Senate Committee on Government Operations

AGENDA

Room 4 and Zoom

February 27, 2024 - March 1, 2024

Last Updated 3/1/2024 2:33 PM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-government-operations.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

1:25 PM                   S. 55 - An act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

Testimony

Lauren-Glenn Davitian, Executive Director, CCTV Center for Media and Democracy

Lauren Hibbert, Deputy Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office

Lindsey Owen, Executive Director, Disabilities Rights Vermont

Sue Ceglowski, Executive Director, Vermont School Boards Association

Margaret Cheney, Commissioner, Public Utility Commission

Elizabeth Schilling, Staff Attorney, Vermont Public Utility Commission

F.X. Flinn, Chair, ECFiber

John Flowers, Former President, Vermont Press Association

3:15 PM                   Break

3:30 PM                   S. 55 - An act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

Mark-up

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

4:15 PM                   H. 801 - An act relating to approval of the adoption of the charter of the Town of Waterbury

Introduction, Walk-through, and Testimony

Rep. Michael Morgan, Reporter

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Thomas Leitz, Municipal Manager, Town of Waterbury

4:30 PM                   Adjourn

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

2:35 PM                   H. 801 - An act relating to approval of the adoption of the charter of the Town of Waterbury

Vote

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:40 PM                   S. 55 - An act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

Mark-up

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:15 PM                   J.R.S. 41 - Joint resolution requesting that the U. S. Postal Service reestablish, as rapidly as possible, a full-service U.S. Post Office in downtown Montpelier

Introduction, Walk-through, and Vote

Sen. Anne Watson, Sponsor

Michael Chernick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:20 PM                   S. 206 - An act relating to designating Juneteenth as a legal holiday

Walk-through

Michael Chernick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:30 PM                   H. 518 - An act relating to the approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Essex

Testimony

Greg Duggan, Town Manager, Essex

Alexis Dubief, Member, Essex Town Charter Change Committee

4:00 PM                   S. 206 - An act relating to designating Juneteenth as a legal holiday

Introduction

Sen. Irene Wrenner, Sponsor

4:05 PM                   Break

4:20 PM                   S. 55 - An act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

4:30 PM                   Break

4:35 PM                   S. 55 - An act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

Vote

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

4:50 PM                   Adjourn

Thursday, February 29, 2024

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

1:50 PM                   S. 310 - An act relating to natural disaster government response, recovery, and resiliency

Walk-through of New Draft

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Eric Forand, Director, Vermont Emergency Management and Homeland Security

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:25 PM                   Break

3:45 PM                   S. 159 - An act relating to the County Governance Study Committee

Walk-through of New Draft and Testimony

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Judge Judge Thomas Zonay, Chief Superior Judge, Vermont Judiciary

4:20 PM                   Adjourn

Friday, March 1, 2024

10:30 AM                   Joint Assembly

Election of Sergeant at Arms

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

1:00 PM                   H. 518 - An act relating to the approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Essex

Mark-up and Vote

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

-                                   S. 310 - An act relating to natural disaster government response, recovery, and resiliency

Testimony and Committee Discussion

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:05 PM                   Break

2:30 PM                   S. 206 - An act relating to designating Juneteenth as a legal holiday

Testimony, Possible Mark-up and Vote

Xusana Davis, Executive Director, Office of Racial Equity

Shawn Pratt, NAACP - Rutland

Beverly Everest, Concerned Citizen

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

 Olivia Parker at oparker@leg.state.vt.us