House Committee on Human Services

 

AGENDA

 

Room 46 and Zoom

February 18, 2025 - February 21, 2025

Last Updated 2/21/2025 1:37 PM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-human-services.

 

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

10:00 AM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Caucuses & Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 218 - An act relating to fiscal year 2026 appropriations from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund

Walk-through

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

1:30 PM                   Oversight and Accountability

Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee - explanation of committee process

Dr. Mark Levine, M.D., Commissioner, Vermont Department of Health

Jess Kirby, Member, Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee

 

2:00 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Kathleen Berk, Executive Director, Vermont State Housing Authority

Caprice Hover, Special Programs Manager, Vermont State Housing Authority

 

3:00 PM                   Break

 

3:10 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Pollaidh Major, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

 

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

9:00 AM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Frank Knaack, Executive Director, Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont

 

9:30 AM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Julie Bond, Co-Executive Director, Good Samaritan Haven, Barre

Michael Redmond, Executive Director, Upper Valley Haven

Jon Hoover, Assistant Executive Director, Groundworks Collaborative

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:45 AM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Norma Hardy, Chief, Brattleboro Police Department

Josh Hanford, Director, Intergovernmental Affairs, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Samantha Sheehan, Municipal Policy and Advocacy Specialist, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

 

11:45 AM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Chris Donnelly, Director of Community Relations, Champlain Housing Trust

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   Recovery Day

Certified Recovery Residences

Candace Gale, Director of Community Relations, Vermont Foundation of Recovery

Joshua Maple, House Coordinator and Member, VFOR Essex Men's Transitional Apartment

Hilary Whitaker, Member, VFOR Barre Women's Recovery Home

 

1:30 PM                   Recovery Day

Recovery Service Organizations

Gary DeCarolis, Outgoing Executive Director, Recovery Partners of Vermont

Suzy Walker, Incoming Executive Director, Recovery Partners of Vermont

Lila Bennett, Executive Director, Journey to Recovery Community Center

Nicholas Farias, Guest, Journey to Recovery Community Center

 

2:00 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Alison Harte, Supportive and Affordable Housing Consultant

 

2:30 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Angela Lasso-Jimenez, Policy & Research Analyst, Office of Racial Equity

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

After Floor                         Governor's Proposed FY2026 Budget

Update from work groups and committee discussion

 

Thursday, February 20, 2025

9:00 AM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Alex Farrell, Commissioner, Department of Housing and Community Development

 

9:50 AM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Maryellen Griffin, Staff Attorney, Vermont Legal Aid

 

10:30 AM                   Joint Assembly

Election of Sergeant at Arms and UVM Trustees

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Sarah Launderville, Executive Director, Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL)

 

1:30 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Cheryl Jackins, Housing First Program Director, Pathways Vermont

 

2:00 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Beth Ann Maier, Vermont Interfaith Action

Mindy Rollins, Person with Lived Experience

Jason Braasch, Person with Lived Experience, Vermont Interfaith Action

Tom Morgan, Vermont Interfaith Action

Joey Corcoran, Vermont Interfaith Action

Melissa Battah, Executive Director, Vermont Interfaith Action

Fred Breunig, Vermont Interfaith Action

 

3:00 PM                   House Floor

 

Friday, February 21, 2025

9:30 AM                   House Floor

 

10:05 AM                   Governor's Proposed FY2026 Budget

Committee discussion

Nolan Langweil, Principal Fiscal Analyst, Joint Fiscal Office

 

12:00 PM                   Lunch

 

1:00 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Sarah Russell, Special Assistant to End Homelessness, City of Burlington

 

1:35 PM                   H. 91 - An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program

Balance of State, Continuum of Care

Mary Gerisch, Administrator, Bennington Housing Authority

 

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

 Lori Morse at lmorse@leg.state.vt.us