Will discuss 100% renewable power, criminal offense reclassification, reducing student loan debt, state budget, health care reform, COVID-19 response etc. 

By Guy Page 

March 16, 2020 – As the old saying goes, the church isn’t the building, it’s the people. Despite this week’s closure of the Vermont State House, most Vermont Senate committees are scheduled to meet this week via remote access. The public is welcome to attend remotely as well. Last week, Senate Pro Tem Tim Ashe said Senate committees would likely meet to take testimony and discuss issues, but would not be taking votes on legislation. 

According to the weekly committee agenda page published on the Vermont Legislature website, Issues the Senate will discuss include:

• S267, the “Fortress Vermont” 100% instate renewable power bill (Natural Resources)
• H580, classification of criminal offenses (Judiciary)
• S290 Health Care Reform implementation (Health & Welfare)
• S331, reducing student loan debt for rural workers (Economic Development)
• Appropriations bill, Appropriations Committee
• COVID-19 response (Senate Finance)
• Composting regulations (Natural Resources)

None of the Vermont House committees are scheduled to meet remotely. 

Below are the Senate committees, meeting times, agenda items, and (where available) call-in information, as published on the Vermont Legislature’s website. For the committees lacking call-in information, check the website for updates or contact the legislative assistant for each committee by email.

Senate Committee on Appropriations

AGENDA

Room 5

March 17, 2020 – March 18, 2020

Last Updated 3/16/2020 6:54 AM

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

2:00 PM                   20-0731 – An act relating to making appropriations for the support of government

Via Conference Call (Call in Instructions to be Posted March 16)

FY 21 Budget–Agency of Natural Resources  [NATURAL RESOURCES]

  Environmental Conservation

  Agency Overview/Central Office

  Fish and Wildlife

Peter Walke, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation

Tracy LaFrance, Financial Manager, Department of Environmental Conservation

Julie Moore, Secretary, Agency of Natural Resources

Emily Byrne, Management Services Director, Agency of Natural Resources

Louis Porter, Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife

Steve Gomez, Financial Manager, Department of Fish and Wildlife

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

1:30 PM                   20-0731 – An act relating to making appropriations for the support of government

Via Conference Call (Call in Instructions to be posted March 16)

FY 2021 Budget–Vermont Housing and Conservation Board  [COMMERCE & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT]

Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Larry Mires, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Jennifer Hollar, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Anne Duffy, Chief Financial Officer, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

2:00 PM                   20-0731 – An act relating to making appropriations for the support of government

Via Conference Call (Call in Instructions to be Posted March 16)

FY 2021 Budget–Natural Resources Board  [NATURAL RESOURCES]

Diane Snelling, Chair, Natural Resources Board

Kimberley Lashua, Business Director, Natural Resources Board

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Friday, March 20, 2020

Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs

AGENDA

Room 27

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/13/2020 4:53 PM

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

2:00 PM                   S. 331 – An act relating to reducing student loan debt for rural Vermont workers

Conference Call

Call-in Number: 1-877-278-2734

Participant Code:  505982

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Denise Gumpper at 802-828-3803 or dgumpper@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Education

AGENDA

Room 28

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/13/2020 5:35 PM

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

10:00 AM                   Committee Discussion

NOTE:  This meeting will be held as a conference call.  To participate or listen in to the call, please call 1-877-278-2734 and use the Pin#172076.

Senate Committee on Finance

AGENDA

Room 6

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/14/2020 9:44 AM

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

3:00 PM                   COVID 19 Response

Conference Call

1-877-278-2734

Participant Code: 375520

Michael Pieciak, Commissioner, Department of Financial Regulation – Invited

Craig Bolio, Commissioner, VT Department of Taxes – Invited

Chris D’Elia, President, Vermont Bankers’ Association – Invited

Joseph Bergeron, Executive Director, Association of Vermont Credit Unions – Invited

Warren Coleman, Lobbyist, GMP – Invited

Cameron Wood, Director, Unemployment Insurance Division, Department of Labor – Invited

ATTENTION WITNESSES- Please email handouts to the committee assistant before your scheduled meeting date and bring 0 hard copies. Please write your name, organization, date and title on each document. With few exceptions, any documents you hand out to a committee, or send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s webpage.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Faith Brown at 802-828-2253 or fbrown@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Government Operations

AGENDA

Room 4

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/13/2020 4:37 PM

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

–                                   No Committee Meeting Scheduled

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

8:30 AM                   Committee  Discussion

NOTE:  This meeting will be held as a conference call.  To participate or listen in to the call, please call (877) 278-2734 and use the Pin # 725345.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

–                                   No Committee Meeting Scheduled

Friday, March 20, 2020

–                                   No Committee Meeting Scheduled

ATTENTION WITNESSES- Please email handouts to the committee assistant before your scheduled meeting date and bring 6 hard copies. Please write your name, organization, date and title on each document. With few exceptions, any documents you hand out to a committee, or send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s webpage.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Gail Carrigan at 828-2272 or gcarrigan@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Health and Welfare

AGENDA

Room 17

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/16/2020 9:19 AM

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

–                                   No Committee Meeting Scheduled

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

9:30 AM                   S. 290 – An act relating to health care reform implementation

Committee Discussion

NOTE:  This meeting will be held as a conference call.  To participate or listen in to the call, please call (877)278-2734 and use the Pin# 124560.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

9:30 AM                   S. 290 – An act relating to health care reform implementation

Committee Discussion

NOTE:  This meeting will be held as a conference call.  To participate or listen in to the call, please call (877)278-2734 and use the Pin# 124560.

Friday, March 20, 2020

–                                   No Committee Meeting Scheduled

ATTENTION WITNESSES- Please email handouts to the committee assistant before your scheduled meeting date. With few exceptions, any documents you hand out to a committee, or send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Doris Oatley at 802-828-2279 or doatley@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Institutions

AGENDA

Room 7

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/13/2020 5:37 PM

Friday, March 20, 2020

8:30 AM                   Senate morning committees

This meeting will be held as a conference call.  To participate or listen in to the call, please call 1-877-278-2734 and use the Pin#151030.

ATTENTION WITNESSES- Please email handouts to the committee assistant before your scheduled meeting date and bring 6 hard copies. Please write your name, organization, date and title on each document. With few exceptions, any documents you hand out to a committee, or send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s webpage.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Denise Diehl at 802-828-2352 or ddiehl@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Judiciary

AGENDA

Room 1

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/15/2020 11:21 AM

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

–                                   No Committee  Meeting Scheduled

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

12:00 PM                   H. 580 – An act relating to establishing a classification system for criminal offenses

This meeting will be held as a conference call.

To participate or listen to the call, please call 1-877-278-2734 and use pin number 196138

Erik FitzPatrick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council

James Pepper, Deputy State’s Attorney, Department of State’s Attorneys & Sheriffs – Invited

Thursday, March 19, 2020

–                                   No Committee  Meeting Scheduled

Friday, March 20, 2020

10:00 AM                   No Committee  Meeting Scheduled

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Peggy Delaney at 802-828-2278 or pdelaney@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy

AGENDA

Room 8

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/13/2020 5:42 PM

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

12:00 PM                   S. 267 – An act relating to the Renewable Energy Standard

Amendment Walk-through and  Committee Discussion

Conference Call

1-877-278-2734

Participant #725345

12:30 PM                   Energy Efficiency Modernization (Act 62)

Finance Proposal Amendment of S. 337

Conference Call 1-877-278-2734

Participant #725345

Thursday, March 19, 2020

12:00 PM                   S. 267 – An act relating to the Renewable Energy Standard

Amendment-Walk-through and Committee Discussion

Conference Call 1-877-278-2734

Participant #725345

12:30 AM                   Energy Efficiency Modernization (Act 62)

Finance Proposal Amendment of S.337

Conference Call 11-877278-2734

Participant #725345

1:00 PM                   Regulation of Composting

S.265 Committee Discussion

Conference Call 1-877-278-2734

Participant #725345

ATTENTION WITNESSES- Please email handouts to the committee assistant before your scheduled meeting date.. Please write your name, organization, date and title on each document. With few exceptions, any documents you hand out to a committee, or send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s webpage.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Jude Newman at 802-828-2296 or jnewman@leg.state.vt.us

Senate Committee on Transportation

AGENDA

March 17, 2020 – March 20, 2020

Last Updated 3/16/2020 9:22 AM

11:00 AM                   Committee Discussion

Conference Call 1-877-278-2734

Participant #151030

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Denise Diehl at 802-828-2352 or ddiehl@leg.state.vt.us