House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

 

AGENDA

 

Room 35 and Zoom

April 7, 2026 - April 10, 2026

Last Updated 4/10/2026 1:35 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

9:10 AM                   S. 173 - An act relating to vocational rehabilitation

Kelly Massicotte, Attorney, Vermont Association for Justice

 

10:00 AM                   House Floor

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

2:00 PM                   H. 803 - An act relating to apprenticeship programs

Walk-Through

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

2:30 PM                   S. 173 - An act relating to vocational rehabilitation

Committee Discussion

Sophie Zdatny, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Rowan Hawthorne, Policy and Legislative Affairs Director, Vermont Department of Labor

 

3:15 PM                   Credit Union Day

Carrie Allen, President, Association of Vermont Credit Unions

John Dwyer, CEO, EastRise Credit Union

Bob Morgan, CEO, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union

Jean Giard, CEO, Vermont Federal Credit Union

Adam Necrason, Association of Vermont Credit Unions

Brett Smith, CEO, One Credit Union

 

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

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

Joyce Judy, President, Community College of Vermont

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

Drake Turner, Deputy Director, Office of Workforce Strategy and Development

Jeff Lawson, Vice-Pres. Tourism & Marketing, Hello Vermont, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce

Austin Davis, Director, Government Affairs, Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce

Adam Grinold, Executive Director, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation

Linda Rossi, State Director, Vermont Small Business Development Center

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   House Floor

 

2:40 PM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

 

3:30 PM                   H. 837 - An act relating to rounding cash transactions

Cameron Wood, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Maggie Lenz, Lobbyist, Vermont Retail & Grocers Association

 

Thursday, April 9, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 198 - An act relating to the regulation of tobacco products and tobacco substitutes

Jennifer Carbee, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Wendy Knight, Commissioner, Department of Liquor and Lottery

Ted Barnett, Joint Fiscal Office

Rosemary Kennedy, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General

Maggie Lenz, Lobbyist, Vermont Retail & Grocers Association

 

10:35 AM                   Break

 

10:50 AM                   S. 198 - An act relating to the regulation of tobacco products and tobacco substitutes

Continued Discussion

Jill Sudhoff-Guerin, Founder, Tobacco Free Vermont

Andrea Villanti, Dr., Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies and Rutgers School of Public Health

Evan Litwin, Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community

Matt Meunier, Student Assistance Professional, Champlain Valley Union High School

Amy Brewer, Coordinator, Franklin-Grand Isle Tobacco Coalition

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   House Floor

 

2:35 PM                   S. 313 - An act relating to transforming Vermont’s career technical education system

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Patricia Komline, Director of Government Affairs, Downs Rachlin Martin, LLC

 

Friday, April 10, 2026

9:00 AM                   Legislative Intern Report

Cabot Sayles, UVM Legislative Intern

Bailey Davis, Norwich Legislative Intern

 

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

11:00 AM                   H. 803 - An act relating to apprenticeship programs

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

 

11:30 AM                   S. 327 - An act relating to economic development

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

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Regional Planning Commission Updates

Charlie Baker, Executive Director, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission

David Snedeker, Executive Director, Northeastern Vermont Development 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

 Jonathan Pickarski at Jonathan.Pickarski@vtleg.gov