VermontState agencies must identify land that may support housing
Vermont agencies must screen their land for possible housing through 2030, and housing officials must explain potentially suitable sites to lawmakers through 2031.
What it does
State agencies must identify land that meets housing screening rules through 2030. Housing officials must report the results to lawmakers through 2031 and explain which sites may suit housing.
State agencies must report property use each year, including vacant buildings and land the state does not need. The property commissioner must send the statewide inventory to lawmakers every two-year legislative cycle.
Argument forIdentifying state land that may suit housing could help lawmakers focus planning on promising sites and understand why officials selected them.
Argument againstScreening land and preparing repeated reports could take agency staff time without ensuring that any housing gets built.
More detail
Agency heads must report land that meets the Department of Housing and Community Development’s screening rules to that department. Screening covers agency-owned land. Reports go to the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Institutions. Each parcel must meet all department screening criteria developed for Executive Order No. 06-25. The housing commissioner must provide the property inventory, a list of sites that may suit housing, and reasons for those choices. Agency screening continues through calendar year 2030. Housing reports are due on or before January 15 of each legislative session through calendar year 2031. The law took effect April 6, 2026.
Agency heads must submit property inventories annually, and the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services must update the statewide inventory annually. The statewide inventory covers state-owned or state-leased buildings and land. Agency inventories include space use, property costs, and sources of money that pay those costs. Agency inventories must follow the commissioner’s format and identify vacant buildings and land unnecessary for state purposes. The statewide inventory is due to the House Committee on Corrections and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Institutions on or before January 15 of each new two-year legislative cycle.
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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
- Apr 8House message: Governor approved bill on April 6, 2026Latest
- Apr 7Signed by Governor Phil Scott on April 6, 2026Became Law
- Mar 31Delivered to Governor on March 31, 2026To Governor
- Mar 24House message: House adopted Conference Committee report
- Mar 19Committee of Conference report adopted (House bill)Major
- Mar 19Action Calendar: Report of Committee of Conference
- Mar 18Notice Calendar: Report of Committee of Conference
- Mar 17Senate Message: Report of Committee of Conference adopted
- Mar 13Committee of Conference report adopted
- Mar 13Committee of Conference report submitted by Senator Benson for Committee, text
- Mar 13Committee of Conference report
- Mar 12Committee of Conference report
- Mar 12Entered on Notice Calendar
- Feb 17House message: House appointed Conference Committee members
- Feb 17Speaker appointed Reps. Gregoire of Fairfield, Casey of Montpelier, and Sweeney of Shelburne as members of the Committee of Conference on the part of the House
- Feb 13Senate Message: House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment not concurred in and Committee of Conference appointedMinor
- Feb 13Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Harrison
- Feb 13Committee of Conference appointed: Senators Harrison, Benson, and Plunkett
- Feb 13House proposal of amendment not concurred in; Committee of Conference requested, on motion of Senator HarrisonMinor
- Feb 13House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendment, textMinor
- Feb 13Unfinished Business/House Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Feb 12House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- Feb 11House proposal of amendment to Senate proposal of amendmentMinor
- Feb 11Entered on Notice Calendar
- Feb 11House message: House concurred in Senate proposal of amendment with proposal of amendmentMinor
- Feb 6Senate proposal of amendment concurred in with further amendment thereto, as recommended by Committee on Corrections and InstitutionsMinor
- Feb 6Rep. Gregoire of Fairfield reported for the Committee on Corrections and Institutions
- Feb 6Action Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- Feb 5Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- 2025
- May 28Rep. Emmons of Springfield moved to commit the bill to the Committee on Corrections and Institutions, which was agreed to
- May 28Rules suspended and taken up for immediate consideration as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 28Notice Calendar: Senate Proposal of AmendmentMinor
- May 28Senate 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 27Pending third reading, motion to amend Senate proposal of amendment by Senator(s) Douglass, Harrison, Ingalls, Major, Plunkett, and Watson agreed toMinor
- May 27Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) DouglassMinor
- May 27Unfinished Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 23Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) DouglassMinor
- May 23Unfinished Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 22Proposal of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) DouglassMinor
- May 22Unfinished Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 21Unfinished Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 20Unfinished Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 16New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- May 153rd reading ordered
- May 15Proposal of amendment by Committee on Institutions agreed toMinor
- May 15Read 2nd time, reported favorably with proposal of amendment by Senator Douglass for Committee on InstitutionsMinor
- May 15Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on InstitutionsMinor
- May 15Unfinished Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 14Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on InstitutionsMinor
- May 14New Business/Second ReadingMinor
- May 13Favorable report with proposal of amendment by Committee on InstitutionsMinor
- May 13Second ReadingMinor
- May 13Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 18Read 1st time & referred to Committee on InstitutionsMinor
- Mar 13Read third time and passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 13Action Calendar: Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Third Reading orderedMinor
- Mar 12Report of Committee on Corrections and Institutions agreed to
- Mar 12Rep. Gregoire of Fairfield reported for the Committee on Corrections and Institutions
- Mar 12Read second timeMinor
- Mar 12Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Mar 11Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- Jan 23Rep. Mihaly of Calais moved that the Committee on General and Housing be relieved of the bill and that the same be committed to the Committee on Corrections and Institutions, which was agreed to
- Jan 21Read first time and referred to the Committee on General and HousingIntroduced
HousingGovernment & Ethics