Vermont Fire Service Training Council and the EMS Special Fund (training), statutory recognition of water/wastewater and public works personnel as first responders for emergency access and survivor benefits, expansion of survivor death benefits (increase to $50,000$80,000 ranges discussed), establishment of a pretrial-type emergency management staffing structure (new positions in DPS/BEM), urban search-and-rescue codification and a requested appropriation (initially $750,000), improvements to 211 data privacy (limit public inspection of lists and allow data sharing only for relief coordination), enhanced emergency communications work and evaluation of 911 tariffs, and language assistance requirements for emergency communications.
Senate Finance and Appropriations reported amendments. Appropriations offered an amendment that removed most of the bills appropriations (deleted the $15M grant appropriation, removed the 5.5 new positions and several smaller appropriations including the $750,000 for search-and-rescue and other appropriations). The Appropriations amendment was adopted on the floor. Finance and other senators debated a substitute amendment on section 19 (911 data reporting and customer outage notices): supporters said the 911 board, Vermont Emergency Management and certain carriers had helped craft compromise language that would bring VoIP providers into 911 data feeds and require carriers to notify customers of outages affecting ability to call 911; others urged more public vetting at the 911 board meeting before that language was finalized. The Senate adopted the Appropriations committee changes and later adjourned.
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