BILL AS INTRODUCED S.138
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VT LEG #381838 v.1
S.138 1
Introduced by Senator Chittenden 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Municipal and county government; energy; renewable energy; 5
property-assessed clean energy 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to allow 7
commercial and industrial buildings to qualify for property-assessed clean 8
energy projects. 9
An act relating to commercial property-assessed clean energy projects 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 24 V.S.A. chapter 87, subchapter 2 is amended to read: 12
Subchapter 2. Property-Assessed Clean Energy 13
§ 3261. PROPERTY-ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY DISTRICTS; 14
APPROVAL OF VOTERS 15
(a)(1) In this subchapter, “district” means a property-assessed clean energy 16
district. 17
(2) The legislative body of a town, city, or incorporated village may 18
submit to the voters of the municipality the question of whether to designate 19
the municipality as a property-assessed clean energy district. In a district, only 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.138
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those property owners who have entered into written agreements with the 1
municipality under section 3262 of this title would be subject to a special 2
assessment, as set forth in section 3255 of this title. 3
(b) Upon a vote of approval by a majority of the qualified voters of the 4
municipality voting at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that 5
purpose, the municipality may incur indebtedness for or otherwise finance 6
projects relating to renewable energy, as defined in 30 V.S.A. § 8002(17), or to 7
eligible projects relating to energy efficiency as defined by section 3267 of this 8
title, undertaken by owners of dwellings, as defined in Section 103(v) of the 9
federal Truth in Lending Act, or by owners of commercial or industrial 10
buildings within the boundaries of the town, city, or incorporated village. 11
(c) As used in this chapter, “commercial or industrial building” means any 12
building other than a residential dwelling. 13
§ 3262. WRITTEN AGREEMEN TS; CONSENT OF PROPERTY OWNERS; 14
ENERGY SAVINGS ANALYSIS 15
(a) Upon an affirmative vote made pursuant to section 3261 of this title and 16
the performance of an energy savings analysis pursuant to subsection (b) of 17
this section, an owner of a dwelling, as defined in Section 103(v) of the federal 18
Truth in Lending Act, or an owner of a commercial or industrial building, 19
within the boundaries of a district may enter into a written agreement with the 20
municipality that shall constitute the owner’s consent to be subject to a special 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.138
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assessment, as set forth in section 3255 of this title. Entry into such an 1
agreement may occur only after January 1, 2012. A participating municipality 2
shall follow underwriting criteria established by the Department of Financial 3
Regulation, and shall establish other qualifying criteria to provide an adequate 4
level of assurance that property owners will have the ability to meet 5
assessment payment obligations. A participating municipality shall refuse to 6
enter into a written agreement with a property owner who fails to meet the 7
underwriting or other qualifying criteria. 8
* * * 9
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 10
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 11