Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Agenda

Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs

AGENDA

Room 27 and Zoom

February 17, 2026 - February 20, 2026

Last Updated 2/20/2026 11:52 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

9:30 AM Senate Floor

10:30 AM S. 328 - An act relating to housing and common interest communities

Section 12

Richard Wobby, Executive Vice President, Director of Safety Training and Member Services, Associated General Contractors of Vermont

Larry Moquin, Representative, Vermont Building & Construction Trades Council, Laborers' Local Union 668

Matt Glavin, President, Vermont Building and Construction Trades Council

11:05 AM By Right Housing/ 802 Homes

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.

Jacob Hemmerick, Community Planning & Policy Manager, Department of Housing and Community Development

Jennifer Murray, Director of Planning, Zoning, and Codes, Hanover

Chris Brimmer, Zoning Administrator, Fairlee

12:00 PM Adjourn

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

9:00 AM S. 278 - An act relating to cannabis

Joint Hearing with House Government Operations in Room 11.

Testimony will be heard from growers, advertisers, doctors, retailers, and events licensees. The meeting will be live-streamed from Senate Economic Development's YouTube.

Damian Fagon, Policy Director, Parabola Center for Law and Policy - Zoom

Nathan Davidson, Senior Economic Development Specialist, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Timothy Egan, Vermont NORML

Jean Hamilton, Director of Program Development, Land Access and Opportunity Board

Ornella Matta-Figueroa, Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement, Land Access and Opportunity Board

Jessilyn Dolan, Co Founder, Green Mountain Patients' Alliance - Zoom

Dave Silberman, Director, Vermont Cannabis Action Fund

Miriam El Guemri, Owner, Tea House Dispensary

Sara Farnsworth, Owner, Full Circle Farm

Ethan Kramer, Co-owner, Tilia Hills Farm

Chris Lillie, Owner, Green Mountain Sativa

Sam Bellavance, Chief Executive Officer, Sunset Lake Cannabis

Josh MacDuff, Co-owner, Mountain Girl Cannabis - Zoom

Glauke Cooijmans, Prevention Coordinator, Mount Anthony Union Middle and High School - Zoom

Janet Potter, Student Assistance Provider, Hartford Middle School - Zoom

James Trimarchi, Director of Planning, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center

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

10:30 AM Break

10:50 AM S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Section 3

Linda Rossi, State Director, Vermont Small Business Development Center - Invited

Emma Paradis, Common Good Vermont Co-Director, United Way of Northwest Vermont - Invited

11:35 AM S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

New Draft Walk Through

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Linda Rossi, State Director, Vermont Small Business Development Center

12:00 PM Adjourn

1:00 PM Senate Floor

Thursday, February 19, 2026

9:00 AM S. 173 - An act relating to workers’ compensation and the Vermont Labor Relations Board

New draft committee discussion

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

Kelly Massicotte, Attorney, Vermont Association for Justice

Jamie Feehan, Government Relations Director, Primmer

9:30 AM S. 230 - An act relating to flexible working arrangements

Possible Vote

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

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

Emily Adams, Assistant Attorney General, Attorney General's Office

10:25 AM Adjourn

10:30 AM Joint Assembly

Election of VSC Trustees and Adjutant and Inspector General

1:00 PM Senate Floor

Friday, February 20, 2026

9:00 AM S. 328 - An act relating to housing and common interest communities

Sections 2, 4, and 5 with a Walk Through

Cameron Wood, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Chad Simmons, Director, Housing and Homeless Alliance of Vermont

9:45 AM S. 173 - An act relating to workers’ compensation and the Vermont Labor Relations Board

Vote

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

9:55 AM Break

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

Finish Walk Through

James Pepper, Chair, Cannabis Control Board - Invited

10:30 AM S. 207 - An act relating to prohibiting surveillance pricing

Marc Paquette, Chief, Weights and Measures, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets - Invited

Scott Dolan, Agriculture Weights & Measures Specialist, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

11:00 AM Accelerated Degree Pathways

Rebecca Copans, McClure Foundation

Joyce Judy, President, Community College of Vermont

Aidan Hall, Information Technology and Network Administration, Free Degree Promise

Aunika Higbee, Free Degree Promise

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