VT LEG #381768 v.1
S.56 – An act relating to creating an Office of New
Americans
As recommended by the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Draft 3.1
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Bill Summary
his bill proposes to create an Office of New Americans Study
Committee to make recommendations for creating an
independent Office of New Americans.
Fiscal Impact
Members of the Committee would be entitled to per diem
compensation and expense reimbursement for not more than 10
meetings, resulting in an estimated cost of $6,200 to the Agency of
Human Services (AHS).
Background and Details
Office of New Americans Study Committee
The bill would create an Office of New Americans Study Committee to make recommendations for creating
an independent Office of New Americans. The Committee would be comprised of eight members:
• The Director of the Vermont Refugee Office, who shall be Chair;
• One member appointed by the Commissioner of Labor;
• One member appointed by the Executive Director of the Office of Racial Equity; and
• Five members appointed by the Governor, one who must be a New American with lived experience,
who shall include:
o One member nominated by the Association of Africans Living in Vermont;
o One member nominated by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants;
o One member nominated by the Vermont Afghan Alliance;
o One member nominated by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation; and
o One member nominated by Migrant Justice.
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The Joint Fiscal Office (JFO) is a nonpartisan legislative office dedicated to producing unbiased fiscal analysis – this fiscal note is
meant to provide information for legislative consideration, not to provide policy recommendations.
T
The proposed committee
would cost approximately
$6,200 in per diem and
expense reimbursements to
the Agency of Human
Services across fiscal
years 2026 and 2027.
March 18, 2025 Chris Rupe, Associate Fiscal Officer S.56 – An act relating to creating an Office of New Americans
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VT LEG #381768 v.1
The Committee would be charged with studying and submitting a written report to legislative committees
concerning recommendations for creating an independent Office of New Americans. The Committee would
have the administrative, technical, and legal assistance of AHS. The first meeting of the Committee would
be required to be called on or before September 1, 2025, and the report would be required to be submitted
on or before September 1, 2026. The Committee would cease to exist on the earlier of September 1, 2026
or the date that the Committee submits its written report.
Fiscal Impact
Members of the Committee would be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses
as permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than 10 meetings. These payments would be made from
monies appropriated to AHS. These costs would average approximately $124 per member per meeting. If
five members are eligible for reimbursement for 10 meetings, the total cost would be approximately $6,200.
This cost may be due in both fiscal years 2026 and 2027 depending on the timeframe of the Committee’s
work.
For attendance at meetings when the General Assembly is not in session, a legislative member of the
Committee would be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses for not more than
10 meetings. These payments would be made from monies appropriated to the General Assembly. The bill,
as recommended by the Senate Committee on Government Operations, proposes no legislative members
but there is a possibility that a legislative member could be appointed if they fit the membership criteria set
forth in the bill. If a legislator is appointed to the Committee, the cost would be approximately $250 per
legislator per meeting.
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The full fiscal note history is available on the fiscal tab of the bill page on the General Assembly website and can be pulled up
through a bill number search on the JFO page.