Note: Legislative Committee Agendas are updated frequently throughout each day. The latest committee schedule can be found on this link. A list of weekly hearings for all committees can be found here.

House Committee Work

Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry – will get an introduction to H.673, an act relating to Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy on Tuesday. They will hear from the Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on Lake Champlain’s future and continue work on H.550, an act relating to expanding eligibility under the local foods grant program.

Appropriations – will continue work on the FY 2025 budget, hearing from the Agency of Agriculture, Natural Resources Board, Vermont Veterans’ Home, Agency of Human Services, Department of Vermont Health Access, Department of Corrections, Department of Mental Health, Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living. Department of Health, Department for Children and Families, Agency of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles, Vermont Commission on Women, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Green Mountain Care Board, Department of Libraries, University of Vermont, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Agency of Natural Resources, and the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Commerce and Economic Development – will continue work on H.666, an act relating to escrow deposit bonds and S.30, an act relating to creating a Sister State Program, possibly voting that bill out of committee on Wednesday. They will hear from the Regional Planning Corporations regarding the Municipal Technical Assistance Program and see a new draft of H.769, an act relating to establishing a baby bond trust program. The committee will devote Thursday and Friday to considering the newest draft of H.121, an act relating to enhancing consumer privacy .

Corrections and Institutions – will devote most of the week to the Governor’s Capital Budget Adjustment. On Friday they will consider H.690, an act relating to establishing community restitution as a sentencing alternative.

Education – will participate in a joint Education Funding hearing with House Ways and Means on Tuesday. There will be a committee discussion regarding bonding capacity on Wednesday and they will consider PCB testing in schools and get the School Construction Report on Thursday. On Friday they will learn about the independent school approval and quality assurance process.

Environment and Energy – will continue work on H.289, an act relating to the Renewable Energy Standard, but will spend much of the week on the Act 250 bill, H.687, an act relating to community resilience and biodiversity protection through land use. On Wednesday they will receive updates on broadband build-out as it relates to H.755, an act relating to mergers and governance of communications union districts.

General and Housing – will continue work on H.751, an act relating to expanding equal pay protections and H.132, an act relating to establishing a homeless bill of rights and prohibiting discrimination against persons without homes. The committee will also consider H.829, an act relating to creating permanent upstream eviction protections and enhancing housing stability. Wednesday morning will be dedicated to H.137, an act relating to expanding the Vermont Housing Improvement Program.

Ways & Means – TBA.

 

Senate Committee Work

Agriculture – will discuss various state food programs, and on Friday they will continue work on PFAS, considering Sections 5 and 6 of S.197.

Appropriations – will spend the week on the Budget Adjustment Act.

Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs – TBA. 

Education – will hold a committee discussion on S.220, an act relating to Vermont’s public libraries, with a number of literacy related discussions following this hearing. Thursday they will discuss S.207, an act relating to revising the funding for and governance of career technical education. On Friday the committee will receive more testimony on S.284, an act relating to the use of electronic devices and digital and online products in schools.

Finance – On Tuesday the committee will discuss the Wealth Tax and S.180, an act relating to the investment of state funds in credit unions. The rest of the week is reserved for committee discussion.

Government Operations – On Tuesday, the committee has slated two hours to review, mark up, take testimony and possibly vote on a yet unreleased bill on the government response to flood recovery, an unusually short turnaround time for such a significant issue. They will do a walk-through of S.96, an act relating to privatization contracts and S.55, an act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically, under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law. They will continue work on S.159, an act relating to the county governance study committee and S.242, an act relating to the maintenance of properties for the health and safety of the public.

Health and Welfare – will continue work on the following bills: S.192, an act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes; S.98, an act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board authority over prescription drug costs; S.197, an act relating to the procurement and distribution of products containing PFAS and monitoring adverse health conditions attributed to PFAS; S.151, an act relating to pay parity and transparency in health care; and S.173, an act relating to the collection, sharing, and selling of consumer health data. They will also hold a hearing regarding the Blueprint Expansion Pilot Update.

Natural Resources and Energy – will hold hearings on the following bills: S.213, an act relating to the regulation for wetlands, river corridor development and dam safety; H.286, an act relating to the regulation of accessory on-farm businesses; and H.599, an act relating to retroactively reinstating 10, VSA 6081. The rest of the week is TBA.