Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs

 

AGENDA

 

Room 27 and Zoom

February 10, 2026 - February 13, 2026

Last Updated 2/16/2026 12:21 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

10:00 AM                   S. 328 - An act relating to housing and common interest communities

Section 2 and 8 Testimony

Maura Collins, Executive Director, Vermont Housing Finance Agency - Zoom

 

10:20 AM                   S. 328 - An act relating to housing and common interest communities

Section 4 Testimony

Chris D'Elia, President, Vermont Bankers' Association

Peter Tucker, Advocacy & Public Policy Director, Vermont Association of Realtors

Chris Donnelly, Director of Community Relations, Champlain Housing Trust - Zoom

 

11:00 AM                   Act 181 and Act 250 Review

Joint hearing with the Senate on Natural Resources and Energy in room 8 of the State House. The meeting will be live streamed here: <https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-natural-resources-and-energy>

 

Rep. Laura Sibilia, Bill Sponsor, Windham 2

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

Charlie Baker, Executive Director, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission - Zoom

Catherine Dimitruk, Executive Director, Northwest Regional Planning Commission - Zoom

Samantha Sheehan, Municipal Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Josh Hanford, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Jon Groveman, Policy and Water Program Director, Vermont Natural Resources Council

Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director, Vermont Natural Resources Council

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Section 3 Testimony

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Nicole Killoran, Director, Vermont Small Business Law Center and Clinic, Vermont Law and Graduate School

Rosie Gray, Financial Securities Specialist and Business Coach, Capstone Community Action

Liz Scharf, Director of Community Economic Development and Food Security, Capstone Community Action

Weiwei Wang, Co Founder and Executive Director, Vermont Professionals of Color Network

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:45 AM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Section 11 Testimony

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Matt Cropp, Executive Director, Vermont Employee Ownership Center

 

11:15 AM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Section 7 Testimony

Lyle Jepson, Commissioner, Agency of Economic Development

Heather Pelham, Commissioner, Department of Tourism and Marketing

Nick Grimley, Director of Entrepreneurship & Tech Commercialization, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

 

11:50 AM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Vermont Business for Social Responsibility

Chelsea Bardot Lewis, Executive Director, Vermont Business for Social Responsibility (VBSR)

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, February 12, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 306 - An act relating to first responders in communications

Introduction

Sen. Joseph "Joe" Major, Sponsor

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

9:10 AM                   S. 307 - An act relating to overtime pay for firefighters

Introduction

Sen. Joseph "Joe" Major, Sponsor

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Christopher Dube, President, Professional Fire Fighters of Vermont

 

9:20 AM                   S. 292 - An act relating to granting public higher education employees the right to strike

Introduction

Sen. Thomas Chittenden, Sponsor, Sponsor

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Ellen Kaye, President, UVM Staff United

Lisa Gerlach, Political Organizer, American Federation of Teachers Vermont

 

9:40 AM                   S. 277 - An act relating to prohibiting mandatory overtime for nurses

Testimony

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Lisa GErlach, Political Organizer, American Federation of Teachers Vermont - Invited

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

Helen Labun, Executive Director, Vermont Health Care Association

 

10:00 AM                   S. 278 - An act relating to cannabis

Committee Discussion

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

James Pepper, Chair, Cannabis Control Board

 

10:45 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   S. 278 - An act relating to cannabis

Testimony

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

James Pepper, Chair, Cannabis Control Board

Geoffrey Pizzutillo, Executive Director and CoFounder, Vermont Growers Association

David Silverman, Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, February 13, 2026

9:00 AM                   Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition

Molly Dugan, Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Cathedral Square

David Newell, Prospect Mountain Ski Resort - Zoom

Ben Doyle, President, Preservation Trust of Vermont

Andrew Winter, Executive Director, Twin Pines Housing Trust

 

9:45 AM                   S. 328 - An act relating to housing and common interest communities

Section 3 Testimony

Alex Farrell, Commissioner, Department of Housing and Community Development

Peter Trombley, Director of Legislative Affairs, Office of the State Treasurer

 

10:30 AM                   Act 181 of 2024

Joint hearing with the Senate on Natural Resources and Energy in room 10 of the State House. The meeting will be live streamed here:<https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-natural-resources-and-energy>

Josh Hanford, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Samantha Sheehan, Municipal Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Devon Neary, Executive Director, Rutland Regional Planning Commission

Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director, Vermont Natural Resources Council

Paul Conner, Planning and Zoning South Burlington

 

11:25 PM                   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