Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

 

AGENDA

 

Room 17 and Zoom

January 13, 2026 - January 16, 2026

Last Updated 1/16/2026 10:40 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

9:00 AM                   Committee Discussion

Bill Priorities This Session

 

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

Followed by Mandatory Training

 

11:00 AM                   Committee Discussion

Bill Priorities this Session Contd.

 

11:40 AM                   Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Devon Green, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy, Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems

Shawn Tester, CEO, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

 

11:50 AM                   Farm to School Awareness Day

Dana Hudson, Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Network, Shelburne Farms

Dr. Rick Hildebrant, MD, Commissioner, Department of Health

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

9:00 AM                   State Transformation Updates

Sarah Rosenblum, Deputy Director for the Health Care Reform, Agency of Human Services

Katelyn Carrell, Care Transformation Director, Office of Health Care Reform

Jill Mazza Olson, Medicaid and Health Systems Director, Agency of Human Services

 

10:00 AM                   Rural Health Transformation Grant

Overview

Jill Mazza Olson, Medicaid and Health Systems Director, Agency of Human Services

Sarah Rosenblum, Deputy Director for the Health Care Reform, Agency of Human Services

Sandy McGuire, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Howard Center

Simone Rueschemeyer, Executive  Director, Vermont Care Partners

Mary Kate Mohlman, Director of Public Policy, Bi-State Primary Care Association

Jeffrey McKee, Psy.D., CEO, Community Health Centers of Burlington

 

11:00 AM                   Overview and Discussion

2025 Acts Overview

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, January 15, 2026

9:00 AM                   Provider Tax and FMAP

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

9:45 AM                   S. 190 - An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and hospital outsourcing of clinical care

Introduction

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:00 AM                   S. 163 - An act relating to the role of advanced practice registered nurses in hospital care

Introduction

Sen. Rebecca "Becca" White, Sponsor

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:15 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Introduction

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:40 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to an approval process for reducing or eliminating hospital services

Introduction

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:45 AM                   S. 188 - An act relating to hospital governance

Introduction

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:50 AM                   S. 142 - An act relating to a pathway to licensure for internationally trained physicians and medical graduates

Introduction

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:30 AM                   Green Mountain Care Board

Owen Foster, J.D., Chair, Green Mountain Care Board

Emily Brown, Exective Director, Green Mountain Care Board

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, January 16, 2026

9:00 AM                   Committee Discussion

Overview of Various Human Service Bills

 

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

9:00 AM                   S. 241 - An act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, Reporter, Senate Committee on Government Operations

Sen. Martine Larocque Gulick, Co-Chair, School District Redistricting Task Force

 

-                                   S. 157 - An act relating to recovery residence certification

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

9:30 AM                   Break

 

9:45 AM                   H. 237 - An act relating to prescribing by doctoral-level psychologists

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rep. Francis McFaun, Reporter, Washington/Orange

 

10:00 AM                   Break

 

10:15 AM                   S. 206 - An act relating to licensure of early childhood educators by the Office of Professional Regulation

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

-                                   S. 210 - An act relating to access to autopsy reports

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:00 AM                   S. 112 - An act relating to amending a death certificate to reflect gender identity

Sen. Ruth Hardy, Sponsor, Addison County

 

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

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

 Calysta Koppenhaver at Calysta.Koppenhaver@vtleg.gov