Act No. 162 Page 1 of 4
2024
This act summary is provided for the convenience of the public and members of the General
Assembly. It is intended to provide a general summary of the act and may not be exhaustive. It
has been prepared by the staff of the Office of Legislative Counsel without input from members
of the General Assembly. It is not intended to aid in the interpretation of legislation or to serve as
a source of legislative intent.
Act No. 162 (H.882). An act relating to capital construction and State bonding budget
adjustment
Subjects: Capital construction; State bonding; budget adjustment
This act adjusts the second year of the State’s biennial capital budget for fiscal years
2024 and 2025, reallocates $17,358,383.85 from prior capital appropriations, and
authorizes the State to issue $5,247,838.90 of additional general obligation bonds that
were previously appropriated but unissued. This act also reduces the amount of spending
authorized in fiscal year 2024 from the Cash Fund for Capital Infrastructure and Other
Essential Investments from $39,845,000.00 to $36,235,000.00 and authorizes spending in
fiscal year 2025 from the Cash Fund for Capital Infrastructure and Other Essential
Investments in the amount of $9,550,000.00.
This act also:
Appropriations
Appropriates capital funds in the amount of $130,606,224.00 over two years for
capital construction projects, including the following appropriations:
• Eliminates the FY 2024 and 2025 appropriations of $50,000.00 per fiscal year
for replacement of State House historic finishes.
• Increases the FY 2025 appropriation for statewide major maintenance from
$8,500,000.00 to $8,501,999.00.
• Increases the FY 2025 appropriation for statewide planning, reuse, and
contingency from $425,000.00 to $455,000.00.
• Reduces the FY 2025 appropriation for the Middlesex Therapeutic
Community Residence master plan, design, and decommissioning from
$400,000.00 to $50,000.00.
• Reduces the FY 2025 appropriation for statewide R22 refrigerant phase out
from $1,000,000.00 to $750,000.00.
• Appropriates $75,000.00 in FY 2025 for the Art in State Buildings Program.
• Appropriates $400,000.00 in FY 2025 for roof replacement at the Northwest
State Correctional Facility.
• Appropriates $100,000.00 in FY 2025 for the evaluation of potential future
State use and the potential to deactivate or winterize buildings at the former
Southeast State Correctional Facility.
• Increases the FY 2025 appropriation for planning, design, and construction of
the booking expansion at the Northwest State Correctional Facility from
$2,500,000.00 to $2,600,000.00.
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• Increases the FY 2025 appropriation for statewide correctional facilities for
HVAC systems planning, design, and construction for upgrades and
replacements from $700,000.00 to $5,150,000.00.
• Appropriates $822,000.00 in FY 2025 for statewide correctional facilities
accessibility upgrades.
• Appropriates $125,000.00 in FY 2025 for a feasibility study of a potential
reentry facility for justice-involved men in South Burlington.
• Appropriates $50,000.00 in FY 2025 for facility requirements review and
construction of improvements at the River Valley Therapeutic Residence in
Essex.
• Increases the FY 2025 appropriation to the Agency of Commerce and
Community Development for major maintenance of statewide historic sites
from $500,000.00 to $700,000.00.
• Reduces the FY 2024 appropriation to the Agency of Natural Resources for
dam safety and hydrology projects from $500,000.00 to $275,000.00.
• Increases the FY 2025 appropriation to the Agency of Natural Resources for
general infrastructure projects, including small-scale maintenance and
rehabilitation of infrastructure, and improvements to buildings, including
conservation camps from $1,344,150.00 to $2,114,000.00.
• Eliminates the FY 2025 appropriation of $6,000,000.00 to the Agency of
Natural Resources for clean water implementation projects.
• Appropriates $550,000.00 in FY 2025 to the Agency of Agriculture, Food and
Markets for water quality grants and contracts.
• Appropriates $1,600,000.00 in FY 2025 to the Agency of Natural Resources
for the Clean Water State/EPA Revolving Loan Fund match for the Water
Pollution Control Fund.
• Appropriates $3,300,000.00 in FY 2025 to the Agency of Natural Resources
for municipal pollution control grants.
• Appropriates $550,000.00 to the Agency of Natural Resources for forestry
access roads, recreation access roads, and water quality improvements.
• Appropriates $1,540,000.00 in FY 2025 for upgrades of mechanical systems
and HVAC, life safety needs, and minor interior renovations at 5 Green
Mountain Drive in Montpelier.
• Appropriates $100,000.00 in FY 2025 to the Sergeant at Arms for the
replacement of State House cafeteria furnishings.
This act also does the following:
Agency of Natural Resources
• Clarifies the authority of the Department of Environmental Conservation
Facilities Engineering Section.
• Requires the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife to report on the feasibility of
continuing to operate the Salisbury Fish Hatchery after December 31, 2027, of
transferring the production capacity of the Salisbury Fish Hatchery to the
State’s fish hatchery system, and alternative options for replacing the
Salisbury Fish Hatchery’s production capacity.
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2024
Buildings and General Services (BGS)
• Directs BGS to deposit $6,242,500.00 from the proceeds of the sale of 108
Cherry Street into the Property Management Revolving Fund and to deposit
$293,753.63 from the proceeds of the sale of 108 Cherry Street into the State
Energy Revolving Fund.
• Delays the authorization for BGS to sell the former Williston State Police
Barracks property until July 1, 2025.
• Increases the amount that the Commissioner of BGS may spend to acquire an
option to purchase a property.
• Increases the amount that the Commissioner of BGS may transfer between
projects authorized within different capital construction acts without obtaining
prior approval from the Emergency Board.
• Increases the amount that the Commissioner of BGS may transfer from the
contingency fund to cover a shortfall without obtaining prior approval from
the Secretary of Administration.
• Requires that State property be sold for at least fair market value.
• Requires a report on a process for naming State buildings that are under the
jurisdiction of BGS.
• Requires a report on the potential for transferring a portion of the former
Southeast State Correctional Facility property to the Department of Fish and
Wildlife for inclusion in an adjacent wildlife management area.
• Authorizes the transfer of a portion of the Southern State Correctional Facility
Property to the Town of Springfield.
• Requires a report on the facility requirements related to incorporating the use
of emergency involuntary procedures and involuntary medication at the River
Valley secure residential recovery facility in Essex.
• Requires a report on the potential to repurpose the former Southeast State
Correctional Facility for a State purpose and the potential for temporarily
deactivating or winterizing the existing structures.
• Authorizes the Commissioner of BGS to enter into a long-term ground lease
agreement at a below-market rate for the Department for Children and
Families Youth Short Term Stabilization and Treatment Center.
• Establishes the Special Committee on Capitol Complex Flood Recovery to
review and recommend alterations to proposals for Capitol Complex flood
recovery.
• Establishes the Special Committee on State House Improvements to review
and approve a schematic design for improvements to the State House.
Human Services
• Requires a report on the proposed site location for replacement women’s
facilities by January 15, 2025.
• Provides contingent authority for BGS to purchase land for replacement
women’s facilities if a suitable State-owned property cannot be identified.
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• Requires a report on the potential to reuse the site of the Chittenden Regional
Correctional Facility for a men’s reentry facility following the construction of
new women’s facilities.
• Requires a report on reentry and transitional services provided by the State,
the recommended size and programming to be provided by a new women’s
correctional facility, and whether it is advisable to construct a men’s reentry
facility on the same site as the new women’s facilities or at another location.
Judicial Branch
• Authorizes BGS to purchase land as needed to renovate or replace the
Washington County Superior Courthouse in Barre.
• Sets forth the intent of the General Assembly to locate the offices of the
Windsor County State’s Attorney in the leased office space at 55 Railroad
Row upon completion of the renovations to the Windsor County Superior
Courthouse in White River Junction.
Effective Date: June 6, 2024
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Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 10-2603, 29-166, 29-152
As Passed By the House -- Official: 10-2603, 29-166, 29-152
As Passed By the House -- Unofficial: 10-2603, 29-166, 29-152
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Official: 10-2603, 29-166, 29-152
As Passed by Both House and Senate -- Unofficial: 10-2603, 29-152, 29-166
As Enacted: 10-2603, 29-152, 29-166