House Committee on Health Care

 

AGENDA

 

Room 42 and Zoom

February 24, 2026 - February 27, 2026

Last Updated 2/27/2026 2:37 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-health-care.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

10:00 AM                   House Floor

Followed by caucuses

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 817 - An act relating to mental health support and substance use disorder prevention in schools

Walk-through, testimony

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Terri Lavely, VT AFSP Board Chair, Trainer, Mental Health Professional, NEK Human Services

Laurie Emerson, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Vermont

Laurel Omland, MS,NCC, Adolescent and Family Unit Director, Department of Mental Health

Marianna Donnally, School Mental Health and Practice Development Coordinator, Department of Mental Health

Simone Rueschemeyer, Executive  Director, Vermont Care Partners

 

2:30 PM                   Break

 

3:00 PM                   H. 573 - An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rep. Anne B. Donahue, Washington 1 (Northfield)

Jen Colin, Director, Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State's Office

Philip Schafer, P.A., Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant, Grace Cottage Hospital - Zoom

Trey Dobson, M.D., Emergency Medical Physician, Dartmouth Health - Zoom

 

3:35 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

9:00 AM                   H. 814 - An act relating to neurological rights and the use of artificial intelligence technology in health and human services

Lynn Currier, LICSW, Executive Director, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Vermont Chapter - Zoom

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

Josiah Raiche, Chief Data and AI Officer, State of Vermont

Dr. Rick Barnett, Psy.D., LADC, Vermont Psychological Association

 

10:15 AM                   Break

 

10:25 AM                   H. 814 - An act relating to neurological rights and the use of artificial intelligence technology in health and human services

Miles Latham, Director of AI, State of Vermont

Kelsey Stavseth, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Human Services - Zoom

 

11:00 AM                   H. 816 - An act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services

Kelsey Stavseth, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Human Services - Zoom

Jeremy Atterman, Senior Director of Partnerships, National Council for Mental Wellbeing - Zoom

 

11:30 AM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 585 - An act relating to health insurance reforms

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Kaj Samsom, Commissioner, Department of Financial Regulation

Hillary Borcherding, J.D., Assistant General Counsel, Department of Financial Regulation - Zoom

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

 

2:35 PM                   Break

 

2:45 PM                   H. 585 - An act relating to health insurance reforms

Courtney Harrness, Director of Legislative and Government Relations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont

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

Mike Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Adjourn

 

Thursday, February 26, 2026

9:15 AM                   H. 573 - An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination

Lindsey St.Amour, Exective Director, Disability Rights Vermont - Zoom

 

9:30 AM                   Break

 

10:30 AM                   H. 573 - An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination

Emily Hawes, Commissioner, Department of Mental Health

Jack McCullough, Project Director, Mental Health Law Project, Vermont Legal Aid

Elizabeth Couto, BSN, BS, RN, CEN, Director, Vermont Emergency Nurse Association

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:35 PM                   H. 583 - An act relating to health care financial transactions and clinical decision making

Testimony

Sam Peisch, Health Policy Analyst, Vermont Legal Aid

Susan Ridzon, Executive Director, Healthfirst, Inc.

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

 

2:45 PM                   Break

 

3:30 PM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Adjourn

 

Friday, February 27, 2026

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

11:20 AM                   H. 814 - An act relating to neurological rights and the use of artificial intelligence technology in health and human services

Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association

Sophia Simkins, VP of Political Education, Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals - Zoom

Stephanie Winters, Deputy Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society & Vermont Psychiatric Association

 

11:40 AM                   H. 816 - An act relating to regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the provision of mental health services

Stephanie Winters, Deputy Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society & Vermont Psychiatric Association

 

11:50 AM                   H. 814 - An act relating to neurological rights and the use of artificial intelligence technology in health and human services

Mike Fisher, Chief Health Care Advocate, Vermont Legal Aid

 

11:55 AM                   Committee Discussion

 

12:10 PM                   Lunch

 

1:10 PM                   H. 817 - An act relating to mental health support and substance use disorder prevention in schools

Nicole Miller, Executive Director, Vermont Afterschool - Zoom

Justin Pinard, Public Relations Chair, Vermont School Counselor Association (VTSCA)

 

1:55 PM                   H. 573 - An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination

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

 

2:25 PM                   H. 573 - An act relating to the first certification of an emergency examination

Vote

 

2:30 PM                   Adjourn

 

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

 Tasha Kleppner at Tasha.Kleppner@vtleg.gov