Vermont Senate passes H883 with contingent appropriations for firefighter screening, business recovery and dam safety

The Vermont Senate on the floor passed H883, the bill making appropriations for the support of state government, after adopting a multi‑part omnibus amendment from the Senate Appropriations Committee and approving the final bill by roll call, 26 yeas to 2 nays.

Senator from Caledonia, presenting the committee amendment, described a list of contingent appropriations and technical corrections that the committee proposed. "Number 13 is new, and that is something that has been brought to our attention...a $1,000,000 would be, if on the contingent list to subsidize the cost of doing that kind of cancer screening for that group" of volunteer firefighters, the senator said, urging support for targeted screening funding for a high‑risk group.

The amendment also replaced a prior loan loss reserve with an outright grant program and added $5,000,000 intended as a replacement for the earlier loan reserve. The presenter said the change responds to businesses reluctant to take on loans after flood losses and that the grant mechanism would be simpler to administer. Other contingent items included funding to replenish a caseload reserve for a five‑hospital global budgeting pilot, $12.5 million set aside as the second year of a previously reserved $25 million IIJA match for transportation, a proposed dam safety revolving loan fund and additional funds to expand shelter and permanent supportive housing capacity.

Senators questioned the optimism underlying contingent appropriations and whether surplus revenue — described by the committee as potentially up to roughly $70 million by year‑end — should instead be added to reserves. The Appropriations Chair said the contingent items are conditional: "So if the money is there, then this would be, our a way in which we would want to utilize those additional funds to support these initiatives," and reiterated that if the funds do not materialize there is no obligation to spend them.

A roll call followed. The clerk announced the result: "Yay, 26. Nay, 2." Two senators offered brief explanations for their no votes on the record, including concern about overall spending levels and the expectation of a conference committee.

What happens next: With the Senate's passage, H883 will be messaged to the House as the Senate's action. Any contingent appropriations will only be funded if the revenues materialize as described by the Appropriations report; senators flagged that some amounts remain contingent and subject to future adjustment in conference.