VermontVermont schools would follow PCB testing and funding rules
The act would set a PCB testing deadline for older Vermont schools, support cleanup grants, and condition some construction-aid approvals on testing.
What it does
Older public and recognized independent schools would have until August 1, 2035, to test indoor air for PCBs.
A state fund would support grants for investigating and cleaning up PCBs in schools, with repayment tied to later litigation or other recoveries.
Districts seeking construction aid for older school buildings would have to show that PCB indoor-air testing was completed before preliminary approval.
By January 15, 2027, the Agency of Natural Resources would report expected state costs and a funding plan for PCB work at covered schools.
Argument forGrants could help schools investigate and clean up PCB contamination without relying only on each school's own resources.
Argument againstRequiring PCB testing before some construction-aid approvals could delay projects for districts that have not completed the testing.
More detail
Covered schools would have to test indoor air for polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. This applies to public schools and recognized independent schools built or renovated before 1980. The testing concerns PCBs in indoor air. The stated testing deadline is August 1, 2035; the summary also identifies July 1, 2027 as the prior deadline.
The Agency of Natural Resources would use the fund to provide grants for PCB work at Vermont schools. Grants would support investigating, reducing, and cleaning up PCB contamination in schools. The fund would contain money recovered by the State through litigation involving PCB contamination in schools. A school receiving a grant would reimburse the State for related work if the school later recovered money through litigation or another award. The source states that multiple effective dates begin June 15, 2026, but it does not provide the fund's full effective-date schedule.
The Secretary of Education would require PCB indoor-air testing before approving a preliminary application for certain school construction aid. The condition applies to a school district seeking aid for a building built or renovated before 1980. The district would have to show that PCB indoor-air testing was conducted at the school. The condition applies when the Secretary of Education reviews the preliminary application for school construction aid.
The Agency of Natural Resources would submit an estimate of the State's added PCB costs and a plan to pay them. The estimate would cover testing, reducing, and cleaning up PCBs at public schools and approved or recognized independent schools. The submission would go to the General Assembly. ANR would have to submit the estimate and funding plan by January 15, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29House message: Governor approved bill on June 15, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 15, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 9, 2026To Governor
- May 28House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 27Senate proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 27Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration, pending entry on Notice Calendar, as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 27Senate Message: Passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 27Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 27Read 3rd time & passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 27New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 263rd reading ordered
- May 26Proposal of amendment by Committee on Education, as amended, agreed toMinor
- May 26Proposal of amendment by Committee on Education amended as recommended by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 26Reported favorably by Senator Watson for Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 26Reported favorably by Senator Gulick for Committee on Finance with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 26Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Ram Hinsdale for Committee on EducationMinor
- May 26Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 26Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 26Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on EducationMinor
- May 26New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 22Favorable report by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 22Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 22Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on EducationMinor
- May 22Second ReadingMinor
- May 22Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 19Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- May 19Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on FinanceMinor
- May 19Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on EducationMinor
- May 19Second ReadingMinor
- May 19Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 24Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- Apr 24Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on EducationMinor
- Apr 24Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 24Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 19Read 1st time & referred to Committee on EducationMinor
- Mar 17Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 17Rep. Donahue of Northfield moved to amend the bill, which was agreed to
- Mar 17Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 13Third Reading orderedMinor
- Vote recorded Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 68 of 135 to Pass -- Yeas = 16, Nays = 119. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 13Which was disagreed to on a Roll Call Failed -- Needed 68 of 135 to Pass -- Yeas = 16, Nays = 119
- Mar 13Rep. Donahue of Northfield demanded yeas and nays
- Mar 13Rep. Donahue of Northfield moved to commit the bill to the Committee on Health Care
- Mar 13Rep. Kascenska of Burke recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 13Rep. Conlon of Cornwall reported for the Committee on Education
- Mar 13Read second timeMinor
- Mar 13Action Calendar: Favorable
- Mar 12Notice Calendar: Favorable
- Feb 20Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- Feb 20Notice Calendar: Favorable
- Jan 6Read first time and referred to the Committee on EducationIntroduced
EducationEnvironment & EnergyPublic Safety