House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

 

AGENDA

 

Room 35 and Zoom

January 28, 2025 - January 31, 2025

Last Updated 1/24/2025 3:07 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

9:00 AM                   Vermont Arts Council

Introduction to Committee Members

Susan Evans McClure, Executive Director, Vermont Arts Council

 

10:00 AM                   House Floor and Caucuses

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Governor's 2026 Budget Address

Joint Assembly to Receive Budget Address 1-3:30PM

 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

9:00 AM                   Small Business Day

Joint Hearing with Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs in Room 267 of The Pavilion. This will be live streamed from House Commerce and Economic Development's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@VTHouseCommEcoDev

Data, Approaches, and Stories from 9:00-12:00pm, with a break at 10:30am.

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Linda Rossi, State Director, Vermont Small Business Development Center

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

Andy Julow, Executive Director, Lake Champlain Islands Economic Development Corporation

Rep. Rep. Abbey Duke, Owner, SugarSnap Catering

Whitney Aldrich, Owner, Axels Gallery and Frame Shop

Mike Ripley, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Color The Valley

Ruth Steinmetz, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Steinmetz LLC

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 34 - An act relating to workforce leadership in Vermont

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Adam Grinold, Executive Director, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation

Michael Harrington, Commissioner, Vermont Department of Labor

Kendal Smith, Deputy Commissioner, Vermont Department of Labor

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

Sen. Alison Clarkson, Reporter, Committee Representative - Invited

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

Molly Mahar, President, Vermont Ski Areas Association

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

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

2:30 PM                   H. 34 - An act relating to workforce leadership in Vermont

Mark-Up and Possible Vote

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Thursday, January 30, 2025

9:00 AM                   Community College of Vermont

Introduction to Committee Members

Joyce Judy, President, Community College of Vermont

 

10:00 AM                   State Auditor

Doug Hoffer, State Auditor, State Auditor's Office - Zoom

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   Earned Wage Access

Walk-Through

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Earned Wage Access

Ryan Naples, Senior Manager of Public Policy, DailyPay - Invited

Elyse Hicks, Government Relations Manager, DailyPay - Invited

Wendy Morgan, MPH, Staff Attorney, Vermont Legal Aid - Invited

Andrea Smith, Legislative Specialist, Vermont Legal Aid - Invited

Ben LaRocco, Senior Director of Government Relations, Earnin

 

2:30 PM                   Committee Discussion

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Friday, January 31, 2025

8:45 AM                   Meeting with Interns

Meeting with Committee's UVM Legislative Intern

Helen Argraves, Legislative Intern, University of Vermont

 

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

10 Minutes After Floor                   Common Good Vermont

Introduction to Committee Members

Emma Paradis, Common Good Vermont Manager of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, United Way of Northwest Vermont - Invited

 

11:15 AM                   Vermont Law and Graduate School

Introduction by Vermont Small Business Law Center and Clinic at VLGS to Committee Members

Nicole Killoran, Director, Vermont Law and Graduate School

 

-                                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Vermont National Guard

Introduction to Committee Members

Major General Gregory C. Knight, Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard - Invited

 

2:00 PM                   Vermont Retail and Grocers Association

Introduction to Committee Members

Maggie Lenz, Lobbyist, Vermont Retail & Grocers Association

 

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

 Annagrace Oblak at aoblak@leg.state.vt.us