Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Senate Committee on Finance - Testimony of H.657 Modernize Vermont’s Communications Taxes and Fees

Description

Testimony of H.657 a bill meant to modernize Vermont's communications taxes and fees at the Senate Committee on Finance.

On Tuesday, Senate Finance discussed and took testimony on H.657, the Telecommunications Modernization bill. First they walked through a new version of the bill with Legislative Counsel Maria Royle. Senate Finance has amended the bill so that it essentially now does not include fees on communications property or on the use of the State’s right-of-ways, but instead, commissions studies and inventories on those issues. Rob White from the Agency of Transportation testified and noted his appreciation for this move, as an inventory of the poles in the right of way is a significant undertaking. Following all of this discussion, David Healy, a retired GIS consultant who works with the CUDs, and in his past was instrumental in establishing the State’s GIS agency office, testified that the State already had access to most if not all of this data. The Cmte then decided to ask the State’s GIS office to come in to testify about this.

H.657 draft 2.1 (as amended by Senate Finance in draft) :
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/Senate%20Finance/Bills/H.657/Drafts,%20Amendments,%20Other%20Legal%20Documents/H.657~Maria%20Royle~%20Draft%201.2,%204-23-2024~4-23-2024.pdf