VermontVermont law provides emergency grants to food banks and responders
Eligible food banks may receive annual emergency supply grants, and eligible response agencies may receive grants for equipment and training.
What it does
Eligible food banks may receive annual grants for emergency food and water. A rescue program manager may award eligible response agencies grants for equipment and training.
Emergency management plans include engagement with the whole community. The law also sets out rules for town fire wardens, permits for lighting fires, and categories of open burning.
A task force examines how Vermont could increase its ability to respond to wildland fires and reports on its findings.
Previously appropriated funds may continue to be spent to buy and put in place a shared dispatch system for emergency responders.
State agencies may adopt emergency rules if a change to federal law would conflict with, or threaten their ability to carry out, a program Vermont law requires.
Argument forEmergency food banks and response agencies could get grants for supplies, equipment, and training that may help them prepare for emergencies.
Argument againstEmergency planners may need extra time to involve a wider range of people when developing plans.
More detail
The law provides two grant programs. Food bank grants support shelf-stable food and water. Rescue grants support equipment and training for eligible fire departments, emergency medical services agencies, and technical rescue agencies. The food bank program awards annual grants to an eligible food bank for use in response to a major hazard or a state of emergency. The rescue grant program authorizes the USAR Team program manager to award grants to eligible agencies. The law has multiple effective dates beginning June 17, 2026; the summary does not give a separate date for these programs.
The law addresses community input in emergency plans and town fire wardens’ duties and permits. Emergency management plans include whole community engagement. The law also addresses town forest fire wardens’ offices, duties, compensation, and authority, and sets up permits to kindle fires and categories of fires under the open burning statute. The law has multiple effective dates beginning June 17, 2026; the summary does not give separate dates for these provisions.
The law sets up a task force to study wildland fire response. The task force examines and reports on Vermont’s capacity to respond to wildland fires. The summary does not state when the task force must report.
The law allows continued spending on a shared emergency dispatch system. The funds are for buying and putting in place a dispatch system used by multiple emergency response disciplines. The spending is from funds that were already appropriated. The summary does not give a deadline for this spending.
The law allows agencies to adopt certain emergency rules. The authority applies to state agencies responsible for programs Vermont law requires. An agency may use this authority if a change to federal law would conflict with or threaten its ability to carry out a program required by Vermont law. The summary does not state when this authority takes effect.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
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 17, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 17, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 11, 2026To Governor
- May 29House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 28Senate proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 28Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 28Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- 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 27Rules suspended & bill placed on all remaining stages of passage, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 273rd reading ordered
- May 27Proposal of amendment by Committee on Government Operations, as amended, agreed toMinor
- May 27Proposal of amendment by Committee on Government Operations amended as recommended by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 27Reported favorably by Senator Perchlik for Committee on Appropriations with proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 27Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Collamore for Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 27Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 27Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 27New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 26Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- May 26Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 26Second ReadingMinor
- May 26Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 14Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- May 14Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- May 14Second ReadingMinor
- May 14Entered on Notice Calendar
- Apr 2Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government OperationsMinor
- Mar 31Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 31Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 27Third Reading orderedMinor
- Mar 27Report of Committee on Appropriations agreed to
- Mar 27Rep. Feltus of Lyndon recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 27Rep. Hango of Berkshire spoke for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
- Mar 27Read second timeMinor
- Mar 27Action Calendar: Action postponed until March 27, 2026
- Mar 26Rep. Hango of Berkshire moved to postpone action until March 27, 2026, which was agreed to
- Mar 26Action Calendar: Action postponed until March 26, 2026
- Mar 25Rep. Hango of Berkshire moved to postpone action until March 26, 2026, which was agreed to
- Mar 25Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 24Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 17Committee bill read first time and referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)Introduced
Emergency ManagementPublic Safety