House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

AGENDA

Via Zoom

January 26, 2021 - January 29, 2021

Last Updated 1/29/2021 10:58 AM

Meetings are livestreamed here unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

9:00 AM                   Secretary of State

Overview, introductions to new members, and legislative priorities.

Hon. James Condos, Secretary of State

Chris Winters, Deputy Secretary, Secretary of State's Office

10:00 AM                   House  Floor

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   Governor's FY2022 Budget Address

Joint Assembly.

3:00 PM                   Technology & Contracting Businesses in Vermont

Overview, introductions to new committee members, and legislative priorities.

Jeff Couture, Executive Director, Vermont Technology Alliance

Matt Musgrave, Government Affairs Director, Associated General Contractors of Vermont

4:00 PM                   Adjourn

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

9:00 AM                   Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies

Overview, introductions and legislative priorities.

David Bradbury, President, Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies

Sam Roach-Gerber, Director of Innovation, Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies

9:30 AM                   Vermont Grocers Association

Overview, introductions, and legislative priorities.

Erin Sigrist, President, Vermont Retail & Grocers Association

10:00 AM                   Agency of Agriculture's Working Lands Presentation for the Legislature

Joint Committee meeting with House Agriculture and Forestry and Senate Agriculture Committees.

Available to view on YouTube here.

Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Lynn Ellen Schimoler, Program Manager, Working Lands Enterprise Initiative

Eric DeLuca, Vice Chair, Working Lands Enterprise Board

Michael Snyder, Commissioner, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

Ted Brady, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Ela Chapin, Farm and Forest Viability Program Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Sarah Isham, Director of Agricultural Lending, Vermont Economic Development Authority

Judith Irving, Owner, Fat Toad Farm

Gabrielle Tuite, Owner, Old Road Farm

Riva Reynolds, Owner, Stannard Farm

Ben Notterman, Owner, Snug Valley Farm

Ken Gagnon, Owner, Gagnon Lumber

Adam Hausmann, Owner, Adam's Berry Farm

11:30 AM                   Lunch

1:15 PM                   House Floor

2:30 PM                   Captive Insurance Legislative Day

Seminar.

3:30 PM                   Adjourn

Thursday, January 28, 2021

9:00 AM                   Microbusiness in Vermont

Overview, introductions to new committee members, and legislative priorities.

Karen Lafayette, Lobbyist, Vermont Low Income Advocacy Council

Sue Minter, Executive Director, Capstone Community Action

Tyler Jokinen, Micro-business Counselor, Bennington-Rutland Community Action

10:00 AM                   Workforce Development and Child Care

Overview, introductions, and legislative priorities for Let's Grow Kids.

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

Jen Horowitz, Policy and Research Director, Let's Grow Kids

11:37 AM                   Lunch

1:15 PM                   House Floor

10 mins. after the House Floor                   Everyone Eats

Gary Holloway, Downtown Program Manager - Community Planning & Revitalization, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Jean Hamilton, Vermont Everyone Eats Program Manager, SEVCA, ShiftMeals and The Skinny Pancake

Kevin Brennan, COVID Projects Manager, Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA)

Stephanie Bonin, Executive  Director, Downtown Brattleboro Alliance

Cory Bratton, Owner, A Vermont Table, Brattleboro

Sky Bohannon, Executive Chef, Vermont Pie and Pasta Company, Derby

Tamara Musto, Mamma Tamara Cucina Italiana

3:00 PM                   Hazard Pay

Committee discussion.

Wendy Trafton, Deputy Director of Health Care Reform, Agency of Human Services

Jill Rickard, Director of Policy, Department of Financial Regulation

4:00 PM                   Adjourn

Friday, January 29, 2021

9:00 AM                   Updates

Updates from our committee members and interns.

William Heath, Intern to House Commerce & Economic Development Committee, University of Vermont

Michael Harrity , Intern to House Commerce & Economic Development Committee, University of Vermont

9:30 AM                   House Floor

10 mins. after the House Floor                   H. 29 - An act relating to notifying prospective employees of ineligibility for unemployment insurance benefits

Rep. R. Scott Campbell, Sponsor

Damien Leonard, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Tara Holt, Constituent of Representative Campbell

Cameron Wood, Director, Unemployment Insurance Division, Department of Labor

Dirk Anderson, General Counsel, Department of Labor

11:00 AM                   Vermont Auto Dealers Association

Marilyn Miller, Executive Director, Vermont Vehicle and Automotive Distributors Association

Bob Cody, Owner, Cody Chevrolet & President of Vermont Vehicle and Automotive Distributors Association

Clare Buckley, Lobbyist, Vermont Vehicle and Automotive Distributors Association

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   Unemployment Insurance

Joint Committee Meeting with House Government Operations. Discussion regarding previous and current unemployment insurance issues, and how to make things better.

Cameron Wood, Director, Unemployment Insurance Division, Department of Labor

Michael Harrington, Commissioner, Department of Labor

3:00 PM                   Adjourn

ATTENTION WITNESSES

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Amy Todisco at atodisco@leg.state.vt.us