 All right, we're live. All right, good afternoon. This is the Senate Health and Welfare Committee meeting. It is May 18th. And we are going to look at two proposals before us. One is JRH 6. I think we'll take that one up first for a vote. And Katie, you are here. Thank you for being here. So we have made no changes to JRH, we have not recommended changes to JRH 6, based on our testimony and information yesterday. So I'll open it up for discussion at this point. We did take a little vote, not a formal vote, an informal show of hands where we supported the draft that came to us. So is there any discussion further committee? Go ahead Ruth. Senator Hardy. Thank you. I just had a question based on our conversation in the Senate Democratic Caucus today. And I can ask that now or if you wanna vote first and then I can ask it, whichever you prefer Madam Chair. It depends on what the question is. Okay, so I guess I'll ask it and then you can say we wanna discuss it. So especially for Josh and Senator Taranzini and Senator Cummings who weren't there, we had a discussion about JRH 6. There were a number of questions. And one of the questions was regarding the fact that we had gotten some testimony on adding language or findings related to Abenaki Vermonters or indigenous people who live in Vermont. And I explained that given the time and the lack of runway to make changes in bills and get them back and forth that we did not make changes. And there was a question as to whether I would say in my floor report on the bill on behalf of the committee if we committed to making changes next session, was that what your understanding was based of that question or just working on the issue or I'm looking to you Madam Chair. I want the committee to tell me what I should say. So here's my suggestion. Let's see if there is a motion to vote on JRH 6 and then we'll take this up either as discussion or after we've completed our vote. Okay. Yeah, that's the next step I think. Okay. But I'm glad you raised it. Katie, it's all set to go. It is. I don't have to prepare anything since you're just approving it, so. Right, okay. All right. I would move to move JRH 6 to out of committee onto the Senate floor as introduced from the House. Okay. All right, any discussion? So I will say just in a bit in response to the questioning today about or the concern about a lack of indigenous folks in the resolution, at least the supporting documentation does talk about ethnic diversity and which is important in our state. So I don't feel that we're short changing anything at this point and I think that we can move ahead with the vote. Then we can talk about what it is we want to say on the floor about any promises. Okay. Any discussion? Senator Taranzini, please call the roll. Yes, I will. Senator Taranzini votes yes. Senator Hooker, please. Yes. Senator Cummings. Yes. Senator Hardy. Yes. Senator Lyons. Yes. Terrific. 500. All right. So Senator Hardy will get that up to the floor and it should be on the calendar for tomorrow. So we'll see how it goes. Katie, I do have one question for you and it relates to the information that is or is not in the resolution relating to our Abnaki population or our Native American population and ethnic groups from our state. As you look at that resolution, do you identify at least some reference to those group, to the group or do you think it's totally lacking? I'd have to look at each clause. Yeah. We talk about inequities based on race, generally. And then the next, the second whereas clause, we talk about systemic racism and social determinants of public health, all of which further adversely impact the health of people of color. The third whereas clause just is specific to inequities among black and Latino people in the United States. The fourth whereas clause talks about black residents. Fifth whereas clause is, let's see, specific or it's more general. It's race and ethnicity. And then we have a whereas clause about the incidence of COVID and it's broken down into categories by black Vermonters, Asian Vermonters, Hispanic Vermonters and the rate for other races. So I'm assuming that's where indigenous persons would be in that kind of broad category, other races. So I could keep going, but there are some places where the language is very specific to a particular group. There are other places where the language is a little bit more general. But of course, as was pointed out yesterday, there's no place where indigenous populations are specifically called out in this resolution. Okay, and then, so Senator Hardy, as you're going through for the floor presentation and looking at the information, the underlying supporting documentation might be helpful to see what is there. I'm gonna do the same thing, but in terms of making a promise about what we may or may not do, I think we are certainly concerned about having our abnaki population well represented as we correct inequities in the past and move forward. So either you or I can say something like that. I think it's not a matter of promising to do something, but we're certainly aware and understand the need for change, for doing something. Go ahead. Okay, that sounds good. And I also will point out that we did make changes to H 210 that included specific findings and language both relating specifically to indigenous and Native American and abnaki populations, but also to broadly finding better terminology than using non-white. And Katie in particular worked hard to get that language right. And so I think that this committee has already shown a commitment to that. And so I guess I will underscore that as well. And then of course, the eugenics policy and practices apology that we passed last week is also part of that. So we have done some things already this session and there's certainly more work to do. And I think this committee committed to that. And we're aware of that. Of course. No, I think those are two good things to point out. I think in particular S 210. Yeah. Okay. Good. Okay, great. Thank you. So I don't say things that we don't all feel comfortable with. We don't want to make promises because sometimes you can't keep them, but we are certainly aware of the things that we would like to do. Great. Thank you. No, thank you. Okay. And whether I get up and say, and get up, whether I raise my hand to say anything, we'll see what transpires. I think just knowing that there may be another alternative proposal coming forward. We'll see. Katie, thank you so much for your work on this and taking the time from your family to be with us this afternoon. So I think we're good. We're, I think we're, I think we're all set. You can launch off to commence to go forth. All right.