BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.244
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H.244
IntroducedbyRepresentativesRachelsonofBurlingtonandWatersEvansof
Charlotte
ReferredtoCommitteeon
Date:
Subject:Publicpropertyandsupplies;DepartmentofBuildingsandGeneral
Services;contracting;advertising;media;newsorganizations;radio;
television
Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestorequirethat
theStateexpendaminimumof80percentofthetotalannualvalueofits
contractingforprint,digital,radio,andtelevisionadvertisingservicesonlocal
organizations.
AnactrelatingtoStatecontractingstandardsforadvertising
ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
Sec.1.29V.S.A.§ 902(a)isamendedtoread:
(a)TheCommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallcontractfor
andmakeallpurchases,includingallfuel,supplies,materials,andequipment,
foralldepartments,offices,institutions,andotheragenciesoftheStateand
counties.However,heorshetheCommissionermaydelegateauthorityto
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thosegovernmentalagenciestopurchasedirectlyindividuallyapprovedtypes
andclassesofitemswhentheinterestsoftheStatearebestservedthereby,
providedthatanysuchdelegatedauthorityshallbesubjecttothesame
limitationssetforthinsubsections910(a)–(c)ofthissubchapterasapplytothe
Commissioner.HeorsheTheCommissionershallalsocontractforand
purchasematerialsfortherepairandfortheconstructionandequipmentof
newbuildingstobeerectedbytheState,unlessotherwiseprovided.Heorshe
TheCommissionermaypurchasesuchsupplies,materials,andequipmentas
arerequisitionedbythesupervisorsofthenaturalresourcesconservation
districts.HeorsheTheCommissionermayalsocooperatewithandadvise
officialsofanypoliticalsubdivisionoftheStateoranyinstitutionofhigher
educationcharteredinVermontandaccreditedorholdingacertificateof
approvalfromtheStateBoardofEducationintheirpurchaseofanyofthe
supplies,materials,andequipmentneededbythepoliticalsubdivisionor
institutionofhighereducation,andmayactastheagentofthepolitical
subdivisionattherequestoftheauthorizedofficialsoragentthereofinthe
purchaseofsupplies,materials,andequipment.
Sec.2.29V.S.A.§ 910isaddedtoread:
§ 910.STATECONTRACTSFORADVERTISING
(a)WhencontractingforprintordigitaladvertisingservicesfortheState
oritsagencies,departments,instrumentalities,orinstitutions,the
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CommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallcontractwithlocal
newsorganizationsfornotlessthan80percentofthetotalannualvalueofthe
printordigitaladvertisingservices.
(b)Whencontractingforradioortelevisionadvertisingservicesforthe
Stateoritsagencies,departments,instrumentalities,orinstitutions,the
CommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallcontractwithlocal
broadcastorganizationsfornotlessthan80percentofthetotalannualvalueof
theradioortelevisionadvertisingservices.
(c)Notwithstandingsubsections(a)and(b)ofthissection,the
CommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesmayexcludefromthetotal
annualvalueofadvertisingservicesanyadvertisementfocusedontourism.
(d)TheCommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallmaintaina
listoflocalnewsorganizationsandlocalbroadcastorganizations.
(e)Asusedinthissection:
(1)“Localbroadcastorganization”meansanorganizationlicensedto
broadcastintheStatebytheFederalCommunicationsCommission.
(2)“Localnewsorganization”meansanorganizationthat:
(A)engagesprofessionalstocreate,edit,produce,anddistribute
originalcontentconcerningmattersofpublicinterestthroughreporting
activities;
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(B)employsafull-timeemployeewhodedicatesatleast30hoursa
weektoprovidingcoverageofanareaoftheStatefordisseminationtothe
localorStatecommunityandliveswithin50milesofthecoveragearea;
(C)(i)haspublishedatleastoneprintpublicationpermonthoverthe
previous12monthsandeitherholdsavalidU.S.PostalServiceperiodical
permitordedicatesatleast25percentofitscontenttolocalnews;or
(ii)onaverageovertheprevious12months,haspublishedonline
atleastonepieceperweekaboutthelocalorStatecommunityandhasatleast
33percentofitsonlineaudienceinVermont;
(D)hasdisclosedinitsprintpublicationoronitswebsiteits
beneficialownershipor,inthecaseofanonprofitentity,itsboardofdirectors;
(E)inthecaseofanorganizationthatisexemptfromtaxationunder
26 U.S.C.§ 501(c)(3),declaresasitsstatedmissioninitsfilingswiththe
InternalRevenueServicethecoverageoflocalorStatenews;and
(F)overthepreviouscalendaryeardidnotreceivemorethan
50 percentofitsgrossreceiptsfrompoliticalactioncommittees,otherentities
describedin26U.S.C.§ 527,orfromorganizationsexemptfromtaxation
under26 U.S.C.§ 501(c)(4),(c)(5),or(c)(6).
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Sec.3.29V.S.A.§ 911isaddedtoread:
§ 911.CONTRACTSFORADVERTISING;REPORTING
Annually,onorbeforeJune30,theCommissionerofBuildingsand
GeneralServicesshallsubmittotheGeneralAssemblyareportsummarizing
anyadvertisingservicespurchasedbytheStateanditsagencies,departments,
instrumentalities,orinstitutionsduringtheprecedingfiscalyear,includinga
summaryoftheamountsspentbyentityonadvertisingservicesandwhere
thosefundswerespent.
Sec.4.EFFECTIVEDATE
ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.
Sec.1.29V.S.A.§ 902(a)isamendedtoread:
(a)TheCommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallcontractfor
andmakeallpurchases,includingallfuel,supplies,materials,andequipment,
foralldepartments,offices,institutions,andotheragenciesoftheStateand
counties.However,heorshetheCommissionermaydelegateauthorityto
thosegovernmentalagenciestopurchasedirectlyindividuallyapprovedtypes
andclassesofitemswhentheinterestsoftheStatearebestservedthereby,
providedthatanysuchdelegatedauthorityshallbesubjecttothesame
limitationssetforthinsubsections910(a)–(c)ofthissubchapterasapplyto
theCommissioner.HeorsheTheCommissionershallalsocontractforand
purchasematerialsfortherepairandfortheconstructionandequipmentof
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newbuildingstobeerectedbytheState,unlessotherwiseprovided.Heorshe
TheCommissionermaypurchasesuchsupplies,materials,andequipmentas
arerequisitionedbythesupervisorsofthenaturalresourcesconservation
districts.HeorsheTheCommissionermayalsocooperatewithandadvise
officialsofanypoliticalsubdivisionoftheStateoranyinstitutionofhigher
educationcharteredinVermontandaccreditedorholdingacertificateof
approvalfromtheStateBoardofEducationintheirpurchaseofanyofthe
supplies,materials,andequipmentneededbythepoliticalsubdivisionor
institutionofhighereducation,andmayactastheagentofthepolitical
subdivisionattherequestoftheauthorizedofficialsoragentthereofinthe
purchaseofsupplies,materials,andequipment.
Sec.2.29V.S.A.§ 910isaddedtoread:
§ 910.STATECONTRACTSFORADVERTISING
(a)WhencontractingforprintordigitaladvertisingservicesfortheState
oritsagencies,departments,instrumentalities,orinstitutions,the
CommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallcontractwithlocal
newsorganizationsfornotlessthan70percentofthetotalannualvalueofthe
printordigitaladvertisingservices.
(b)Whencontractingforradioortelevisionadvertisingservicesforthe
Stateoritsagencies,departments,instrumentalities,orinstitutions,the
CommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallcontractwithlocal BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.244
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broadcastorganizationsfornotlessthan70percentofthetotalannualvalue
oftheradioortelevisionadvertisingservices.
(c)Notwithstandingsubsections(a)and(b)ofthissection,the
CommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesmayexcludefromthetotal
annualvalueofadvertisingservicesanyadvertisementfocusedontourismand
anyemploymentsearchorjobposting.
(d)TheCommissionerofBuildingsandGeneralServicesshallmaintaina
listoflocalnewsorganizationsandlocalbroadcastorganizations.
(e)Asusedinthissection:
(1)“Localbroadcastorganization”meansanorganizationlicensedto
broadcastintheStatebytheFederalCommunicationsCommission.
(2)“Localnewsorganization”meansanorganizationthat:
(A)engagesprofessionalstocreate,edit,produce,anddistribute
originalcontentconcerningmattersofpublicinterestthroughreporting
activities;
(B)employsafull-timeemployeewhodedicatesatleast30hoursa
weektoprovidingcoverageofanareaoftheStatefordisseminationtothe
localorStatecommunityandliveswithin50milesofthecoveragearea;
(C)(i)haspublishedatleastoneprintpublicationpermonthoverthe
previous12monthsandeitherholdsavalidU.S.PostalServiceperiodical
permitordedicatesatleast25percentofitscontenttolocalnews;or BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.244
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(ii)onaverageovertheprevious12months,haspublishedonline
atleastonepieceperweekaboutthelocalorStatecommunityandhasatleast
33percentofitsonlineaudienceinVermont;
(D)hasdisclosedinitsprintpublicationoronitswebsiteits
beneficialownershipor,inthecaseofanonprofitentity,itsboardofdirectors;
(E)inthecaseofanorganizationthatisexemptfromtaxationunder
26 U.S.C.§ 501(c)(3),declaresasitsstatedmissioninitsfilingswiththe
InternalRevenueServicethecoverageoflocalorStatenews;and
(F)overthepreviouscalendaryeardidnotreceivemorethan
50 percentofitsgrossreceiptsfrompoliticalactioncommittees,otherentities
describedin26U.S.C.§ 527,orfromorganizationsexemptfromtaxation
under26 U.S.C.§ 501(c)(4),(c)(5),or(c)(6).
Sec.3.29V.S.A.§ 911isaddedtoread:
§ 911.CONTRACTSFORADVERTISING;REPORTING
Annually,onorbeforeJune30,theCommissionerofBuildingsandGeneral
ServicesshallsubmittotheGeneralAssemblyareportsummarizingany
advertisingservicespurchasedbytheStateanditsagencies,departments,
instrumentalities,orinstitutionsduringtheprecedingfiscalyear,includinga
summaryoftheamountsspentbyentityonadvertisingservicesandwhere
thosefundswerespent.
Sec.4.EFFECTIVEDATE BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.244
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ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.