House Committee on Judiciary

 

AGENDA

 

Room 30 and Zoom

January 13, 2026 - January 16, 2026

Last Updated 1/16/2026 3:07 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-judiciary.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

10:00 AM                   H. 409 - An act relating to the procedures for bail revocation

Vote on Amendment

 

10:00 AM                   House Floor

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 578 - An act relating to penalties and procedures for animal cruelty offenses

Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Rep. Emilie Krasnow, Lead Sponsor, House Committee on General and Housing

Erik FitzPatrick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Heather Bent, Vermonters Against Cruelty and Abandonment - Zoom

Renee Falconer, Vermonters Against Cruelty and Abandonment - Zoom

Trevor Whipple, Former Police Chief, Barre and South Burlington - Zoom

Joanne bourbeau, Northeastern Regional Director, Humane World for Animals

Ann Chynoweth, Humane World for Animals - Zoom

Jen Straub, Dorset Equine Rescue - Invited

 

4:15 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

9:00 AM                   H. 578 - An act relating to penalties and procedures for animal cruelty offenses

Witness Testimony

Judge Thomas Zonay, Chief Superior Judge, Vermont Judiciary

Lisa Milot, Director of Animal Welfare, Department of Public Safety

Era MacDonald, Founder and Executive Director, Merrymac Farm Sanctuary - Zoom

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 541 - An act relating to interference with voters and election officials

Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Sarah Copeland Hanzas, Secretary of State, Secretary of State's Office

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

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

3:45 PM                   H. 578 - An act relating to penalties and procedures for animal cruelty offenses

Aliena Gerhard, State's Attorney, Lamoille County State's Attorney's Office

 

Thursday, January 15, 2026

9:00 AM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Review, Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Department of Health

Stephanie Winters, Deputy Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society & American Academy of Pediatrics

 

10:00 AM                   H. 541 - An act relating to interference with voters and election officials

Walk-Through and Witness Testimony

Sally Ober, Town Clerk, Lincoln

Judge Thomas Zonay, Chief Superior Judge, Vermont Judiciary

Kim McManus, Legislative Attorney, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office

 

11:30 AM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Alison Despathy, Citizen, Danville

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 5 - An act relating to a hearsay exception for a child under 16 years of age

Witness Testimony

Jennifer Harlow, Sheriff, Orleans County - Zoom

Kate Lamson, Public Defender

Sam Prince, Director of Outreach and Advocacy, Vermont Children's Alliance

Kelly Woodward, Retired States Attorney Victim Advocate - Zoom

Laura Bierley, VRP Project Director, Vermont Legal Aid - Zoom

Jennifer Poehlmann, J.D., Executive Director, Center for Crime Victim Services

 

2:30 PM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Department of Health

Stephanie Winters, Deputy Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society & American Academy of Pediatrics

Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

15 Minutes After Floor                   H. 613 - An act relating to victims of officer-involved shootings of an individual experiencing a mental health crisis

Witness Testimony

Shawn Garvey, Citizen

Judy Garvey, Citizen

Kara Garvey, Citizen

 

Friday, January 16, 2026

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

15 Minutes After Floor                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Review and Discussion

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

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

 Nate Biscotti at Nate.Biscotti@vtleg.gov