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Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Government Operations and Military Affairs - Testimony of VAN’s FY26 Budget Request 01/24/2025

Testimony of VAN’s FY26 Budget Request at the Vermont House Government Operations and Military Affairs.

On Friday, Lauren-Glenn Davitian was in committee for introductions and to present VAN’s FY26 budget request. The committee had limited conversation following the presentation, and Chair Birong said VAN’s funding was something he wanted to continue talking about as the committee begins to consider their budget memo to House Appropriations. 

Vermont Access Network FY26 Budget Request: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Workgroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Vermont%20Access%20Network/W~Lauren-Glenn%20Davitian~Vermont%20Access%20Network%20FY26%20Budget%20Request~1-24-2025.pdf

Vermont Access Network FY26 Budget Presentation: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Workgroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Vermont%20Access%20Network/W~Lauren-Glenn%20Davitian~Vermont%20Access%20Network%20FY26%20Budget%20Presentation~1-24-2025.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Senate Committee on Government Operations - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/10/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the Senate Committee on Government Operations.

On Thursday, the Senate Government Operations Committee was scheduled to meet to go over the bill, but they could not get a quorum because most of the members were on conference committees that were meeting at the same time. However, Chair Ruth Hardy and Senator Tanya Vyhovsky met unofficially (and thus, not streamed) to get a walkthrough of the House changes to the bill. Senator Vyhovsky was very upset with a few of the changes and asked if they could have a conference committee. However, they did not want the bill to die because of there not being enough time. Senator Hardy agreed to find out if a conference committee was possible, with the back-up plan of accepting the House changes in order to get the bill all the way through to final passage. On FRIDAY, the Senate concurred officially with the House proposal of amendment, so this bill will be headed to the Governor’s desk sometime soon.

S.55 as Passed by the Senate:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0055/S-0055%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Ways and Means - Discussion of H.657 Modernize Vermont’s Communications Taxes and Fees 05/09/2024

Discussion of H.657 a bill meant to modernize Vermont's communications taxes and fees at the House Committee on Ways and Means.

On Thursday, the House Ways & Means Committee reviewed the Senate’s proposal of amendment, and voted unanimously to concur.

Then also on THURSDAY, the House Floor voted to concur with the Senate’s proposal of amendment, sending the bill to the Governor. 

H.657 Amendment:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Ways%20and%20Means/Bills/H.657/H.657~Gabrielle%20Stebbins~Stebbins%20Amendment~3-26-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Senate Committee on Appropriations - Discussion of H.657 Modernize Vermont’s Communications Taxes and Fees 05/08/2024

Discussion of H.657 a bill meant to modernize Vermont's communications taxes and fees at the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

On Wednesday, the bill had second reading on the Senate floor - Senators Chittenden and Wrenner offered amendments. Senator Chittenden’s amendment was adopted and third reading was ordered on a voice vote. The bill now includes an inventory for the right-of-way in Vermont, but scaled back dramatically from the level of thoroughness and detail the Finance Committee had been considering, due to cost and cybersecurity concerns. The updates to the USF fund and the per line charge remain intact.

H.657: Senator Chittenden Amendment Draft 1.1, 5-6-2024:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/Senate%20Finance/Bills/H.657/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20Other%20Legal%20Documents/H.657~Maria%20Royle~%20Senator%20Chittenden%20Amendment%20Draft%201.1,%205-6-2024~5-7-2024.pdf

On THURSDAY, the Senate passed the 3rd reading of H.657 on a voice vote, sending the bill back to the House as amended.

Side-by-Side of House/Senate versions:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Ways%20and%20Means/Bills/H.657/W~Maria%20Royle~H.657%20House%20Senate%20Comparison~5-9-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Caucus of the Whole - Discussion of VAN FY25 Request 05/08/2024

Discussion of VAN FY25 Request at the House Caucus of the Whole.

On Wednesday, during the House Caucus of the Whole, Representative Burrows asked whether $1million for VAN is new money or if it was funded by the general fund previously. Representative Lanpher said the House had it as a one time investment via the Secretary of State but that the Senate found $1million more in base moving forward - she said it was a very good thing.

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Appropriations - Discussion of VAN FY25 Request 05/08/2024

Discussion of VAN FY25 Request at the House Committee of Appropriations.

On Wednesday, Emily Byrne, JFO, was in House Appropriations to give the entire committee a walkthrough of the conference committee’s changes to the House version of the budget. Byrne confirmed that the streaming tax revenue was not in the budget. Later in the conversation, Representative Lanpher gave an explanation about how VAN money ended up in base funding.

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Floor - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/07/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law on the House Floor.

On Tuesday, the bill was on the House Floor for third reading. Representative McFaun’s amendment was adopted on the floor - the bill passed with concurrence of amendment on a strong voice vote.

S.55 as Passed by the Senate:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0055/S-0055%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Republican Caucus - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/07/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Republican Caucus.

On Tuesday, Representative McFaun also gave this presentation in the House Republican Caucus.

S.55: Draft 1.3, 4-11-2024:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%201.3,%204-11-2024~5-1-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Committee on Government Operations - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/07/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law at the House Committee on Government Operations.

On Tuesday, Representative McFaun was in the House Government Operations and Military Affairs committee to present his amendment. His amendment would require the Human Services Board to fall under the requirements proposed in the bill for open meeting law - in the Senate version, the board is exempted. Representative McFaun also gave this presentation in the House Republican Caucus also linked below.

S.55: Draft 1.2, 5-6-2024:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Government%20Operations/Bills/S.55/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20and%20Legal%20Documents/S.55~Tim%20Devlin~%20Draft%201.2,%205-6-2024~5-6-2024.pdf

Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont House Floor - Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law 05/06/2024

Discussion of S.55 Update to Open Meeting Law on the House Floor.

On Monday, S.55 was on the House Floor - Representative McCarthy presented the bill. There was some floor discussion on the mechanics of the bill but ultimately third reading was ordered on voice vote.

S.55 as Passed by the Senate:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/S-0055/S-0055%20As%20Passed%20by%20the%20Senate%20Unofficial.pdf

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