Intern tells House Commerce committee Senate priorities include Bill S6, housing, workforce and data-privacy measures

Helen Ardrates, the legislative intern for the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, told committee members on Jan. 17 that the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs is prioritizing housing, permit appeals, workforce development, data privacy and several bills — including one labeled S6 that is now in committee.

Ardrates said the information came from her week of following the Senate committee and that her written report is posted to the House committee’s documents for Friday’s meeting.

Ardrates summarized items she heard as highest priority for the Senate committee and noted which measures the Senate members said they planned to pursue this session. She reported that the Senate committee currently has one bill in committee, “Bill S6,” which she described as “an act relating to appealing the Commissioner of Labor’s authority to recommend a subminimum wage for individuals with a disability.” She said S6 was read for the first time and referred to committee on Jan. 10 and that there had been no discussion of it in the Senate committee in the week she observed.

On housing, Ardrates reported that senators repeatedly raised housing as a top priority. She said Senator Clarkson mentioned proposing “another dedicated source of funding for housing,” Senator Weeks discussed working with “DHIP,” and Senator Brock spoke about “streamlining” permit-appeal processes to increase housing construction. Ardrates said the Senate committee also plans landlord-tenant work and continued attention to property-tax issues.

Ardrates told the House committee that workforce development is “very top of mind,” and that Senator Clarkson is working on a bill to finalize statutes for an Oversight Committee of Workforce Expansion alongside the Office of Workforce Strategy and Development.

Data privacy was another recurring topic in the Senate discussions Ardrates observed. She reported that Senator Clarkson is focused on consumer-privacy protections and is considering a House-starting bill on the topic. Ardrates said Senator Hinsdale asked whether the committee should consider adding a private right of action under HIPAA but that Hinsdale “does not appear to support that.” Ardrates characterized that exchange as a point of disagreement within the Senate committee.

Immigration issues were also discussed, she said, including H-2B work visas and possible bills addressing farmworker housing and rights. Ardrates reported that Senator Brock recommended looking at incentives to attract film production to Vermont and that Senator Hinsdale thought the current climate in Los Angeles made that an opportune moment to pursue incentives.

Ardrates said she recorded impressions from the Senate’s departmental introductions as well: Senator Hinsdale questioned whether the “basic needs” budget accurately reflects current housing realities and suggested alternative approaches; Senator Clarkson disagreed with some of Hinsdale’s assumptions. Ardrates said the Vermont Chamber of Commerce emphasized the link between housing and workforce issues, and that the Department of Labor discussion reinforced Clarkson’s workforce-related bill work.

Finally, Ardrates reported that the Vermont Board of Liquor and Lottery mentioned exploring a proposal to permit online lottery sales.

Ardrates concluded by noting her report will be posted on the committee’s documents page and that she intends to continue sending weekly reports to the committee (typically on Thursdays).