Senate Committee on Institutions (Room 7)

The Senate Committee on Institutions has jurisdiction over matters relating to public buildings, lands in which the State has an interest, and the Department of Corrections.

Print

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Thursday, January 9, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Joint Assembly

Receive report of Canvassing Committee

2:00 PM

Joint Assembly

Governor's Inaugural Address

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Committee - Welcome Back

2:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

10:00 AM

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Senate Chamber

1:00 PM

Introductions and Discussion

Committee Staff Attorneys and JFO member

• Scott Moore, Legislative Finance Manager, Joint Fiscal Office
  
• Benjamin Novogroski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

1:50 PM

Adjourn

2:00 PM

Chairs and Vice Chairs Training

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Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

15 minutes after Senate adjourns

Introductions

Department of Finance and Management

• Will Anderson, Budget and Management Analyst, Department of Finance and Management
  
• Nick Kramer, Chief Operating Officer, Agency of Administration
  

2:10 PM

Break

2:30 PM

Capital Budget Overview

• Jon Gray, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Damien Leonard, Team Lead Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Scott Moore, Legislative Finance Manager, Joint Fiscal Office
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

15 minutes after Senate adjourns

Buildings and General Services

Introduction to BGS

• Emily Kisicki, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  
• Wanda Minoli, Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

2:25 PM

Break

2:50 PM

IT Overview

• Catherine Benham, Chief Fiscal Officer, Joint Fiscal Office
  
• Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Friday, January 17, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Legislative Reports

Reports from BGS related to Institutions Committee

• Cole Barney, Legislative Liaison, Department of Buildings and General Services
  
• Emily Kisicki, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  
• Wanda Minoli, Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

2:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

BGS Phases of Building Construction

Design and Construction Process Utilized by the Department of Buildings and General Services

• Joe Aja, Director Design & Construction, Department of Buildings and General Services
  
• Cole Barney, Legislative Liaison, Department of Buildings and General Services
  
• Emily Kisicki, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  
• Wanda Minoli, Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

1:40 PM

Project Updates

Updates of Current Capital Projects Supervised by the Department of Buildings and General Services

• Joe Aja, Director Design & Construction, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

2:50 PM

Adjourn

3:00 PM

Tour of Capitol Building

This hearing will not be broadcast or recorded

• David Schutz, State Curator, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor Convenes

15 minutes after Senate adjourns

Vermont State Treasurer

• Scott Baker, Director Financial Reporting, Office of the State Treasurer
  
• Jeremiah Breer, Chief Financial Officer, Office of the State Treasurer
  
• Ashlynn Doyon, Director of Policy, Office of the State Treasurer
  
• Michael Pieciak, Vermont State Treasurer, Office of the State Treasurer
  

2:45 PM

Break

3:00 PM

To Be Scheduled

Testimony

• Denise Reilly-Hughes, Secretary, Agency of Digital Services
  

3:30 PM

Adjourn

3:45 PM

Legislative Briefing

House Chamber

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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

15 minutes after Senate adjourns

FY24-25 Capital Bill Project Updates

• Joe Aja, Director Design & Construction, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

2:45 PM

Break

3:00 PM

Department of Corrections

Introductions and Overview

• Nicholas Deml, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Friday, January 24, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Corrections Update

Review of Act 159 from 2024

• Benjamin Novogroski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Governor's 2026 Budget Address

Joint assembly to receive budget address

2:15 PM

Joint Information Technology Oversight Committee

Recommendations

• Sen. Randy Brock, Senator, Franklin
  

2:45 PM

Break

3:00 PM

Corrections Workforce

Overview

• Steve Howard, Executive Director, Vermont State Employees Association
  
• Vince Illuzzi, State's Attorney, Essex County
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Governor's Recommended FY26-FY27 Capital Budget

Administration overview

• Nick Kramer, Chief Operating Officer, Agency of Administration
  

2:40 PM

Break

3:00 PM

Legislative Information Technology

Overview

• Lisa Gauvin, Consultant, Joint Fiscal Office
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Green Mountain Club

Long Trail protection update

• Mollie Flanigan, Director of Land Conservation, Green Mountain Club
  

2:00 PM

Adjourn

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Friday, January 31, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility

Updates

• Kathy Astemborski, Director of Women's Services, Department of Corrections
  
• Isaac Dayno, Executive Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Department of Corrections
  
• Wanda Minoli, Commissioner, Department of Buildings and General Services
  

1:45 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

2:35 AM

Department of Corrections

Staffing Update

• Nicholas Deml, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Department of Corrections

Infrastructure Overview

• Al Cormier, Chief of Operations, Department of Corrections
  
• Isaac Dayno, Executive Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Department of Corrections
  

2:15 PM

Break

3:00 PM

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Fish Hatchery Study Report

• Charles Martin, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources
  
• Eric Palmer, Director of Fisheries, Department of Fish and Wildlife
  
• Andrea Shortsleeve, Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife
  
• Dylan Sickles, Fish Culture Operations Manager
  

3:40 PM

Adjourn

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Thursday, February 6, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Water and Wastewater Funding in the Capital Bill

Overview and testimony

• Eric Blatt, Director of Engineering, Water Investment Division, Department of Environmental Conservation
  
• Neil Kamman, Deputy Commisioner, Department of Environmental Conservation
  

4:00 PM

Adjourn

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Friday, February 7, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Field Trip

Southern State Correctional Facility Tour, Springfield, VT

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Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Review of projects in the Governor's Recommended Capital Bill

• Jamie Duggan, Director of Preservation, State Historic Sites, Agency of Commerce and Community Development
  
• Laura Trieschmann, State Historic Preservation Officer, Department of Housing and Community Development
  

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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Agency of Digital Services

Review of 2025 Report

• Denise Reilly-Hughes, Secretary, Agency of Digital Services
  

2:45 PM

Vermont Council on the Arts

Overview of Art in State Buildings program

• Michele Bailey, Senior Program Manager, Vermont Arts Council
  

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Thursday, February 13, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Department of Motor Vehicles

• Andrew Collier, Commissioner, Department of Motor Vehicles
  

2:30 PM

Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Housing Projects included in the Capital Bill

• Alex Farrell, Commissioner, Department of Housing and Community Development
  

3:30 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Walk-through

• Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

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Friday, February 14, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

11:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition

Update

• Elizabeth Bridgewater, Executive Director, Windham and Windsor Housing Trust
  
• Jennifer Garrett, Project Director, Vermont Land Trust
  
• Jennifer Latham, Chair, Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association
  
• Patrick Shattuck, Executive Director, RuralEdge
  
• Bruce Whitney, Director of Homeownership, Windham and Windsor Housing Trust
  

2:20 PM

An act relating to fiscal year 2025 budget adjustments

Review of H.141 Sec. 81.

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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:30 AM

Senate Floor

1:00 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Introduction, testimony

• Suzanne Bernstein, Counsel, Electronic Privacy Information Center
  
• Sen. Wendy Harrison, Sponsor
  
• Zamaan Qureshi, Co-Chair, Design It For Us
  

2:00 PM

Community College of Vermont

CCV/DOC Vocational training/corrections education partnership program

• Judy Joyce, President, Community College of Vermont
  
• Bryan O'Connor, Director of Corrections Education, Community College of Vermont
  

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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

Senate Floor

1:30 PM

Vermont Agricultural Fairs

Review of capital grants program

• Ken Button, Addison County Fair and Field Days
  
• Robert Congdon, President, Vermont State Fair (Rutland)
  
• Jackie Folsom, Lobbyist, VT Agricultural Fairs Association
  
• Tim Shea, Executive Director, Champlain Valley Exposition
  
• Peggy Sherlock, Board Member, Tunbridge Fair
  
• Chris Vance, President, Caledonia County Fair
  

2:30 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Testimony

• Ravi Iyer, Researcher/Technologist, Anxious Generation
  
• Colin Robinson, Political Director, Vermont National Education Association
  
• Marisa Shea, Senior Policy Manager, Reset Tech
  

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Thursday, February 20, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

10:30 AM

Joint Assembly

Election of Sergeant at Arms and UVM Trustees

1:00 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Testimony

• Brianna January, Director, State and Local Government Relations, Chamber of Progress
  

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Break

1:30 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Testimony

• Lizzie Irwin, Public Affairs Coordinator, Center for Humane Technology
  

1:50 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Testimony

• Charity Clark, Attorney General, Attorney General's Office
  

2:15 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Testimony

• Bailey Sanchez, Deputy Director of US Legislation, Future Privacy Forum
  

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Friday, February 21, 2025

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

1:00 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Testimony

• Gaia Bernstein, Technology, Privacy, and Policy Professor of Law, Seton Hall University School of Law
  
• Amy Bos, Director of State and Federal Affairs, Net Choice
  
• Josh Golin, Executive Director, Fairplay
  
• Heidi Schumacher, General Pediatrician, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vermont Medical Society
  
• Ava Smithing, Advocacy and Operations Director, Young People's Alliance
  
• Megan Stokes, State Policy Director, Computer & Communications Industry Association
  
• Jason Van Driesche, Chief of Staff, Front Porch Forum
  

2:30 PM

S.69 - An act relating to an age-appropriate design code

Committe discussion

• Rik Sehgal, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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