Senate Committee on Finance

AGENDA

Room 6 and Zoom

April 16, 2024 - April 19, 2024

Last Updated 4/19/2024 4:12 PM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-finance.

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

1:30 PM                   H. 659 - An act relating to captive insurance

Walk-through

Maria Royle, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

1:45 PM                   H. 659 - An act relating to captive insurance

David Lipka, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, CoinFlip

Mark Smalley, Chief Compliance Officer, Bitcoin Depot

Aaron Ferenc, Deputy Commissioner of Banking, Department of Financial Regulation

2:45 PM                   H. 657 - An act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communications taxes and fees

Doug Hoffer, State Auditor, State Auditor's Office

Rep. Katherine Sims, Reporter

Mimi Burnstein, Assessor/Lister, Randolph Lister's Office

Scott Brooks, Director of State Government Affairs, Consolidated Communications

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

1:30 PM                   H. 657 - An act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communications taxes and fees

Jill Remick, Director of Property Valuation and Review, Department of Taxes

1:45 PM                   Tax Credit Discussion

Julie Lowell, Policy Analyst, Public Assets Institute

2:00 PM                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, and provider contracts

Walk-through

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

2:30 PM                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, and provider contracts

Rep. Alyssa Black, Reporter

Nancy Hogue, PharmD, Pharmacy Director, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

Andrew Garland, Vice President Client Relations and External Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

Christine Cooney, State Government Affairs, Cigna Health Care

Anthony Cali, VP of Provider Contracting, Cigna Health Care

Dr. Tiffany Pierce, Market Medical Executive, Cigna Health Care

Jordan Estey, Senior Director, Government Affairs, MVP Health Care

-                                   H. 659 - An act relating to captive insurance

Discussion of proposed floor amendment

Thursday, April 18, 2024

2:00 PM                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, and provider contracts

Fay Homan, M.D., Member, Green Mountain Care Board’s Primary Care Advisory Group

Kyle Munson, Chief Financial Officer, Community Health Centers of Burlington

Erika Brown, Director of Patient Accounts, Community Health Centers of Burlington

Rick Dooley, PA-C, Physician Assistant, Thomas Chittenden Health Center

3:00 PM                   H. 657 - An act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communications taxes and fees

Kim Gates, Controller, Franklin Telephone and Independent Telephone Companies

Stephen Whittaker, Self Advocate, Montpelier

Sen. Irene Wrenner, Amendment Sponsor

4:00 PM                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, and provider contracts

Kelly Lange, Network Vice President, UVM Health Network Managed Care Contracting

Alex McCracken, Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs, Department of Vermont Health Access

-                                   H. 766 - An act relating to prior authorization and step therapy requirements, health insurance claims, and provider contracts

Discussion and markup

Friday, April 19, 2024

1:00 PM                   H. 546 - An act relating to administrative and policy changes to tax laws

Walk-through of changes

Chris Rupe, Associate Fiscal Officer, Joint Fiscal Office

1:30 PM                   H. 657 - An act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communications taxes and fees

Robert Fish, Deputy Director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board, Department of Public Service

Jill Remick, Director of Property Valuation and Review, Department of Taxes

2:15 PM                   Income Tax Structure

Manish Bhatt, Senior Policy Analyst, Tax Foundation

2:30 PM                   H. 847 - An act relating to peer support provider and recovery support specialist certification

Walk-through

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:45 PM                   H. 657 - An act relating to the modernization of Vermont’s communications taxes and fees

Discussion and markup

Maria Royle, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:15 PM                   H. 72 - An act relating to a harm-reduction criminal justice response to drug use

Walk-through and possible vote

Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

3:45 PM                   H. 687 - An act relating to community resilience and biodiversity protection through land use

Walk-through

Kirby Keeton, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Patrick Titterton, Senior Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Ted Barnett, Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Craig Bolio, Commissioner, Department of Taxes

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

 Zane Buckminster at zbuckminster@leg.state.vt.us