House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

 

AGENDA

 

Room 35 and Zoom

February 10, 2026 - February 13, 2026

Last Updated 2/18/2026 4:10 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-commerce-and-economic-development.

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

9:05 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 and urging that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) only introduce new Olympic sports that practice gender equality

Testimony

John Rodgers, Lieutenant Governor, State of Vermont

Sen. Alison Clarkson, Sponsor

Molly Mahar, President, Vermont Ski Areas Association

 

9:35 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 and urging that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) only introduce new Olympic sports that practice gender equality

Walk-through

 

Michael Chernick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

9:45 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 and urging that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) only introduce new Olympic sports that practice gender equality

Vote

 

10:00 AM                   House Floor and Caucuses

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:20 PM                   Update from Taiwan

Charles Liao, Director General, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office

Jennifer Wang, Deputy Director, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office

 

1:50 PM                   Break

 

2:00 PM                   FY27 Budget

Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Lindsay Kurrle, Secretary, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Dan Dickerson, Administrative Services Director, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Lyle Jepson, Commissioner, Department of Economic Development

Alex Farrell, Commissioner, Department of Housing and Community Development

 

3:25 PM                   Break

 

3:30 PM                   H. 512 - An act relating to the regulation of the event ticketing market

Testimony

Cameron Wood, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Susan Evans McClure, Executive Director, Vermont Arts Council

Todd Daloz, Assistant Attorney General, Attorney General's Office

Chris Rice, Lobbyist, MMR

Nathan Marro, Executive  Director, National Independent Talent Organization - Zoom

 

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

9:00 AM                   Vermont Evaluation of Rural Technical Assistance

Gary Holloway, Downtown Program Manager, Agency of Commerce and Community Development - Department of Housing and Community Development

Mariah Noth, Rural Economic Development Program Manager, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Denise Smith, Executive  Director, Vermont Council on Rural Development

Jessica Savage, Member, Vermont Council on Rural Development

 

10:00 AM                   26-0768 - An act relating to the transformation of Vermont’s career technical education governance and funding systems

Walk-through, testimony

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Zoie Saunders, Secretary, Agency of Education

Emily Simmons, General Counsel, Agency of Education

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 639 - An act relating to genetic data privacy

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Ritchie Engelhardt, Head of Government Affairs, Ancestry.com - Invited

Todd Daloz, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Attorney General's Office

 

2:00 PM                   H. 205 - An act relating to agreements not to compete

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

Chris D'Elia, President, Vermont Bankers' Association

 

2:45 PM                   Break

 

3:00 PM                   Spirit of ADA Awards

Julia Birnn Fields, President, Birnn Chocolates of Vermont - Zoom

Doreen Kelly, Human Resources Director, Eastview at Middlebury - Zoom

Nat Piper, Business, Legislative and Community Outreach Manager, HireAbility

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

Thursday, February 12, 2026

9:00 AM                   Tariffs and update on Canadian Relations

René Sylvestre, Quebec Delegate to New England

 

9:45 AM                   Break

 

10:00 AM                   FY27 Budget

Department of Financial Regulation budget presentation

Kaj Samsom, Commissioner, Department of Financial Regulation

David Cameron, Administrative Services Director, Department of Financial Regulation

Joe Valenti, Director of Policy, Department of Financial Regulation

Aaron Ferenc, Deputy Commissioner of Banking, Department of Financial Regulation

Christine Brown, Deputy Commissioner of Captive Insurance, Department of Financial Regulation

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

Amanda Smith, Deputy Commissioner of Securities, Department of Financial Regulation

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Private Colleges

Kimberly Jessup, President, Association of Vermont Independent Colleges

Alex Hernandez, President, Champlain College

Lea Williams, Provost and Dean of Faculty, Norwich University

 

2:00 PM                   Break

 

2:05 PM                   FY27 Budget

Department of Labor Budget presentation

Kendal Smith, Commissioner, Vermont Department of Labor

Jay Ramsey, Director of Workforce Development, Vermont Department of Labor

Chad Wawrzyniak, Chief Financial Officer, Department of Labor

Sabina Haskell, Executive Director, Office of Workforce Strategy and Development

Drake Turner, Deputy Director, Office of Workforce Strategy and Development

Rowan Hawthorne, Policy and Legislative Affairs Director, Vermont Department of Labor

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Committee Meeting

TBA

 

Friday, February 13, 2026

9:00 AM                   Legislative Interns Report

Hearing Reports from Committee Legislative Interns

Cabot Sayles, UVM Legislative Intern

Bailey Davis, Norwich Legislative Intern

 

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

10:30 AM                   H. 385 - An act relating to remedies and protections for victims of coerced debt

Maria Royle, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Chris D'Elia, President, Vermont Bankers' Association

 

11:30 AM                   Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition

Advocacy Day

David Newell, Prospect Mountain Ski Resort - Zoom

Mary Ann Goulette, Town Manager, West Rutland, VT

Kathy Reynolds, Board Chair, Cornerstone Housing Partners

Zachariah Watson, Executive Director, Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity

Nika Oakes, Randolph Tech

Jody Emerson, Director, Central Vermont Career Center

Dimitri Kolomeitsev, Building Trades Instructor, Central Vermont Career Center

Brandon Morris, Electrical Instructor, Central Vermont Career Center

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 385 - An act relating to remedies and protections for victims of coerced debt

Maria Royle, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Grace Pazdan, Staff Attorney, Vermont Legal Aid

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

Colin Hilliard, Associate State Director - Advocacy and Outreach, AARP VT

Carrie Allen, President, Association of Vermont Credit Unions

Chris D'Elia, President, Vermont Bankers' Association (1:30 PM)

Don Maurice, Legal Consultant, Receivables Management Association International

 

3:00 PM                   H. 512 - An act relating to the regulation of the event ticketing market

Walk-through and possible vote

Cameron Wood, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

ATTENTION WITNESSES

 

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If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Megan Cannella at Megan.Cannella@vtleg.gov