The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 16 : Education

Chapter 001 : ADMINISTRATION GENERALLY

Subchapter 002A : ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE EDUCATION

• §§ 51-55. Repealed. 1977, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. March 3, 1978.

• § 51. Universal Afterschool and Summer Special Fund

  (a) The Universal Afterschool and Summer Special Fund is created, to be managed by the Agency of Education. The cannabis sales tax revenue shall be deposited into the Universal Afterschool and Summer Special Fund. The Fund shall be used as follows:

  (1) To establish a grant program that supports the expansion of universal afterschool and summer programs with a focus on underserved areas of the State.

  (2) Cannabis sales tax revenue shall be used to support a mixed delivery system for afterschool and summer programming. Eligible recipients can be public, private, or nonprofit organizations.

  (A) Grants may be used for technical assistance, program implementation, program expansion, program sustainability, and related costs.

  (B) Funds may be used to directly target communities with low existing capacity to serve youth in afterschool and summer settings.

  (C) The award of grants and any subsequent contract or written agreement issued pursuant to the award of a grant shall require that a grantee does not discriminate, and prohibits its employees, agents, subcontractors, and other service providers from discriminating, on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

  (D) The Agency may use up to $500,000.00 annually for administrative costs to allow for the support of the grant program and technical assistance to communities. This could include subcontracts to support the grant program.

  (b) An advisory committee is created to support the Secretary in administering the funds. The Agency shall provide administrative and technical support to the advisory committee. The advisory committee shall be composed of:

  (1) the State’s Chief Prevention Officer;

  (2) the Commissioner for Children and Families or designee;

  (3) the Commissioner of Health or designee;

  (4) the Commissioner of Mental Health or designee;

  (5) the Secretary of Natural Resources or designee;

  (6) the Secretary of Commerce and Community Development or designee;

  (7) the Vermont Afterschool Executive Director or designee; and

  (8) a representative from the Governor’s office.

  (c) Notwithstanding 2 V.S.A. § 20(d), annually on or before November 15, the Agency shall submit to the General Assembly a plan to fund grants pursuant to subsection (a) of this section in the coming year and a report containing outcomes data on the grants made during the previous year. The Agency shall report on the number of programs, slots, weeks, or hours; geographic distribution of programs receiving a grant; and what is known about costs to families participating in programs receiving a grant. The report shall be inclusive of 21st Century programming.

  (d) The amount of grant funds awarded shall be in alignment with the actual revenue collected from the sales and use tax imposed by 32 V.S.A. chapter 233 on cannabis or cannabis products in this State. Discrepancies between the amount of grant funds awarded and actual revenue shall be reconciled through the budget adjustment process. (Added 2023, No. 87 (Adj. Sess.), § 97, eff. March 13, 2024.)