An act relating to the Vermont Climate Corps

This bill creates the Vermont Climate Corps, a program designed to provide employment opportunities for Vermont residents to work on climate resilience and adaptation projects. The program would be administered by SerVermont, the state's service commission, and would allow individuals aged 18 and older to commit up to 12 months of service. Funding would be provided to program hosts, which can be state entities, municipalities, or nonprofits, to support Corps members in eligible projects such as weatherization and environmental restoration. The bill includes requirements for diversity in recruitment and specifies that participants are not state employees but are instead the responsibility of their program hosts. An initial appropriation of $5 million is authorized for fiscal year 2024 to launch the program, with the first class of Corps members expected to be established in 2025.