House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

 

AGENDA

 

Room M106 and Zoom

February 10, 2026 - February 13, 2026

Last Updated 2/19/2026 9:32 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-government-operations-and-military-affairs.

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

10:00 AM                   House Floor

Followed by Caucuses

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   FY2027 Budget

Committee discussion

 

1:40 PM                   Break

 

2:10 PM                   H. 693 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington concerning the Town police department

Witness Testimony

Jackie Matts, Member, Bennington Selectboard - Zoom

 

2:20 PM                   H. 694 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington concerning the Town Manager

Witness Testimony

Jackie Matts, Member, Bennington Selectboard - Zoom

 

2:25 PM                   H. 695 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington concerning a local option tax on short-term rentals

Witness testimony

Jackie Matts, Member, Bennington Selectboard - Zoom

 

2:30 PM                   H. 696 - An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington concerning municipal liens

Witness testimony

Jackie Matts, Member, Bennington Selectboard - Zoom

 

3:00 PM                   Committee Work Time

 

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

9:05 AM                   Human Rights Commission

Disability Advocacy Day

Big Hartman, Executive Director & General Counsel, Vermont Human Rights Commission

 

9:45 AM                   H. 93 - An act relating to the creation and maintenance of a database of veterans in Vermont

Re-introduction and walk-through

Rep. Robert Hooper, Sponsor

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:00 AM                   H. 884 - An act relating to the definition of Gold Star family members

Introduction, walk-through, and witness testimony

Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone, Sponsor

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

June Heston, Surviving Spouse of BG Michael Heston, Vermont Army National Guard

 

10:20 AM                   H. 811 - An act relating to election of Adjutant and Inspector General of the Vermont National Guard

Committee discussion

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:35 AM                   Break

 

10:50 AM                   H. 588 - An act relating to professions and occupations regulated by the Office of Professional Regulation

Witness testimony and committee discussion

Michael Warren, Chief Investigator, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

11:25 AM                   Break

 

11:35 AM                   H. 831 - An act relating to requiring the Secretary of State to include the year of passage in the number assigned to acts of the General Assembly

Introduction and walk-through

Rep. VL Coffin, Sponsor

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Vermont State Youth Council

Recommendations

Aiden Otterman, Chair, Vermont State Youth Council

Harmony Belle Devoe, Vice Chair, Vermont State Youth Council

Claire Zandstra, Chair, The Youth Mental Health Committee

Elizabeth Daley, Member, The Youth Voice Committee

Ezra Tane, Member, Education Committee

Hailley Hem, Chair, The Equity and Anti-Racism Committee

Finn Sturm, Chair, The Climate Change Committee

 

1:45 PM                   Alcohol Omnibus Bill

Witness testimony

Moving forward, testimony listed under Alcohol Omnibus Bill may include discussion of other alcohol bills H.647, H.655, H.672, H.832

Levi Kraemer, Co-owner and Head Brewer, Kraemer and Kin

Ehren Hill, Owner, The Blackback Pub

Chris Kesler, Vice President, Distilled Spirits Council of Vermont

Kendra Knapik, President, Vermont Grape & Wine Council

Deidre Heekin, Vice President, Vermont Grape & Wine Council - Zoom

Wendy Knight, Commissioner, Department of Liquor and Lottery

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

Thursday, February 12, 2026

9:00 AM                   Public Records Act

Witness testimony

Tommy Gardner, Publisher, Vermont Community Newspaper Group - Zoom

Kim McManus, Records Officer, Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs

Charles Martin, Deputy Secretary, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources

Hannah Smith, General Counsel, Department of Fish and Wildlife

 

9:50 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   H. 686 - An act relating to expanding identification of certain lobbying advertisements

Witness testimony

Leslie Welts, Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the General Counsel and Administrative Law Division, Attorney General's Office

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

Sean Sheehan, Director of Elections and Campaign Finance, Secretary of State's Office

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:10 PM                   H. 462 - An act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the City of Burlington concerning just cause eviction

Introduction, walk-through, and witness testimony

Rep. Robert Hooper, Sponsor

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Jessica Brown, City Attorney, City of Burlington - Zoom

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

Friday, February 13, 2026

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

10:30 AM                   H. 67 - An act relating to legislative operations and government accountability

walk-through and committee discussion

Tim Devlin, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

10:55 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   Budget Request

Vermont Council on Rural development

Jessica Savage, Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Vermont Council on Rural Development

Denise Smith, Executive  Director, Vermont Council on Rural Development - Zoom

 

11:30 AM                   Budget Letter

Committee discussion

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 907 - An act relating to legislative review of reporting requirements

Walk-through

Tucker Anderson, Resident, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

1:35 PM                   Break

 

1:45 PM                   H. 514 - An act relating to the procedures governing the change of a minor’s legal name

Introduction, walk-through, and witness testimony

Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Brenda Siegel, Mother

Teri Corsones, State Court Administrator, Vermont Judiciary

 

Please note that witnesses may not be called in the order in which they are listed.

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Nick Adams at Nick.Adams@vtleg.gov