House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

AGENDA

Room 35

February 11, 2020 - February 14, 2020

Last Updated 2/14/2020 3:19 PM

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

9:00 AM                   H. 705 - An act relating to promoting tourism and marketing

David Hall, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council

Heather Pelham, Commissioner, Department of Tourism and Marketing, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

10:00 AM                   FLOOR

15 Min after Floor                   Caucuses

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   H. 705 - An act relating to promoting tourism and marketing

Mark-up.

Possible Vote.

David Hall, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council

2:00 PM                   Community and Housing Investment

Committee Discussion on H.782, Sections 8-13. Amendments to Downtown and Village Center Tax Credits and Sec. 15. Creation of Better Places Crowd Grants.

Chris Cochran, Director of Community Planning & Revitalization, Housing and Community Development

Liz Gamache, Interim President, Preservation Trust of Vermont

Karen Horn, Director, Public Policy & Advocacy, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Richard Amore, Planning & Outreach Manager, Community Planning + Revitalization, Housing and Community Development, Department of  Housing & Community Development

Katherine Sims, Director, Northeast Kingdom Collaborative

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

9:00 AM                   H. 641 - An act relating to promoting technology-based economic development

Committee Discussion.

Joan Goldstein, Commissioner, Department of Economic Development, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Ryan McDevitt, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Space Systems, Inc.

10:20 AM                   Break

10:50 AM                   H. 641 - An act relating to promoting technology-based economic development

Committee Discussion.

Christopher Gagne, President and Brewmaster, Hermit Thrush Brewery

Bob Flint, Executive Director, Springfield Regional Development Corporation

11:40 AM                   H. 640 - An act relating to requiring disclosure of information for VEGI incentives

Rep. Janet Ancel, Chairperson, House Committee on Ways and Means

Graham Campbell, Fiscal Analyst, Tax and Revenue, Joint Fiscal Office

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   FLOOR

10 Min after Floor                   Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Beth Pearce, State Treasurer, Office of the State Treasurer

Scott Giles, President, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Tom Little, Vice President, General Counsel, and Assistant Secretary, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Mike Stuart, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Assistant Secretary, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Thursday, February 13, 2020

9:00 AM                   Workforce Development

Committee Discussion regarding H.703, H.704, and H.707

Heather Bouchey, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary, Agency of Education

Hugh Bradshaw, Assistant Director, Workforce Development Division, Department of Labor

David Hall, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council

Sarah Buxton, Director, State Workforce Development, Department of Labor

10:39 AM                   Break

11:05 AM                   Workforce Development

H. 703 - An act relating to creating a workforce development provider portal

Continued Committee Discussion.

Rep. William Canfield, Fair Haven

Michele Kupersmith, Former State Legislator and Program and Outreach Coordinator, Vermont Employee Ownership Center

Don Jamison, Co-Executive Director, Vermont Employee Ownership Center

Matt Cropp, Co-Executive Director, Vermont Employee Ownership Center

Tom Cheney, Director, Advance Vermont

Andrew Brewer, Former Owner, Onion River Sports

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   FLOOR

10 Min after Floor                   Workforce Development

Committee Discussion.

Tom Cheney, Director, Advance Vermont

Friday, February 14, 2020

9:00 AM                   Review of Reports

Rep. Charles Kimbell, House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

9:30 AM                   FLOOR

10 Min after Floor                   Early Childhood Care, Education and Workforce

Aly Richards, Chief Executive Officer, Let's Grow Kids

Michael Seaver, Vermont President, People's United Bank

Lisa Ventriss, President, Vermont Business Roundtable

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   Early Childhood Care, Education and Workforce

Committee Discussion Continued.

Sonja Raymond, Executive Director, Vermont Association for the Education for Young Children

Bob Haynes, Executive  Director, Green Mountain Economic Development

Michelle Faust, M.S., Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, Inc.

Trey Martin, Lobbyist, Let's Grow Kids

ATTENTION WITNESSES- Please email handouts to the committee assistant before your scheduled meeting date and bring 2 hard copies. Please write your name, organization, date and title on each document. With few exceptions, any documents you hand out to a committee, or send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s webpage.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Amy Todisco at 802-828-2255 or atodisco@leg.state.vt.us