Vermont Legislative Committee Weekly Preview

May 6–10, 2024

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 consider H.81, an act relating to fair repair of agricultural equipment. They will discuss H.614, an act relating to land improvement and timber trespass. The committee will receive updates on cannabis on Wednesday, and the avian flu and cattle on Thursday.

 Appropriations – will be holding their conference committee on the budget at 9:00 on Monday with the rest of the week ‘s schedule TBA.

 Commerce and Economic Development – TBA.

 Corrections and Institutions – will spend the week on the House Floor.

 Education – will receive a walkthrough of the Senate changes to H.871, an act relating to a state aid program for school construction. They will discuss pre-k and childcare on Wednesday, and continue to learn about the history of the State Board of Education, hearing next from a teacher at St. Johnsbury Academy who is a former State Board of Education member.

 Environment and Energy – will consider the Ways and Means amendment to S.305, an act relating to miscellaneous changes related to the Public Utility Commission on Monday. They will also receive a walkthrough of the Housing/Act 250 bill H.687 as it passed out of the Senate. The committee will spend their remaining time discussing an Act 59 leadership summary.

 General and Housing – TBA.

 Government Operations and Military Affairs – will continue work on the following bills: H.888, an act relating to the approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Hartford; H.794, an act relating to services provided by the Vermont Veterans’ Home; S.96, an act relating to privatization contracts; and H.644, an act relating to access to records by individuals who were in foster care.

 Health Care – will review the Senate proposal of amendment for H.846, an act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification on Monday. They will also hold a joint meeting with House Human Services Committee to review a House Judiciary amendment on S.192, an act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes. This joint meeting will also include a review of Rep. Donohue’s amendments to the same bill. The remaining week's schedule is TBA.

 Human Services – will review the Senate’s amendment to H.72, an act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use on Monday. They will also review Rep. Garofano’s amendment to S.114, an act relating to the establishment of the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group. The committee will continue work on Monday to review the Senate’s amendment to H.661, an act relating to child abuse and neglect investigation and substantiation standards and procedures. The remaining week’s schedule is TBA.

 Judiciary – will work on the following bills: H.878, an act relating to miscellaneous judiciary procedures; S.285, an act relating to law enforcement interrogations policies; and S.583, an act relating to the Donor Intent Protection Act.

 Transportation – TBA.

 Ways & Means – TBA.

 Senate Committee Work

 Agriculture – will review further proposal of amendments to S.301, an act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects on Tuesday, with the remaining week’s schedule TBA.

 Appropriations –  will possibly vote on Monday on H.630, an act relating to boards of cooperative education services, and H.657, an act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communication taxes and fees. The remaining week’s schedule is TBA.

 Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs – TBA. 

 Education – TBA.

 Finance – TBA.

 Government Operations – TBA.

 Health and Welfare – TBA.

 Institutions – TBA.

 Judiciary – TBA.

 Natural Resources and Energy – will possibly vote on H.877, an act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects on Tuesday. The remaining week’s schedule is TBA.

 Transportation – TBA.