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H 902

An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of Barre

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Michael Boutin and 1 co-sponsor

H.902 requires Vermont lawmakers to approve Barre’s charter amendments before they take effect, establishing state-level oversight of changes to Barre’s charter.

House message: Governor approved bill on June 8, 2026
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Bill Summary · H 902

Summary of H.902 (2025-2026) – Vermont: An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of Barre

1) Purpose and Intent

  • The bill provides state-level approval for amendments to the City of Barre’s charter.
  • It is a procedural mechanism ensuring that proposed changes to Barre’s municipal charter receive formal legislative authorization before taking effect.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

  • The core act: H.902 authorizes the Vermont General Assembly to approve amendments proposed to Barre’s city charter.
  • Scope: Applies specifically to amendments adopted by the City of Barre that would alter the city’s charter framework. The bill does not itself amend the charter; it creates or governs the process by which the Assembly reviews and approves such amendments.
  • Process for approval: While the bill text isn’t included here, the legislative history indicates:
    • Introduction and sponsor information: Rep. Michael Boutin (and Rep. Teddy Waszazak as co-sponsor).
    • Committee reviews by the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs (with testimony from Barre’s City Manager, Nicolas Storellicastro).
    • Subsequent consideration by the House Committee on Ways and Means (likely to assess fiscal impact and any budgetary implications).
    • Timeline steps: First reading February 17, 2026; multiple committee hearings in March and April 2026; final action culminating in favorable votes and third reading as of April 29, 2026.
  • Legislative action pathway: The bill follows a typical process where committees study the amendment, may hold hearings, and then the full House acts with potential favorable report before moving to the Senate (not specified in the provided materials but implied by standard procedure).

3) Who/What Is Affected

  • City of Barre:
    • The municipal charters amendment process and any changes to the charter would be subject to state approval under H.902.
    • Barre’s City Manager, Nicolas Storellicastro, appeared as a witness indicating administrative involvement and impact at the city level.
  • Vermont General Assembly:
    • Responsible for reviewing, approving, or not approving Barre’s charter amendments.
  • Fiscal Implications:
    • The involvement of the House Committee on Ways and Means (and a Senior Fiscal Analyst from the Joint Fiscal Office) suggests a review of any fiscal or budgetary impact resulting from the charter amendments (e.g., changes in governance structure, budgeting authority, or service delivery).

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Key dates:
    • February 17, 2026: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs.
    • March 18, 2026; April 16–17, 2026: Committee hearings and witness testimony.
    • April 24, 2026: Committee discussion, vote in Government Operations committee.
    • April 28–29, 2026: Action by other committees and final favorable vote by the House (Action Calendar: Favorable; Notice Calendar: Favorable).
  • Current status (as of last action): Third Reading ordered (April 29, 2026) with a favorable action calendar in place, indicating imminent floor consideration or passage in the House at that time.
  • Next steps (not specified in provided text but typical): If approved by the House, the bill would move to the Senate for consideration, with possible conference or final passage and potential signature into law by the governor.

5) Additional Context

  • Sponsors: Rep. Michael Boutin and Rep. Teddy Waszazak (co-sponsors).
  • Supporting documents indicate collaboration between the House Government Operations and Military Affairs Committee and the Ways and Means Committee, reflecting both governance and fiscal scrutiny.
  • The bill is narrowly focused on the procedure for approval of Barre’s charter amendments rather than on substantive policy changes within the charter itself.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to emphasize potential fiscal impacts, governance changes, or provide a plain-language primer for Barre residents based on the specific charter amendment proposals under consideration.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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