Budget & Taxes

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 13, 2026

H 900: An act relating to the exemption of Social Security benefits from Vermont income tax

This bill (H.900) would exempt all Social Security benefits from Vermont's personal income tax. It directly affects Vermont residents who receive Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, or survivor payments. The key provision removes the state tax liability on these benefits, meaning recipients would no longer pay Vermont income tax on that income. The bill aims to provide tax relief for this specific group of Vermonters.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts Social Security benefits from state income tax, providing direct tax relief to recipients, aligning with support indicators for tax relief to lower-income groups.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax

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introduced · Vermont · House Feb 3, 2026

H 863: An act relating to transportation initiatives to improve equity and infrastructure, increase resiliency, and reduce emissions

H.863 imposes a $0.30 fee on retail deliveries (like online orders shipped to Vermont) that are subject to sales tax, collected by vendors and listed separately on receipts. It permits municipalities to levy a local tax on gasoline and diesel fuel sales and allocates funds to transportation programs including electric vehicle incentives, public transit coordination, and creating pollinator habitats along roads. The bill also requires public EV charging stations to accept credit cards and provide real-time availability, and mandates a study on electric bicycle safety. These provisions aim to fund infrastructure improvements, support clean energy transitions, and enhance transportation equity.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes new fees/taxes (retail delivery $0.30, local fuel taxes) and allocates revenues to transportation programs including EV incentives and public transit, directly funding public services.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill allocates funds to electric vehicle incentives and public transit coordination, directly advancing renewable energy infrastructure and reducing emissions per bill summary.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill reduces emissions via EV incentives and pollinator habitats, directly advancing environmental protection95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates funds to transportation programs including EV incentives, public transit coordination, and infrastructure improvements, directly advancing transportation goals per title and summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Electric Vehicles Renewable Energy Bicycle Infrastructure Electric Vehicles Transportation Funding

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introduced · Vermont · House Feb 4, 2026

H 878: An act relating to Vermont income and education property taxes

This bill exempts Social Security benefits from Vermont's state income tax for most recipients, based on income levels. It fully excludes benefits for single filers earning under $55,000 or married couples filing jointly earning under $70,000 annually, with partial exemptions for higher earners up to $65,000 (single) or $80,000 (married). Additionally, it caps annual property tax increases at 1% for all homeowners. The policy directly affects Vermont residents receiving Social Security benefits and homeowners, aiming to reduce tax burdens for low- to moderate-income seniors and households.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts Social Security benefits from income tax for lower/middle-income earners ($55k/$70k thresholds), providing direct tax relief per Budget & Taxes indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Property Tax

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introduced · Vermont · House Feb 4, 2026

H 874: An act relating to municipal acquisition of abandoned residential and commercial property, municipal regulation of housing, and State funding for housing development

This bill allows Vermont municipalities to acquire abandoned residential and commercial properties in designated downtown or village areas through purchase, foreclosure, or fines, then use them for public purposes like medical housing or youth facilities. It also empowers municipalities to enforce housing habitability standards and limit annual rent increases, while restructuring state housing funding to prioritize individual property repairs, first-time homebuyers needing repairs, and senior housing developments with specific features (like housing for medical staff). Additionally, all state-funded housing developments must incorporate universal design, include ADA-compliant units, and give priority to people exiting homelessness for designated units. The bill directly affects local governments, property owners in designated zones, renters, and housing developers seeking state funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRestructures state housing funding to prioritize repairs, homebuyers, and seniors, directing budget allocation toward housing programs.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill enables municipal acquisition of abandoned properties for medical/youth housing, enforces habitability standards, limits rent increases, and redirects state funding to repairs and first-time homebuyers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Renters Tenant Rights

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signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 902: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of Barre

H 902 approves charter amendments for the City of Barre that allow the City Manager or councilors (with City Council approval) to authorize the sale of city property. It also changes rules for the city's unspent funds, limiting how much can be kept as an undesignated balance to 5% of the general fund budget. Any funds exceeding this 5% threshold must be used to reduce the tax rate in the next budget. These changes follow voter approval on May 13, 2025, and take effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesLimits unspent funds to 5% of budget; excess must reduce tax rate, providing direct tax relief per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 19, 2026

H 910: An act relating to supporting business growth and development in the State

This bill (H 910) provides additional funding and support for Vermont businesses of all sizes and stages. It expands the Vermont Small Business Development Center's capacity, increases funding for the Micro Business Development Program and Vermont Professionals of Color Network, and updates the Vermont Training Program and Employment Growth Incentive. The bill also creates a one-year high school entrepreneurship pilot program focused on technical education. These changes directly affect Vermont businesses, entrepreneurs, and high school students seeking business skills.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly allocates additional state funds to expand business development programs, increasing government spending on economic initiatives per summary.95% confidence

Tags Small Business

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introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2026

H 916: An act relating to Education Fund expenditures review

H.916 directs Vermont's Joint Fiscal Office to create a formal process for reviewing how school districts spend Education Fund money. The review will categorize all spending, determine if it's required by law or discretionary, assess whether each category directly supports student learning, and evaluate if spending levels are reasonable. It also requires identifying better revenue sources for non-essential spending and establishing a cost-effectiveness analysis method for future state education programs. This bill directly affects school districts by requiring them to justify their spending patterns and will influence how new education legislation is evaluated for cost impact.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes fiscal review process for education spending to ensure funds directly support learning and promote cost-effectiveness, aligning with fiscal responsibility indicators.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates review of education fund spending to ensure it directly supports student learning and is reasonable, promoting efficient resource allocation for educational purposes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 16, 2026

S 269: An act relating to excluding Supplemental Security Income payments from household income

S.269 would amend Vermont's tax code to exclude Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments from the definition of "household income" when calculating two specific tax credits: the homestead property tax credit and the renter credit. This change directly affects Vermont residents who receive SSI and apply for these credits, as their SSI payments would no longer count toward their household income for eligibility purposes. The bill modifies the statutory definition of "household income" to explicitly exclude SSI payments, ensuring they are not considered when determining credit amounts. This adjustment would likely increase the tax credit amount for SSI recipients by reducing the income figure used in the calculation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExcludes SSI from income calculations for tax credits, providing tax relief to low-income recipients by expanding eligibility for homestead and renter credits.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExcludes SSI from income calculations for renter tax credit, increasing eligibility for low-income tenants and enhancing housing affordability for vulnerable residents.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Credits Property Taxes Renters

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introduced · Vermont · House Jan 21, 2026

H 732: An act relating to new income tax brackets

H.732 establishes two new income tax brackets for higher earners in Vermont. Individuals would pay an additional 1% tax on income between $200,000-$400,000 and above $400,000, while married couples filing jointly would pay the extra rate on income between $400,000-$800,000 and above $800,000. The revenue generated would fund an expanded property tax credit specifically for Vermont households with annual income below $115,000. This directly affects high-income taxpayers through new tax rates and low-to-moderate-income households via increased credit support.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases taxes on high earners ($200k+/individual) to fund property tax credit for households under $115k, providing targeted tax relief for lower-income groups.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingFunds property tax credit for households under $115k, directly increasing housing affordability through tax relief for low-to-moderate income residents.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Property Tax Tax Credits Property Taxes

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passed · Vermont · House May 22, 2026

H 775: An act relating to creating tools for housing production

H.775 creates Vermont's Rural Housing Finance Pilot Program to support affordable housing in rural areas. It allows municipalities with populations under 5,000 to apply for tax stabilization on new housing developments, freezing property values for the first seven years after construction and gradually increasing them over the next three years (25% to 75% of market changes). Projects must include at least 15% affordable units (minimum two units) with 15-year affordability covenants, and limit residential units to 16 per development. The bill also establishes a Vermont Housing Special Fund to manage interest from credit facility loans used for bulk purchasing of off-site housing and mobile home park infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates tax stabilization (property value freeze) for rural housing projects, promoting affordable housing through fiscal incentives, aligning with tax relief and fiscal management goals.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates rural affordable housing program requiring 15% affordable units with 15-year covenants and tax stabilization to boost production.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Affordable Housing Housing Finance Property Taxes Tags Rural Communities

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