Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

 

AGENDA

 

Room 17 and Zoom

January 27, 2026 - January 30, 2026

Last Updated 2/19/2026 10:20 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

10:00 AM                   Food Security

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Jason Batchelder, Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife

Charles Martin, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources

 

10:30 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

Michelle Wade, APRN, Nurse Practitioner, Vermont Nurse Practitioners Association

Jade Kaplan, Certified Nurse-Midwife, American College of Nurse Midwifery

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

M.D. Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

9:00 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

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

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

Morgan Crossman, Ph.D., Executive Director, Building Bright Futures

Anna Brouillette, Policy and Program Director, Building Bright Futures

Susan Titterton, Program Coordinator, Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children

Sharron Harrington, Executive Director, Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children

Johanna de Graffenreid, Public Policy Manager, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility

 

10:30 AM                   S. 210 - An act relating to access to autopsy reports

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Anonymous Witness, Person with Lived Experience

Judge Thomas Zonay, Chief Superior Judge, Vermont Judiciary

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Department of Health

 

11:15 AM                   S. 157 - An act relating to recovery residence certification

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jeff Moreau, Executive Director, Vermont Alliance for Recovery Residences

Candace Gale, Director of Community Relations, Vermont Foundation of Recovery

Chadd Viger, Executive Director, Recovery House, Inc

Jessica Schifano, Policy Director, Department of Health

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

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, January 29, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 197 - An act relating to establishing a primary care payment reform program

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

M.D. Anne Morris, Associate Dean of Primary Care, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont

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

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

Tom Borys, CEO, OneCare Vermont

Wayne Altman, Professor and Chair of Family Medicine, Tufts University - Zoom

Alicia Cooper, Ph.D., Director of Managed Care Operations, Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA)

 

10:15 AM                   S. 190 - An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board, reference-based pricing, and hospital outsourcing of clinical care

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

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

Alena Berube, Director of Policy, Green Mountain Care Board

Emily Brown, Exective Director, Green Mountain Care Board

Dr. Aida Avdic, Chief Medical Officer, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital

M.D. Jay Mullen, President & CEO, BlueWater Health

 

11:00 AM                   Howard Center

Sandy McGuire, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Howard Center

 

11:15 AM                   S. 163 - An act relating to the role of advanced practice registered nurses in hospital care

Markup and Possible Vote

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

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

 

11:45 AM                   Mental Health Advocacy Day

Cari Kelley, Mental Health Advocate

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, January 30, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 64 - An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

Walkthrough

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

Emily Carr, General Counsel, Office of Professional Regulation

Dr. Dean Barcelow, O.D., President, Vermont Optometric Association

Dr. Nate Lighthizer, Doctor of Optometry, Associate Professor, Director of Continuing Education, Oklahoma College of Optometry at Northeastern State University - Zoom

 

10:15 AM                   H. 545 - An act relating to issuing immunization recommendations

Walkthrough

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rep. Zon Eastes, Bill Sponsor, Bill Sponsor

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

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

Merideth Plumpton, Immunization Program Manager, Department of Health

Lauren Layman, General Counsel, Department of Health

 

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