Struck = removed from the bill ·
added = the amendment's new text.
ActSENATE No.PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 1 of 9 H.949 An act relating to homestead property tax yields, the nonhomestead property tax rate, and technical changes to education finance The Senate proposes to the House to amend the bill as follows:
169First: Page 1 of 1 This act summary is provided for the convenience of the public and members of the General Assembly.
ItBy isstriking intendedout toSec. provide a general summary of the act and may not be exhaustive.
It1, hasproperty beendollar preparedequivalent byyield, theincome staffdollar ofequivalent theyield, Officeand ofnonhomestead Legislativeproperty Counseltax withoutrate inputfor fromfiscal membersyear of2027, thein Generalits Assembly.entirety and inserting in lieu thereof a new Sec.
It1 is not intended to aidread in the interpretation of legislation or to serve as afollows: source of legislative intent.
ActSec. No.
1691. (H.949).
AnPROPERTY actDOLLAR relatingEQUIVALENT toYIELD, homesteadINCOME propertyDOLLAR taxEQUIVALENT yields,YIELD, theAND nonhomesteadNONHOMESTEAD propertyPROPERTY taxTAX rate,RATE andFOR technicalFISCAL changesYEAR to2027 educationFor financefiscal Subjects:year 2027 only:
Education;(1) Pursuant to 32 V.S.A.
taxation§ and5402b(b), finance;the property dollar equivalent yield shall be $9,395.00.
education(2) propertyPursuant tax;to 32 V.S.A.
special§ education;5402b(b), the income dollar equivalent yield shall be $12,942.00.
City(3) ofNotwithstanding Barre;32 V.S.A.
§ 5402(a)(1) and any other provision of law to the contrary, the nonhomestead rate;property tax rate shall be $1.648 per $100.00 of equalized education property value.
educationSecond: finance;
overpayment;By striking out Sec.
tax2, incrementEducation financingFund district;reserve;
homesteadproperty yields;tax rate offset, in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof two new sections to be Secs.
homestead2 propertyand tax2a creditto andread renteras credit;follows:
censusVT grant;LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 2 of 9 Sec.
statewide2. adjustment This act sets the property dollar equivalent yield at $9,401.00 and the income dollar equivalent yield at $12,960.00 for the purpose of setting homestead property tax rates in fiscal year 2027.
This16 actV.S.A. sets the nonhomestead property tax rate in fiscal year 2027 at $1.643 per $100.00 of equalized education property value.
This§ act4001 makesis aamended technical correction to theread: application of the statewide adjustment for determining property tax credits.
This§ act4001. also appropriates funds from the Education Fund to refund the City of Barre for overpayments from the City’s TIF district.
ThisDEFINITIONS actAs additionallyused codifiesin thethis fiscalchapter: year 2027 uniform base amount for purposes of calculating census grants to support special education and adds a perpetual inflator.
This* act* extends* the(6) existing“Education exemptionspending” frommeans the excessamount spendingof penaltythe school district budget, any assessment for voter-a approvedjoint bondcontract school, career technical center payments tomade bondson approvedbehalf byof votersthe priordistrict under subsection 1561(b) of this title, and any amount added to Julypay 1,a 2026.deficit pursuant to 24 V.S.A.
This§ act1523(b) alsothat reducesis paid for by the excessschool spendingdistrict, thresholdbut inexcluding fiscalany yearportion 2028of fromthe 118school percentbudget topaid 115.5for percentfrom ofany theother excesssources spendingsuch baseas andendowments, annuallyparental reducesfundraising, thefederal excessfunds, spendingnongovernmental thresholdgrants, untilor reachingother 112.5State percentfunds ofsuch theas excessspecial spendingeducation basefunds inpaid fiscalunder yearchapter 2032.101 of this title.
This(A) act[Repealed.] expands(B) theFor renterall creditbonds forapproved claimby yearvoters 2027prior onlyto byJuly increasing1, the2024, statutoryvoter- capapproved onVoter-approved thebond creditpayments fromtoward $2,500.00principal to $3,250.00 and increasinginterest theshall factornot forbe determiningincluded thein maximum“education creditspending” fromfor 10purposes percent of faircalculating marketexcess rentspending pursuant to 12.532 percentV.S.A. of fair market rent.
This§ act5401(12). also permanently expands income sensitivity measures under the property tax credit system beginning in fiscal year 2028 by increasing the maximum income threshold from $47,000.00 to $50,000.00 for both the statewide and municipal circuit breakers.
This* act* additionally* makesSec. conforming changes to the excess spending penalty and income sensitivity measures to account for the rollout of the foundation formula in fiscal year 2030.
This2a. act limits increases in tuition paid to a public or approved independent receiving school for fiscal years 2028 through 2032 to the annual growth in statewide education spending.
Multiple32 effectiveV.S.A. dates, beginning on July 1, 2026 VT LEG #390299 v.2
§ 5401 is amended to read:
§ 5401.
DEFINITIONS As used in this chapter:
VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 3 of 9 * * * (12) “Excess spending” means:
(A) The per pupil spending amount of the district’s education spending, as defined in 16 V.S.A.
§ 4001(6), plus any amount required to be added from a capital construction reserve fund under 24 V.S.A.
§ 2804(b).
(B) In excess of 118 112 percent of the statewide average district per pupil education spending increased by inflation, as determined by the Secretary of Education on or before November 15 of each year based on the passed budgets to date.
As used in this subdivision (B), “increased by inflation” means increasing the statewide average district per pupil education spending for fiscal year 2025 by the most recent New England Economic Project cumulative price index, as of November 15, for state and local government purchases of goods and services, from fiscal year 2025 through the fiscal year for which the amount is being determined.
(C) A school district’s excess spending shall be zero if any of the following conditions are met:
(i) the district’s education spending is not greater than the district’s educating spending for the preceding school year;
(ii) the district’s per pupil education spending is not greater than the district’s per pupil education spending for the preceding school year;
or VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 4 of 9 (iii) the Secretary of Education, with the advice of three business managers and three superintendents selected by the Secretary, determines that the increase in the district’s per pupil education spending above the excess spending threshold was for good cause or beyond the district’s control, such as due to emergency capital expenditures or substantial loss of pupils or offsetting revenues.
* * * Third:
By striking out Sec.
6, effective date, in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof five new sections to be Secs.
6–10 to read as follows:
Sec.
6.
32 V.S.A.
§ 6066(b) is amended to read:
(b)(1) An eligible claimant who rented the homestead shall be entitled to a credit for the taxable year in an amount not to exceed $2,500.00 $3,250.00, to be calculated as follows:
(A) If the claimant’s income is less than or equal to the extremely low-income limit, the claimant shall be entitled to a credit in the amount of 10 12.5 percent of fair market rent.
(B) If the claimant’s income is greater than the extremely low- income limit but less than or equal to the very low-income limit, the claimant shall be entitled to a percentage of the credit that is proportional to the claimant’s income that is less than the very low-income limit, determined by:
VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 5 of 9 (i) subtracting the claimant’s income from the very low-income limit;
(ii) dividing the value under subdivision (i) of this subdivision (1)(B) by the difference between the extremely low-income limit and the very low-income limit;
and (iii) multiplying the value under subdivision (ii) of this subdivision (1)(B) by 10 12.5 percent of fair market rent.
(C) If the claimant’s income is greater than the very low-income limit, the claimant shall not be entitled to a renter credit.
(D) A claimant who is eligible for a renter credit, including pursuant to this subsection (b), and who receives a rental subsidy shall be entitled to a credit in the amount of 10 12.5 percent of gross rent paid.
(E) A renter credit shall be prorated by the number of calendar months in the taxable year during which the claimant rented the homestead, except for a credit based on gross rent paid under subdivision (D) of this subdivision (b)(1), and by the portion of the principal dwelling used for business purposes, if the portion used for business purposes includes more than 25 percent of the floor space of the dwelling.
(2) The Commissioner shall calculate the credit under subdivision (1) of this subsection (b) using the fair market rent corresponding to a number of bedrooms equal to the number of personal exemptions allowed under VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 6 of 9 subdivision 5811(21)(C) of this title for the taxable year, provided that for claimants who resided with any person who was neither the claimant’s dependent nor jointly filing spouse at any time during the taxable year, the Commissioner shall reduce the credit by 50 percent.
Sec.
7.
32 V.S.A.
§ 6067 is amended to read:
§ 6067.
CREDIT LIMITATIONS Only one individual per household per taxable year shall be entitled to a property tax credit under this chapter.
An individual who received a homestead exemption or credit with respect to property taxes assessed by another state for the taxable year shall not be entitled to receive a credit under this chapter.
No taxpayer shall receive a renter credit under subsection 6066(b) of this title in excess of $2,500.00 $3,250.00.
No taxpayer shall receive a property tax credit under subdivision 6066(a)(3) of this title greater than $2,400.00 or cumulative credit under subdivisions 6066(a)(1)-(2) 6066(a)(1), (2), and (4) of this title greater than $5,600.00.
Sec.
8.
32 V.S.A.
§ 6066(b) is amended to read:
(b)(1) An eligible claimant who rented the homestead shall be entitled to a credit for the taxable year in an amount not to exceed $3,250.00 $2,500.00, to be calculated as follows:
VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 7 of 9 (A) If the claimant’s income is less than or equal to the extremely low-income limit, the claimant shall be entitled to a credit in the amount of 12.5 10 percent of fair market rent.
(B) If the claimant’s income is greater than the extremely low- income limit but less than or equal to the very low-income limit, the claimant shall be entitled to a percentage of the credit that is proportional to the claimant’s income that is less than the very low-income limit, determined by:
(i) subtracting the claimant’s income from the very low-income limit;
(ii) dividing the value under subdivision (i) of this subdivision (1)(B) by the difference between the extremely low-income limit and the very low-income limit;
and (iii) multiplying the value under subdivision (ii) of this subdivision (1)(B) by 12.5 10 percent of fair market rent.
(C) If the claimant’s income is greater than the very low-income limit, the claimant shall not be entitled to a renter credit.
(D) A claimant who is eligible for a renter credit, including pursuant to this subsection (b), and who receives a rental subsidy shall be entitled to a credit in the amount of 12.5 10 percent of gross rent paid.
(E) A renter credit shall be prorated by the number of calendar months in the taxable year during which the claimant rented the homestead, VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 8 of 9 except for a credit based on gross rent paid under subdivision (D) of this subdivision (b)(1), and by the portion of the principal dwelling used for business purposes, if the portion used for business purposes includes more than 25 percent of the floor space of the dwelling.
(2) The Commissioner shall calculate the credit under subdivision (1) of this subsection (b) using the fair market rent corresponding to a number of bedrooms equal to the number of personal exemptions allowed under subdivision 5811(21)(C) of this title for the taxable year, provided that for claimants who resided with any person who was neither the claimant’s dependent nor jointly filing spouse at any time during the taxable year, the Commissioner shall reduce the credit by 50 percent.
Sec.
9.
32 V.S.A.
§ 6067 is amended to read:
§ 6067.
CREDIT LIMITATIONS Only one individual per household per taxable year shall be entitled to a property tax credit under this chapter.
An individual who received a homestead exemption or credit with respect to property taxes assessed by another state for the taxable year shall not be entitled to receive a credit under this chapter.
No taxpayer shall receive a renter credit under subsection 6066(b) of this title in excess of $3,250.00 $2,500.00.
No taxpayer shall receive a property tax credit under subdivision 6066(a)(3) of this title greater than VT LEG #389137 v.1 SENATE PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT H.949 Page 9 of 9 $2,400.00 or cumulative credit under subdivisions 6066(a)(1), (2), and (4) of this title greater than $5,600.00.
Sec.
10.
EFFECTIVE DATES (a) This section and Secs.
1 (yields), 3 (statewide adjustment correction), 4 (Barre TIF overpayment refund), and 5 (census grant inflator) shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
(b) Secs.
6 (renter credit expansion) and 7 (renter credit cap increase) shall take effect on July 1, 2026, and apply to claim year 2027.
(c) Secs.
2 (exclusion of capital indebtedness from excess spending) and 2a (excess spending threshold) shall take effect on July 1, 2027.
(d) Secs.
8 (renter credit narrowing) and 9 (renter credit cap reduction) shall take effect on July 1, 2027, and apply to claim years 2028 and after.
VT LEG #389137 v.1