By Guy Page

A bill increasing current fiscal year capital construction budget spending from $112 million to $123 million passed the House yesterday and now moves on to the Senate. 

The 2026 capital budget adjustments in H.952 focus on correctional facility infrastructure and clean water initiatives. Some of the money budgeted in the 2026 budget is scheduled to take place in 2027.

The most notable increase is for HVAC system upgrades at state correctional facilities, jumping from $1 million to $9.4 million. See the entire bill here. 

Also, major maintenance of state property is proposed to rise from $8.5million to $9 million. 

Some changes are small. The Roadside Historic Site Markers budget increase would grow from $25,000 to $45,000. $50,000 is allocated for State House interior finishes.

H.952 also introduces a wave of new spending authority for specific capital projects. In Public Safety and Corrections, a high-priority new item is a $3 million wi-fi system.  Also, $1.25 million is authorized for the design and replacement of women’s reentry and correctional facilities; 

$1 million for a new boiler at the state prison in Newport, and $772,557 for a youth short-term stabilization facility. 

The state judiciary is set to receive several new project authorizations, including:

• $1.72 million for the Newport Courthouse project in FY 2027
• $1.6 million for renovations at the White River Junction courthouse
• $500,000 for the Essex County Courthouse connector project
• $3 million for repairs to the 32 Cherry St. parking garage in Burlington
• $3.6 million for the Asa Bloomer building roof replacemen

The bill repeals a previous $10 million general appropriation for clean water implementation, replacing it with targeted new funds:

• $3.92 million for municipal pollution control grants
• $2.49 million for the state match for the federal Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
• $1.5 million for water quality grants and contracts through the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
• $2.8 million for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for agricultural water quality and land conservation

To help defray the costs of these new and expanded projects, the bill relies heavily on reallocating an additional $10 million of unused funds from prior years.