Signed by Governor Phil Scott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a budget for fiscal year 2017-2018.

Highlights:

• Increases funding for the disabilities, aging, and independent living support and advocacy programs by $1.3 million (Secs. 40 & 41).

• Increases funding for the control, licensing, and enforcement of liquor laws by $485,000 (Sec. 14).

• Authorizes the state to spend up to $723 million in Medicaid expenses (Sec. 22).

• Increases funds for state-provided mental health services by $1.1 million (Sec. 29).

• Authorizes the state to spend up to $11 million to weatherize facilities of the Department of Children and Families (Sec. 37).

• Authorizes the state to spend up to $82 million on child development programs (Sec. 32).

• Appropriates the following human-services funds(Sec. 46):

• Tobacco: $34 million;

• State health care resources: $298 million; and

• Education: $3.1 million

• Specifies that all unappropriated funds from the fiscal year 2017 will be transferred to the state general fund (Sec. 61).

• Specifies that all department of transportation spending reductions should not affect town and city programs that are carried out by the Department of Transportation Assistance (Sec. 64).

• Establishes positions within Green Mountain Care Board of Health Policy including a health analyst, health policy adviser, financial systems analyst, and 2 financial managers (Sec. 73).

• Specifies that the first $50,000 of collected revenue from cigarette taxes will go towards funding the Evidence-Based Education Board  (Sec. 74).

Full Bill Text