Following the Senate & House Committee Livestreams
Right now, the legislative process has never been more accessible. To help you navigate the live streams for the House and Senate Committee meetings, we're sharing what we're tuning into each week.
Week of June 15th, 2020
Carlen Finn, Senior Policy Associate:
I’ll be following the House and Senate Committees on Education this week. The House Committee on Education is proposing that $25m from Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) be appropriated to the Agency of Education for the purpose of reimbursing school districts for fiscal year 2020 COVID-19 related costs. Approved independent schools and higher education appropriations are included. For more detailed discussion about these recommendations you can tune into last week’s committee meeting, starting with June 9th. The June 16th committee meeting also reviewed the Senate Committee on Education’s CRF appropriation language which differs from theirs. You can tune in on June 17th, for continued discussion on CRF education appropriations. I’d also encourage others to tune in to the Senate Committee on Education’s meeting with the Agency of Education Secretary and their discussion around the planning for reopening of schools, and the use of CRF monies for schools. There was also a discussion of higher education, needs and appropriations.
Tuesday 10AM & Wednesday 9:00 AM & 4PM: Livestream or view the recording of the House Committee on Education’s discussion of the appropriations of CRF Funds here.
Tuesday 2:30PM: Livestream or view the recording of the Senate Committee on Education’s discussion of reopening schools in the fall here.
Amy Brady, Policy Associate: I’ll continue to follow the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations discussion of Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) appropriations throughout the week. In a similar vein, I’ll be watching the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare’s discussion of a CRF proposal as well as their review of legislation referred to the house committee on health care. I’ll also be following the House Judiciary Committee’s discussion of H. 936- An act relating to sexual exploitation of children and S 232- An act relating to implementing the expansion of juvenile jurisdiction. Finally, I’ll be reviewing the Senate Committee on Government Operations’ discussion about the recruitment, hiring, training and promotion of law enforcement officers.
Monday- Thursday, Various Times: Livestream or view the recording of the House Committee on Appropriations’ discussion of the pandemic aid response through CRF appropriations here.
Monday, 10:00 AM & Wednesday 1:00PM: Livestream or view the recording of the Senate Committee on Appropriations’ discussion of CRF appropriations here.
Tuesday, 11:30 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the House Committee on Judiciary’s discussion of H. 936 and S.232 here.
Tuesday, 2:00 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the Senate Committee on Government Operations’ discussion about law enforcement here.
Wednesday 10:15 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the Senate Committee on Health & Welfare’s review of legislation referred to the House Committee on Health Care here.
Wednesday & Thursday 9:30 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the Senate Committee on Health & Welfare’s discussion of the CRF proposal here.
Week of June 8th, 2020
Carlen Finn, Senior Policy Associate:
I’ll be closely following the House and Senate Committees on Education this week. On Tuesday the House Committee on Education will hear from the Secretary and Education Finance Manager from the Agency of Education as well as staff from education-related organizations like the superintendents, principals, educators and special educators associations, and the Senate Committee on Education will be addressing standardized testing for adult learning.
Tuesday, 12:00 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion Education Finances here.
Tuesday, 2:30 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about the standardized learning here.
Sarah Teel, Research Director:
I’ll be tuning into the House Committee on Health Care on Tuesday and Wednesday for their discussion of Coronavirus Relief Funds for Health Care. On Wednesday morning at 9:30, Senate Health and Welfare will be having a childcare legislative solutions policy discussion. I will also be listening to the House Human Services Committee discussion Thursday at noon about S.185, a bill about establishing a state Climate Change Response Plan.
Tuesday, 11:00 AM & Wednesday 9:00 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about the Coronavirus Relief Funds for Health Care here.
Wednesday, 9:30 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about the Childcare legislative solutions here.
Thursday, 12:00 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about establishing a state Climate Change Response Plan here.
Amy Brady, Policy Associate:
There’s a lot going on this week regarding allocation of Coronavirus Relief Funding(CRF). I’ll be tuning into the CRF conversations conversation Tuesday through friday in the House Committee on Appropriations, House Committee on General, Housing, and Military Affairs, the House Committee on Human Services, and the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare. I’ll also be tuning in to the Senate Committee on Judiciary’s conversation about Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Reform.
Week of June 1st, 2020
This week we pausing our regularly scheduled content and using our platform to elevate black voices as we dedicate our time to listening, learning, and acting in solidarity with the black and brown community. We encourage you to take this time to educate yourselves, reflect, and develop a plan of action. This excellent list of resources by Racial Equity Tools provides a good place to start.
Week of May 25th, 2020
Michelle Fay, Executive Director:
I’ll be tuning into the House Committee on Human Services’ hearing on the reopening of child care programs. Scheduled testimony includes administration officials, community based providers and advocates. A wide divergence of opinions about how and when to reopen early care and learning programs has emerged (see BBF Executive Director Morgan Crossman’s recent Senate testimony for an excellent summary). We are concerned that not enough attention is being paid to equity in these decisions, and that families’ choices and risk exposure are driven by a desire to roll back Covid-19 financial supports for families rather than by what’s best for kids.
Tuesday, 1 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about reopening child care programs here.
Sarah Teel, Research Director:
I’ll be focusing my attention on the Senate Health and Welfare committee this week, who will be holding important meetings, including a joint meeting with the House Committee on Health Care, related to the COVID-19 Response and in particular the Coronavirus Relief Fund.
Tuesday, 11 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about the Coronavirus Relief Fund here.
Wednesday, 9 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion about the financial status of the health care system related to the COVID-19 response here.
Carlen Finn, Senior Policy Associate:
I’ll be reviewing last week’s nearly two-hour House Committee on Education’s May 22nd meeting. Jess DeCarolis with the Agency of Education was asked to update the committee on remote learning and proficiency-based learning and started by answering committee questions about student internet and device access. The committee also heard from Chloe Wexler with the Joint Fiscal Office about the current state of education financing. Chloe presented information about Education Fund sources and a preliminary education fund outlook for FY21.
Livestream or view last week’s recording of the discussion about remote learning, student internet and device access, and the state of education financing here.
Amy Brady, Policy Associate:
I’ll be devoting my time this week to the Virtual 2020 Quality Parenting Initiative Conference: Relationship-based systems in uncertain times, which will focus on keeping relationships front and center during “the new normal”. You can learn more and register here.
Week of May 18th, 2020
Carlen Finn, Senior Policy Associate:
I’ll be tuning in to the House Committee on Education’s “possible discussion” of Funding for FY 21 under the heading of Education Finance on Tuesday, May 19th. The committee meeting opens with a focus on Trends in Higher Education at 12:00 pm. Any discussion of FY 21 funding will take place after that.
For a look at what legislators are asking about when it comes to the use of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds I recommend tuning into the May 7th Senate Education Committee and the May 12th House Ways and Means Committee meetings.
Tuesday, 12 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion of Funding for Fiscal Year 21 here.
View the recording of the May 7th Senate Education Committee meeting on ESSER funds here.
View the recording of the May 12th House Ways and Means Committee meeting on ESSER funds here.
Amy Brady, Policy Associate: There’s a lot to follow this week. I've started out the week by tuning into the House Committee on Appropriations’ review of Department budget instructions for the Fiscal Year 2021 first quarter appropriations bill.
I also tuned into the Federal Funds update for COVID-19, where Adam Gresin shared the “skinny budget” instructions. Questions prompted discussions about matching funds, emergency options, rule making, and possible policy changes that will impact the budget going forward. In addition, more details were shared about Vermont’s Coronavirus Pandemic Funding.
Looking ahead to the rest of the week, I’ll be continuing to follow the discussion about post-COVID housing for the currently homeless in the House Committee on General, Housing, and Military Affairs. I’m also very interested to hear the House Committee on Human Services’ discussion of justice involved youth in residential care
Monday, 11 AM: View the recording of the review of department budget instructions and federal funds update for COVID-19 here.
Tuesday, 11 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the the discussion about post-COVID housing for the currently homeless here.
Thursday, 12 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion of justice-involved youth here.
Sarah Teel, Research Director: On Wednesday, Senate Health & Welfare is giving some attention to a list of non-COVID-related bills and topics, from maternal mortality to contraceptive access. You can see what is being looked at here. Later in the week, the two health committees are meeting jointly to continue working on telehealth insurance coverage and access. You can watch Thursday morning starting at 9 here:
Wednesday, 9:30 AM : Livestream or view the recording of the Senate Health & Welfare conversations here.
Thursday, 9 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion of Telehealth insurance coverage here.
Kit Harrington, Communications and Engagement Coordinator: On Friday morning, the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare will be addressing Childcare Facility Guidelines in response to COVID-19. You can review the guidelines here.
Friday, 9:30 AM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion of Telehealth insurance coverage here.
Week of May 11th, 2020
Sarah Teel, Research Director: I’ll be listening to the budget adjustment conversations in Thursday’s joint meetings of Senate Health and Welfare and House Health Care
Thursday, 10 AM : Livestream or view the recording of the COVID-19 FY2020 Proposed Budget Adjustment conversations here.
Amy Brady, Policy Associate: I’ll be starting out this week tuning into the budget discussions on Tuesday in the House Committee on Appropriations and the Supplemental Budget Adjustment Bill testimony by the Agency of Human Services in the House Committee on Human Services. Then on Wednesday, I’ll be listening to the joint hearing of the House Committee on Human Services and Senate Health and Welfare on a bill establishing a health care emergency State plan. Thursday, I’ll be tuning in throughout the afternoon to the House Committee on Human Services’ hearings on reopening child care and homelesssness.
Tuesday, 10AM: Livestream or view the recording of the supplemental budget adjustment bill here (review and vote at 2PM).
Tuesday 2PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion of the Supplemental Budget Adjustment Bill here.
Wednesday 9AM: Livestream or view the recording of the joint discussion of 20-096 relating to the establishment of a health care emergency state plan here.
Thursday, 9AM & 1PM: Livestream or view the recording of the testimony on re-opening childcare and homelessness here.
Week of May 4th, 2020
Carlen Finn, Senior Policy Associate: I’ll be listening to the Senate Education Committee discuss Immediate Funding Priorities today at 2:00 PM. Then on Thursday at 2:00 PM, I'll be listening to Dan French, Secretary of the Agency of Education, talk about “Where we Stand on the Reopening of Schools.”
I'll also be tuning in today at 12:00 PM to hear the House Education Committee get an update on Act 66 (2019), Water Testing for Lead in Schools and Child Care Facilities.
Tuesday, 12PM: Livestream or view the recording of the update on water testing for lead here.
Tuesday, 2 PM: Livestream or view the recording of the discussion of funding priorities here.
Thursday, 2PM: Livestream or view the recording of the conversation on the reopening of schools here.
Amy Brady, Policy Associate: I'll be contributing to the testimony this Thursday in the House Committee on Human Services on the needs of childcare workers and the availability of childcare care to people returning to work in non-essential occupations.
Thursday, 12:00 pm: Livestream or view the recording on childcare and return to work here.
Sarah Teel, Research Director: I’ll be listening to the joint update to Senate Health and Welfare/House Health Care about telehealth during Covid-19.
I'll also be continuing to follow the discussion about homeless housing transitions and long-term plans to end homelessness, tuning on Tuesday morning to the House Committee on General, Housing, and Military Affairs