Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

AGENDA

Room 17 and Zoom

February 20, 2024 - February 23, 2024

Last Updated 2/23/2024 11:26 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-health-and-welfare.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

10:00 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to mental health response service protocols

Committee discussion

Heather Simons, Executive Director, Vermont Criminal Justice Council

Nicole DiStasio, Director of Policy, Department of Mental Health

10:30 AM                   S. 302 - An act relating to public health outreach programs regarding dementia risk

Committee discussion

Meg Polyte, Policy Director, Alzheimer's Association, Vermont Chapter

Mary Claire Carroll, Family Member, Alzheimer's Association, Vermont Chapter

Jon Bouton, Family Member, Alzheimer's Association, Vermont Chapter

Christel Tonoki, Student, University of Vermont

Brendan Atwood, Public Health Policy Advisor, Department of Health

Rebecca Silbernagel, Principal Assistant, Department of Disabilities, Aging & Independent Living

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

11:15 AM                   S. 192 - An act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes

Committee discussion and possible vote

Susan Garcia Nofi, Staff Attorney, Vermont Legal Aid Disability Law Project

Stuart Schurr, General Counsel, Department of Disabilities, Aging & Independent Living

Karen Barber, General Counsel, Department of Mental Health

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

9:00 AM                   S. 192 - An act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes

Committee discussion

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

10:00 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to the procurement and distribution of products containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and monitoring adverse health conditions attributed to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Committee discussion

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Catherine Palin, Senior Attorney & Director of Environmental Policy, Alliance for Automotive Innovation

Bill Driscoll, Vice President, Associated Industries of Vermont

Matthew Chapman, Director, Waste Management Protection Division, Agency of Natural Resources

Brendan Atwood, Public Health Policy Advisor, Department of Health

Sarah Owen, State Toxicologist, Vermont Department of Health

Kyla Bennett, Ph.D, Director, Science Policy, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)

11:30 AM                   S. 215 - An act relating to 3SquaresVT

Committee discussion

Joe Edson, 3SquaresVT Recipient, South Barre

George Schenk, Founder & CEO, American Flatbread at Lareau Farm and Forest

Anore Horton, Executive Director, Hunger Free Vermont

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

Thursday, February 22, 2024

9:00 AM                   H. 469 - An act relating to allowing remote witnesses and explainers for a Ulysses clause in an advance directive

Walk-through

Jennifer Carbee, Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Cindy Bruzzese, Executive Director & Clinical Ethicist, Vermont Ethics Network

10:00 AM                   S. 151 - An act relating to pay parity and transparency in health care

Committee discussion

Heather Stein, Associate Medical Director, Community Health Centers of Essex

Sandy Reider, M.D., Citizen, Lyndonville

Alison Despathy, Citizen, Danville

10:30 AM                   S. 192 - An act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes

Committee discussion

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

10:45 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to mental health response service protocols

Committee discussion and possible vote

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

11:30 AM                   S. 192 - An act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes

Lindsey Owen, Executive Director, Disabilities Rights Vermont

11:45 AM                   S. 192 - An act relating to forensic facility admissions criteria and processes

Vote

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

Friday, February 23, 2024

9:00 AM                   S. 187 - An act relating to student application of sunscreen and car seat safety

Committee discussion

Clayton Wetzel, Treasurer, Vermont State School Nurses' Association

Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association

Brendan Atwood, Public Health Policy Advisor, Department of Health

Ilisa Stalberg, Maternal and Child Health Director, Vermont Department of Health

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

10:00 AM                   S. 98 - An act relating to Green Mountain Care Board authority over prescription drug costs

Committee discussion

Jennifer Carbee, Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Susan Barrett, J.D., Executive Director, Green Mountain Care Board

10:45 AM                   Committee  Discussion

Dr. Steven Moore, N.D., Naturopathic Physician, The New England Wellness Group

11:00 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to mental health response service protocols

Committee discussion

Lynn Currier Stanley, Executive Director, Vermont and New Hampshire Chapters, National Association of Social Workers

11:20 AM                   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.

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Kiki Carasi-Schwartz at kcarasi-schwartz@leg.state.vt.us