House Committee on Human Services

 

AGENDA

 

Room 46 and Zoom

January 20, 2026 - January 23, 2026

Last Updated 1/23/2026 11:29 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-human-services.

 

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

10:00 AM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Caucuses and Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Governor's 2027 Budget Address

Joint Assembly, House Chamber

 

3:15 PM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Vote

 

3:30 PM                   Homelessness and Housing Solutions

Roslyn Fortin, Vermont Kid Governor

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

 

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

9:00 AM                   Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Committee discussion

 

10:00 AM                   Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Individual member work time

 

10:45 AM                   H. 594 - An act relating to establishing the Temporary Emergency Housing and Accountability Program and the Return Home Program in fiscal years 2027 and 2028

Mike Doenges, Mayor, Rutland City

 

11:15 AM                   H. 594 - An act relating to establishing the Temporary Emergency Housing and Accountability Program and the Return Home Program in fiscal years 2027 and 2028

Use of libraries as day shelters

Wendy Hysko, Director, Brownell Library

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:15 PM                   H. 594 - An act relating to establishing the Temporary Emergency Housing and Accountability Program and the Return Home Program in fiscal years 2027 and 2028

Review of durational residential requirement principles

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

1:40 PM                   Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Individual member and group budget work time

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Individual member and group budget work time

 

Thursday, January 22, 2026

9:00 AM                   NEK Day

Kelsey Stavseth, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Human Services

 

9:10 AM                   Vermont Food Bank

Carrie Stahler, Senior Government Affairs Manager, Vermont Foodbank

 

9:20 AM                   NEK Day

Denise Walton, Sid's Pantry

 

9:30 AM                   NEK Day

Crystal Bigelow, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

Erica Beer, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

 

9:45 AM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Review Burtt Amendment

Rep. Gregory "Greg" Burtt, Sponsor of the Amendment

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Department of Health

 

10:25 AM                   Break

 

10:35 AM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Lack of informed consent

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:40 AM                   H. 594 - An act relating to establishing the Temporary Emergency Housing and Accountability Program and the Return Home Program in fiscal years 2027 and 2028

Jenna O'Farrell, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Community Action

Paul Dragon, Executive Director, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO)

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Burtt Amendment

Rep. Martin LaLonde, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary

Tracy Tyson, President-Elect, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vermont Chapter

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

 

1:15 PM                   Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Department of Health budget

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

Megan Hoke, Financial Director, Department of Health

 

2:30 PM                   H. 660 - An act relating to fiscal year 2027 Opioid Abatement Special Fund appropriations

Discussion and vote to start working on short-form bill

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Individual member and group budget work time

 

Friday, January 23, 2026

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

10:35 AM                   Governor’s Proposed FY2027 Budget

Department for Children and Families budget

Sandi Hoffman, Interim Commissioner, Department for Children and Families

Megan Smeaton, Financial Director, Department for Children and Families

Janet McLaughlin, Deputy Commissioner, Child Development Division, Department for Children and Families

Aryka Radke, Deputy Commissioner, Family Services Division, Department for Children and Families

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Child Welfare Information System

Update on system development and recent system outages.

Joint hearing with House Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure (HEDI). Meeting will be held in Room 11 and will be livestreamed on the HEDI YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClq5iwB1tbE-9u5TIJHtFEA/featured

Aryka Radke, Deputy Commissioner, Family Services Division, Department for Children and Families

Carlie Thibault, Quality Assurance Administrator, Family Services Division, Department for Children and Families

Matthew Bernstein, Director, Office of Child, Youth and Family Advocate

Lauren Higbee, Deputy Advocate, Office of Child, Youth and Family Advocate

Andrea DeLaBruere, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Digital Services

 

-                                   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.

 

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

 Lori Morse at Lori.Morse@vtleg.gov