H 67 Vermont House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An act relating to legislative operations and government accountability

H.67 creates a new Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee to strengthen state government accountability. The committee, composed of eight legislators (four from each chamber with party balance requirements), examines major issues affecting Vermont - such as costly failures, vulnerable populations, or audit shortcomings - and makes recommendations to prevent future problems. It must issue annual reports detailing its investigations and needs, while also reviewing how well state agencies meet policy goals. The bill also updates reporting rules for the Chief Performance Officer to ensure consistent tracking of government outcomes.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Apr 1, 2026

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What changed between versions

As Passed By the House (UnofficialOpens in a new window) → As Passed By the House (OfficialOpens in a new window) · 10 edits · Mar 27, 2026

MAJOR

The official version of H.67 substantially expands the bill from a 4-page pilot project into a 14-page act that creates a permanent Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee with defined membership, duties, and powers, while also amending existing statutes governing the Chief Performance Officer report, Auditor of Accounts duties, and periodic agency report deadlines. The bill year was corrected from 2026 to 2025, and the purpose section was expanded with formal definitions of 'government accountability' and 'government oversight.'

SCOPE

Creates a permanent Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee as new 2 V.S.A. chapter 28, replacing the temporary pilot structure with a standing body that operates independently alongside other legislative committees.

Amends 3 V.S.A. section 2311 to allow standing committees or the Chief Performance Officer to request revisions to population-level indicators through the new committee, and exempts the Chief Performance Officer annual report from the duration limitation in 2 V.S.A. section 20(d).

DEFINITION

Defines 'issue of significant public concern' with six specific criteria: affects the state as a whole, affects a vulnerable population, costs more than $100 million, implicates a serious oversight failure, arises from previously enacted legislation, or constitutes a failure to respond to state or federal audits.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes committee composition of 8 members (4 House, 4 Senate) with no more than 2 from the same party per chamber, specific appointment sources including members-at-large from Government Operations and Appropriations committees, biennial chair rotation between chambers, and a quorum of 5.

Requires the committee to issue an annual report listing issues examined, current objectives met or unmet, two-year forward objectives, and any additional resources needed. The first annual report must also analyze whether to grant subpoena power and whether to add dedicated staff.

Amends 32 V.S.A. section 163 to require the Auditor of Accounts to provide the new committee a written summary of all completed audits and, upon request, a presentation of any completed audit at mutual convenience.

Requires the Auditor of Accounts to submit a pilot report by November 15 in 2026, 2028, and 2030 examining the efficiency and outcomes of up to five state agency programs per two-year period, including analysis of whether outcomes align with program objectives.

TIMELINE

Changes the default deadline for periodic agency reports to the General Assembly from January 15 to November 15 under 2 V.S.A. section 20, and adds a requirement for agencies to notify relevant committees when a report will be late.

FISCAL

The official text includes an appropriation of $150,000 from the General Fund in fiscal year 2027 for pilot project personnel (in one section) and $300,000 over a two-year period (in another section), with the position type changed from 'exempt limited service' to 'exempt temporary service' in one instance.

TECHNICAL

The bill year was corrected from 2026 to 2025, sponsor information was added (Representatives Boyden, Waters Evans, and Garofano), and the document header changed from 'AS PASSED BY HOUSE' to 'BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE.'

As IntroducedOpens in a new window → As Passed By the House (UnofficialOpens in a new window) · 10 edits · Mar 27, 2026

MAJOR

The bill was fundamentally restructured from creating a permanent Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee into a two-year Pilot Government Accountability Project housed within the existing Joint Fiscal Committee. The House-passed version removes the new standing committee, its subpoena and deposition powers, specific criteria for selecting issues of public concern, and amendments to the Chief Performance Officer and Auditor of Accounts sections. In their place, it establishes a time-limited pilot with a $300,000 appropriation, a defined reporting timeline, and broader but less formalized charges focused on examining government practices and developing evaluation tools.

Scope change

The bill's scope was dramatically narrowed. Instead of creating a permanent new legislative committee with broad investigative powers, specific issue-selection criteria, and ongoing reporting duties, the House-passed version creates a two-year pilot project within an existing committee (Joint Fiscal Committee) with a modest budget, no subpoena or deposition powers, and a defined end date. The pilot is designed to examine government practices and develop evaluation tools rather than to serve as a permanent oversight body.

SCOPE

The permanent Joint Government Oversight and Accountability Committee (8 members, specific appointment rules, quorum requirements, rotating chair) was entirely removed. It is replaced by a two-year pilot project assigned to the existing Joint Fiscal Committee.

Amendments to the Chief Performance Officer section (allowing submission of population-level indicator revision requests to the new committee) and to the Auditor of Accounts section (requiring audit summaries and presentations to the new committee) were removed.

The pilot annual audit of agency programs by the Auditor of Accounts (selecting up to 5 programs in 2026, 2028, and 2030) was removed.

The purpose language was softened from 'actuate the principle' and 'strives to systematize' to 'advance the principle' and 'seeks to support consistent and transparent accountability practices.' The phrase 'how our State laws are carried out' was changed to 'how State laws are implemented.'

REQUIREMENT

The specific definition of 'issue of significant public concern' (affecting the state as a whole, vulnerable populations, costs over $100 million, serious oversight failures, previously enacted legislation, or failure to respond to audits) was removed. Issue selection is now left to the Chief Fiscal Officer in consultation with the Speaker and President Pro Tempore.

ENFORCEMENT

The committee's power to take or cause depositions was removed, as was the requirement for a first annual report analyzing whether to grant subpoena power and add dedicated staff.

TIMELINE

The change to periodic report submission date from January to November 15 was removed.

Specific deadlines were set: the Chief Fiscal Officer must refer selected issues to the Joint Fiscal Committee by August 1, 2026; written reports are due December 15, 2026 and November 15, 2027.

FISCAL

A $300,000 appropriation from the General Fund in fiscal year 2027 was added for Pilot Government Accountability Project personnel over a two-year period.

TECHNICAL

The Joint Fiscal Office is authorized to either contract with a consultant or create a new exempt limited service position for a two-year term to support the pilot project.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 1, 2026

Introduced

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government Operations

upper

Mar 27, 2026

Introduced

Rep. Sibilia of Dover, Donahue of Northfield, Headrick of Burlington, and Lipsky of Stowe moved to amend the bill, which was agreed to

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as amended, agreed to

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs amended as recommended by Committee on Appropriations

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Rep. Stevens of Waterbury recommended for the Committee on Appropriations

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Rep. Waters Evans of Charlotte reported for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Introduced

Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Introduced

Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Rep. Scheu of Middlebury moved that the Committee on Appropriations be relieved of the bill and that the same be recommitted to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, which was agreed to

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Introduced

Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors