S 219 Vermont Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An act relating to an energy navigator program report

This bill directs Efficiency Vermont to study creating a statewide community-based energy navigator program. It would provide in-person and remote energy coaching to residential consumers - especially low- and moderate-income households - to help them navigate efficiency options, access grants/rebates, prioritize savings, and connect with contractors. Efficiency Vermont must submit a detailed report by January 2027, including program design, costs, and implementation plans. The bill appropriates $15,000 for the study and $150,000 to support the Climate Economy Action Center’s collaboration on the program. It does not create the program directly but mandates a study to inform future implementation.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2026 Last action Mar 24, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Passed By the Senate (UnofficialOpens in a new window) → As Passed By the Senate (OfficialOpens in a new window) · 5 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

The official Senate-passed version of S.219 makes several substantive changes from the unofficial version: it shifts the lead agency from the Department of Public Service (which would hire a third-party consultant) to Efficiency Vermont directly, strengthens funding language from 'recommend' to 'provide' and 'use,' moves the report deadline earlier from March 1 to January 15, 2027, and replaces a contingency-of-funding section with specific appropriations of $15,000 to Efficiency Vermont and $150,000 to the Climate Economy Action Center.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from a DPS-led consulting engagement with a contingency funding structure to a direct Efficiency Vermont initiative with appropriated funds and a broader role for the Climate Economy Action Center, including program expansion to a new county.

SCOPE

The entity responsible for designing the energy navigator program changed from the Department of Public Service (via a contracted third-party consultant) to Efficiency Vermont directly. The reference to building on findings from DPS's evaluation of 100+ publicly funded energy programs was removed.

The Climate Economy Action Center's role was expanded beyond design collaboration to include continuing development of its community-based energy navigator resources and programming, and supporting expansion of its Energy Navigator Program to a neighboring county.

FISCAL

Section 2 changed from 'Contingency of Funding' (duties contingent on future appropriation) to 'Appropriations' with specific amounts: $15,000 to Efficiency Vermont for the program report and $150,000 to the Climate Economy Action Center for collaboration, resource development, and expansion to a neighboring county.

REQUIREMENT

Program requirement (b)(6) changed from 'provide recommendations for how the program would provide ongoing State funding' to 'provide ongoing State funding,' shifting from advisory to directive language. Similarly, (b)(7) changed from 'recommend any grant funds and private partnerships that may be available' to 'use available grant funds and private partnerships.'

TIMELINE

The report deadline moved earlier from March 1, 2027 to January 15, 2027.

As IntroducedOpens in a new window → As Passed By the Senate (UnofficialOpens in a new window) · 7 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate-passed version shifts responsibility from Efficiency Vermont to the Department of Public Service, which must hire a third-party consultant to design the community-based energy navigator program. The specific appropriations ($15,000 and $150,000) were removed and replaced with a contingency clause making all duties dependent on future fiscal year 2027 funding. The report deadline was extended from January 15 to March 1, 2027, and language requiring the program to 'provide ongoing State funding' was softened to merely 'recommend' how funding would work.

SCOPE

The responsible entity changed from Efficiency Vermont directly designing the program to the Department of Public Service contracting with a third-party consultant to design it.

FISCAL

Specific appropriations of $15,000 to Efficiency Vermont and $150,000 to the Climate Economy Action Center were removed entirely.

A new 'Contingency of Funding' section was added, making the consultant hiring duty and any grant funding to the Climate Action Center contingent upon a fiscal year 2027 appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of Public Service.

TIMELINE

The report deadline was extended from January 15, 2027 to March 1, 2027.

REQUIREMENT

Language requiring the program to 'provide ongoing State funding' and 'use available grant funds' was changed to merely 'recommend' how funding would be provided and what grants may be available, reducing the bill's prescriptive nature.

The consultant is now required to build on findings from the Department's comprehensive process and performance evaluation of more than 100 publicly funded energy programs focused on affordability, including electric and thermal efficiency, weatherization for low-income customers, and beneficial electrification initiatives.

DEFINITION

The collaboration partner was renamed from 'Climate Economy Action Center of Addison County' to 'Climate Action Center of Addison County.'

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 24, 2026

Introduced

Read first time and referred to the Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, as amended, agreed to on

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy amended as recommended by Committee on Appropriations

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably by Senator Watson for Committee on Appropriations with recommendation of amendment

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Hardy for Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Appropriations

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Appropriations

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

upper

Jan 8, 2026

Introduced

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

upper

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors