Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

 

AGENDA

 

Room 17 and Zoom

January 20, 2026 - January 23, 2026

Last Updated 1/23/2026 11:25 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

After Floor                         Insurance Solvency Brief

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

10:30 AM                   Committee Discussion

 

10:45 AM                   Insurance Solvency Brief

Kaj Samsom, Commissioner, Department of Financial Regulation

Mary Block, Deputy Commissioner of Insurance, Department of Financial Regulation

 

11:00 AM                   BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont

Courtney Harrness, Director of Legislative and Government Relations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

 

11:20 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Governor's 2026 Budget Address

House Chamber

 

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

9:00 AM                   H. 237 - An act relating to prescribing by doctoral-level psychologists

Emily Carr, General Counsel, Office of Professional Regulation

Emily Tredeau, Staff Attorney, Office of Professional Regulation

Stephanie Winters, Deputy Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society & Vermont Psychiatric Association

Brandon Campo, Ph.D., LBA, OHCC, Vermont Psychological and Neurofeedback Center, LLC - Zoom

Dr. Rick Barnett, Psy.D., LADC, Vermont Psychological Association

 

9:45 AM                   S. 157 - An act relating to recovery residence certification

Walkthrough

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emily Trutor, Director of Substance Use Disorders, Department of Health

David Riegel, Vermont Foundation of Recovery - Zoom

 

10:45 AM                   S. 206 - An act relating to licensure of early childhood educators by the Office of Professional Regulation

Walkthrough

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Aly Richards, Chief Executive Officer, Let's Grow Kids

Emilie Tenenbaum, Executive  Director, Let's Grow Kids

Shannon Edmonds-Folsom, Jay Peak Resort

Danielle Harris, Senior Director of Youth Development, YMCA

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

Jen Colin, Director, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

 

11:30 AM                   S. 26 - An act relating to prohibiting certain artificial dyes in foods and beverages served or sold at school

Walkthrough

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Anna Seuberling, Environmental Advocate, Vermont Public Interest Research Group

Scott Faber, Environmental Working Group

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, January 22, 2026

9:00 AM                   Committee Discussion

 

9:15 AM                   Blueprint for Health

John M.  Saroyan, M.D., Executive Director, Blueprint for Health, Agency of Human Services

Addie Armstrong, Ph.D., Health Services Researcher, Blueprint for Health, Agency of Human Services

 

10:00 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Walkthrough

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

 

10:45 AM                   S. 190 - An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and hospital outsourcing of clinical care

Walkthrough

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emily Brown, Exective Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Alena Berube, Director of Policy, Green Mountain Care Board

Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

 

11:15 AM                   S. 189 - An act relating to an approval process for reducing or eliminating hospital services

Walkthrough

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emily Brown, Exective Director, Green Mountain Care Board

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

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

 

11:45 AM                   S. 163 - An act relating to the role of advanced practice registered nurses in hospital care

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jen Colin, Director, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

Shiela Boni, MSN, RN, Executive Director, Board of Nursing

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, January 23, 2026

9:00 AM                   Health Care Overview

Global Commitment

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Ashley Berliner, Director of Medicaid Policy, Agency of Human Services

 

10:00 AM                   Agency of Transportation Updates

Report on Coordination of Healthcare and Transportation Services. This is a Joint Meeting with Senate Transportation. It will be held in Room 11 and will be livestreamed here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-health-and-welfare

Ross MacDonald, Public Transit Program Manager, Agency of Transportation

Stephen Falbel, President, Steadman Hill Consulting, Inc. - Zoom

Dan Currier, Public Transit Coordinator, Agency of Transportation

Karen Vastine, Sr. Community Relations Officer, University of Vermont Health Network - Zoom

Natasha Withers, Medical Director of High Value Care, UVM Health - Zoom

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

Caleb Grant, Chair, Vermont Public Transportation Association

Jim Moulton, Executive Director, Tri-Valley Transit - Zoom

Mike Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid - Zoom

Grace Johnson, Policy Analyst, Medicaid Policy Unit, Agency of Human Services - Zoom

 

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