House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

AGENDA

Room 10 and Zoom

April 23, 2024 - April 26, 2024

Last Updated 4/30/2024 10:32 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-government-operations-and-military-affairs.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

9:05 AM                   S. 310 - An act relating to natural disaster government response, recovery, and resiliency

Mark-up and vote

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Sen. Ruth Hardy, Reporter

Doug Farnham, Chief Recovery Officer, Agency of Administration

9:45 AM                   H. 885 - An act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the Town of Berlin

Vote

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

9:50 AM                   Homestead property tax yields, nonhomestead rates, and policy changes to education finance and taxation

Review of Beck Amendment to H.887

Rep. Scott Beck, Sponsor

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

10:10 AM                   House Floor

-                                   Caucuses and Lunch

1:00 PM                   House Floor

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

9:00 AM                   S. 220 - An act relating to Vermont’s public libraries

Walk-through and testimony

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Catherine Delneo, State Librarian, Vermont Department of Libraries

Oceana Wilson, President, Vermont Library Association

Mary Danko, Vice President, Vermont Library Association

10:28 AM                   S. 183 - An act relating to reenvisioning the Agency of Human Services

Testimony and review of work done by House Human Services

Rep. James Gregoire, Reporter, House Committee On Human Services

Shayla Livingston, Policy Director, Agency of Human Services

Steve Howard, Executive Director, Vermont State Employees Association

11:00 AM                   Break

11:11 AM                   H. 886 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of South Burlington

Introduction, walk-through, testimony

Rep. Kate Nugent, Sponsor

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Anne LaLonde, Member, Charter Committee, South Burlington

Elizabeth Fitzgerald, City Councilor, Former Member of Charter Committee, Former School Board Member, South Burlington

11:40 AM                   Civil Air Patrol

Lt. Col. Scott Lowe, Vermont Wing Director of Aerospace Education, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary

Kale Bushee, Cadet Captain, Bennington Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary

Tori McNamara, Cadet Chief Master Sargent, Springfield Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   House Floor

Thursday, April 25, 2024

9:10 AM                   H. 886 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the City of South Burlington

Vote

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

-                                   H. 503 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of St. Johnsbury

Mark-up and vote

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

9:45 AM                   S. 96 - An act relating to privatization contracts

Testimony

Sarah Clark, Deputy Secretary of Administration, Agency of Administration

Harold Schwartz, Director of Operations, Department of Human Resources

John Berard, Director, Labor Relations, Department of Human Resources

Steve Howard, Executive Director, Vermont State Employees Association

Leona Watt, Chair, Legislative Committee, Vermont State Employees Association

11:00 AM                   Break

11:23 AM                   H.R. 18 - House resolution calling on Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore to resign from office

Discussion and vote

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

12:00 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   House Floor

15 min after Floor                   An act relating to changes to property tax abatement and tax sales

Review H.629 Senate Proposal of Amendment

Kirby Keeton, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

-                                   Break

2:57 PM                   H. 503 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of St. Johnsbury

Committee discussion

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:10 PM                   Adjourn

Friday, April 26, 2024

9:30 AM                   House Floor

15 min after Floor                   S. 159 - An act relating to the County and Regional Governance Study Committee

Introduction and walk-through

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

-                                   H. 503 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of St. Johnsbury

Review new draft and possible vote

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

12:17 PM                   Lunch

1:00 PM                   S. 55 - An act relating to authorizing public bodies to meet electronically under Vermont’s Open Meeting Law

Testimony

Kate Larose, Pandemic Equity Coordinator, Vermont Center for Independent Living

1:27 PM                   H. 503 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of St. Johnsbury

Committee discussion

1:37 PM                   Break

1:45 PM                   H. 889 - An act relating to compensation for certain State employees (Pay Act)

Introduction, walk-through and testimony

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

Catherine Benham, Chief Fiscal Officer, Joint Fiscal Office

Teri Corsones, Court Administrator, Vermont Judiciary

Gregg Mousley, Chief of Finance and Administration, Vermont Judiciary

Steve Howard, Executive Director, Vermont State Employees Association

Annie Noonan, Labor Relations and Operations Manager, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

-                                   H. 503 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of St. Johnsbury

Possible Vote

2:45 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.

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If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Andrea Hussey at ahussey@leg.state.vt.us