BILL AS INTRODUCED S.99
2025 Page 1 of 2
VT LEG #381199 v.1
S.99 1
Introduced by Senators Douglass and Beck 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Human services; public assistance; benefits cliff 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require the 6
Agency of Human Services to submit a report analyzing and proposing 7
recommendations to reduce benefit cliffs within Vermont’s public assistance 8
benefits’ structure. 9
An act relating to analyzing benefits cliffs within Vermont’s public 10
assistance benefits’ structure 11
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
Sec. 1. REPORT; BENEFITS CLIFFS 13
On or before November 1, 2025, the Agency of Human Services shall 14
submit a report to the House Committees on Appropriations and on Human 15
Services and to the Senate Committees on Appropriations and on Health and 16
Welfare containing the following: 17
(1) an inventory of public assistance benefits and programs provided by 18
or through the Agency of Human Services, including the name, eligibility 19
requirements, and funding source of each benefit or program; 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.99
2025 Page 2 of 2
VT LEG #381199 v.1
(2) an analysis of the after-tax earnings and public resources available to 1
Vermonters of a specific household configuration at different levels of gross 2
earnings for the purpose of identifying earnings ranges where an increase in 3
gross earnings results in a decrease in net resources; and 4
(3) policy opportunities and recommendations to reduce or eliminate 5
earnings ranges where an increase in gross earnings results in a decrease in net 6
resources as a means of advancing the economic mobility of households 7
receiving public assistance benefits or participating in public assistance 8
programs. 9
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 10
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 11