Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs

 

AGENDA

 

Room 27 and Zoom

February 3, 2026 - February 6, 2026

Last Updated 2/6/2026 10:57 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-economic-development-housing-and-general-affairs.

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

Supreme Court Vote

 

After Floor                         S. 328 - An act relating to housing and common interest communities

Section 1 and Section 3

Alex Farrell, Commissioner, Department of Housing and Community Development

 

11:50 AM                   J.R.S. 37 - Joint resolution supporting, in solidarity with national and international ski organizations and numerous skiers across the globe, the introduction of long-overdue gender equality in Nordic combined Olympic competition.

Vote

Michael Chernick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, February 4, 2026

9:00 AM                   An Educational Hearing on the Core Pillars of Privacy

Joint Hearing with the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development held in Room 10 of the State House from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. This will be livestreamed from the Senate of Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs' YouTube.

Neil Richards, Koch Distinguished Professor in Law

Jordan Francis, Senior Policy Counsel, U.S. Legislation

Woodrow Hartzog, Professor of Law, Andrew R. Randall

Bob Hedges, Former Chief Data Officer

Bob Sullivan, Independent Journalist

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:40 AM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Section 6, Sections 10 and 11, Section 1.

Alex Farrell, Commissioner, Department of Housing and Community Development

Matt Chapman, Director, Waste Management & Prevention Division, Department of Environmental Conservation

Sarah Bartlett, Manager, Brownfields Program

Trish Coppolino, Senior Environmental Program Manager, Department of Environmental Conservation, Agency of Natural Resources

Jessica Hartleben, Executive Director, Vermont Economic Progress Council - Invited

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, February 5, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 230 - An act relating to flexible working arrangements

Megan Sullivan, Vice President of Government Affairs, Vermont Chamber of Commerce - Invited

Charlie Gliserman, Director of Policy, Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence - Invited

Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association - Invited

Rebecca McBroom, General Counsel, Vermont National Education Association

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:00 AM                   S. 173 - An act relating to workers’ compensation and the Vermont Labor Relations Board

Kelly Massicotte, Attorney, Vermont Association for Justice

Jamie Feehan, Government Relations Director, Primmer

Dirk Anderson, Director of Workers' Compensation and Safety, Department of Labor

Karina Dunigan, Vocational Counselor, Catamount Case Management LLC

 

10:50 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   Outdoor Recreation

Joint Hearing with the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development in Room 270 of the Pavilion. This will be livestreamed from the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs YouTube.

 

Nick Bennette, Executive Director of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Vermont Trails and Greenways Council

Kelly Ault, Executive Director, Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance

Jackie Dagger, Program Manager, Vermont Outdoor Recreation Collaborative

Lindsay DesLauriers, President, Bolton Valley Resort

Bob Kogut, President, Mad River Valley Recreation District

Jeff Alexander, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports

Drew Pollack-Bruce, Owner and Founder, CRO Planning and Design

Alex Racicot, The Boot Pro Ski and Bike

Nick Mahood, Woodstock Inn and Resort Nordic Center

Jessica Brodie, Executive  Director, Vermont Recreation and Parks Association

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, February 6, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 238 - An act relating to revenue for education and housing development

Introduction and Walk-Through

Sen. Alison Clarkson, Sponsor

Kirby Keeton, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Ted Barnett, Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

Chris Donnelly, Director of Community Relations, Champlain Housing Trust

Pollaidh Major, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

 

10:15 AM                   Break

 

10:30 AM                   S. 198 - An act relating to the regulation and taxation of tobacco products and tobacco substitutes

Rosemary Kennedy, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General

Matt Meunier, Student Assistance Professional, Champlain Valley Union High School

Amy Brewer, Coordinator, Franklin-Grand Isle Tobacco Coalition

Prospero Gogo, M.D., University of Vermont Health

Katy Hellman, Program Director, Public Health Response to Research - Zoom

Andrea Villante, Deputy Director, Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies and Rutgers School of Public Health

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:25 AM                   Adjourn

 

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

 Ciara Mead at Ciara.Mead@vtleg.gov