Vermont House of Representatives

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Vermont House of Representatives


General Information
Type:   Lower house
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 3, 2012
Website:   Official House Page
Leadership
House Speaker:  Shap Smith, (D)
Majority Leader:   Lucy Leriche, (D)
Minority leader:   Donald Turner, Jr., (R)
Structure
Members:  150
   Democratic Party (94)
Republican Party (47)
Progressive Party (5)
Independent (3)
Length of term:   2 years
Authority:   Section 7 of the Legislative Department of the Vermont Constitution
Salary:   $636/week + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010 (150 seats)
Next election:  November 6, 2012 (150 seats)
Redistricting:  Vermont legislature has control

Contents

The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly. The State of Vermont legislative districting Service divides representing districts into 66 single-member districts and 42 two-member constituencies. Each member represents an average of 4,172 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented approximately 4,059 residents.[2] Representatives are elected to a two year term without term limits. The House meets in Representatives Hall at the Vermont State House in Montpelier.

Sessions

The Vermont State Legislature, which the House is a part of, meets for biennial sessions starting on odd numbered years on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January, pursuant to Section 7 of the Legislative Department of the Vermont Constitution. The opening date for even numbered years is established by the sitting legislature during the year prior.

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the House will be in session from January 3 through mid-May.

Major issues

The two main issues facing the legislature are dealing with an estimated $75 million budget gap and finding ways to pay for recovery from Tropical Storm Irene.[3]

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the House was in session from January 5 through mid May. [4]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the House was in session from January 5 to May 12.[5]

Elections

2012

See also: Vermont House of Representatives elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Vermont House of Representatives will be held in Vermont on November 6, 2012. All 150 seats will be up for election.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in the elections is June 14, 2012.

2010

See also: Vermont House of Representatives elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Vermont House of Representatives were held in Vermont on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was July 19, 2010 and the primary election day was on September 14, 2010.

In 2010, the candidates for state house raised a total of $615,441 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [6]

Donor Amount
Campaign Research Center $8,050
Contributions by Candidate or Candidates Immediate Family $7,334
Vermont House Republican PAC $5,450
Contributions by Candidate or Candidates Immediate Family $5,409
Vermont State Employees Association $5,250
Obuchowski Tribute 90 $5,009
Vermont Association of Realtors $4,900
Branagan, Chris $4,867
Contributions by Candidate or Immediate Family $4,862
Skrill, S $4,452

Qualifications

The Vermont Constitution states, "No person shall be elected a Representative or a Senator until the person has resided in this State two years, the last year of which shall be in the legislative district for which the person is elected."[7]

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
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If there is a vacancy in the House, the Governor must select a replacement to fill the vacant seat.

The Governor must select a replacement that will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no deadlines set by statute on when a vacancy has to be filled[8] [9]

Representatives

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state houses
Party As of February 2012
     Democratic Party 94
     Republican Party 47
     Vermont Progressive Party 5
     Independent 3
     Vacancy 1
Total 150


Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the Vermont Legislature are paid $604.79 per a vote (to reduce the salary by 5% this biennium below the statutory level). Legislators who are non-commuters receive $101/day for lodging and $61/day for meals. Commuters receive $61/day for meals/mileage.[10]

The $604.79/vote that Vermont legislators are paid as of 2011 is a decrease from the $636.62/week they were paid during legislative sessions in 2010 and $600.78/week in 2007. Per diem has increased from $88/day lodging and $51/day for meals in 2007 to $101/day lodging and $61/day meals in 2010 and is the same in 2011.[11][12]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Vermont legislators assume office the first Wednesday after the first Tuesday in January.

Leadership

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body. [13]

Current leadership

Position Representative Party
Speaker of the House Shap Smith Democratic
State House Majority Leader Lucy Leriche Democratic
State House Assistant Majority Leader Vacant Democratic
State House Minority Leader Donald Turner, Jr. Republican
State House Assistant Minority Leader Pat McDonald Republican
State House Progressive Leader Sandy Haas Progressive

2010 Leadership

Position Representative Party
Speaker of the House Shap Smith Democratic
State House Majority Leader Floyd Nease Democratic
State House Assistant Majority Leader Lucy Leriche Democratic
State House Minority Leader Patti Komline Republican
State House Assistant Minority Leader Pat McDonald Republican
State House Progressive Leader Sandy Haas Progressive

Current members

District Representative Party Residence
Addison-1 Paul Ralston Democratic Middlebury
Addison-1 Betty Nuovo Democratic Middlebury
Addison-2 Willem Jewett Democratic Ripton
Addison-3 Gregory Clark Republican Vergennes
Addison-3 Diane Lanpher Democratic Vergennes
Addison-4 Michael Fisher Democratic Lincoln
Addison-4 David Sharpe Democratic Bristol
Addison-5 Harvey Smith Republican New Haven
Addison-Rutland-1 Will Stevens Non-partisan Shoreham
Bennington-1 Bill Botzow Democratic Bennington
Bennington-2-1 Timothy Corcoran, II Democratic Bennington
Bennington-2-1 Brian Campion Democratic Bennington
Bennington-2-2 Anne Lamy Mook Democratic Bennington
Bennington-2-2 Mary Morrissey Republican Bennington
Bennington-3 Alice Miller Democratic Shaftsbury
Bennington-4 Jeff Wilson Democratic Manchester Center
Bennington-5 Cynthia Browning Democratic Arlington
Bennington-Rutland-1 Patti Komline Republican Dorset
Caledonia-1 Leigh Larocque Republican St. Johnsbury
Caledonia-2 Lucy Leriche Democratic Hardwick
Caledonia-3 Gary Reis Republican St. Johnsbury
Caledonia-3 Robert South Democratic St. Johnsbury
Caledonia-4 Howard Crawford, Jr. Republican St. Johnsbury
Caledonia-4 Richard Lawrence Republican Lyndonville
Caledonia-Washington-1 Kitty Toll Democratic Danville
Chittenden-1-1 William Lippert, Jr. Democratic Hinesburg
Chittenden-1-2 Michael Yantachka Democratic Charlotte
Chittenden-2 Terence Macaig Democratic Williston
Chittenden-2 Jim McCullough Democratic Williston
Chittenden-3-1 William Aswad Democratic Burlington
Chittenden-3-1 Kurt Wright Republican Burlington
Chittenden-3-2 Jean O'Sullivan Democratic Burlington
Chittenden-3-3 Jason Lorber Democratic Burlington
Chittenden-3-3 Vacancy
Chittenden-3-4 Kesha Ram Democratic Burlington
Chittenden-3-4 Christopher Pearson Progressive Burlington
Chittenden-3-5 Johannah Leddy Donovan Democratic Burlington
Chittenden-3-5 Suzi Wizowaty Democratic Burlington
Chittenden-3-6 Kenneth Atkins Democratic Winooski
Chittenden-3-6 Clement Bissonnette Democratic Winooski
Chittenden-3-7 Michele Ferland Kupersmith Democratic South Burlington
Chittenden-3-8 Ann Pugh Democratic South Burlington
Chittenden-3-9 Bert Munger Democratic South Burlington
Chittenden-3-10 Helen Head Democratic South Burlington
Chittenden-4 Anne O'Brien Democratic Richmond
Chittenden-5-1 Kate Webb Democratic Shelburne
Chittenden-5-2 Joan Lenes Democratic Shelburne
Chittenden-6-1 Debbie Evans Democratic Essex Junction
Chittenden-6-1 Linda Myers Republican Essex Junction
Chittenden-6-2 Linda Waite-Simpson Democratic Essex Junction
Chittenden-6-2 Tim Jerman Democratic Essex Junction
Chittenden-6-3 Martha Heath Democratic Westford
Chittenden-7-1 Jim Condon Democratic Colchester
Chittenden-7-1 Bob Bouchard Republican Colchester
Chittenden-7-2 Patrick Brennan Republican Colchester
Chittenden-7-2 Kristy Kurt Spengler Democratic Colchester
Chittenden-8 William Frank Democratic Underhill
Chittenden-8 George Till Democratic Jericho
Chittenden-9 Ronald Hubert Republican Milton
Chittenden-9 Donald Turner, Jr. Republican Milton
Essex-Caledonia Janice Peaslee Republican Guildhall
Essex-Caledonia-Orleans William Johnson Republican Canaan
Franklin-1 Carolyn Whitney Branagan Republican Georgia
Franklin-1 Gary Gilbert Democratic Fairfax
Franklin-2 Eileen Dickinson Republican St. Albans
Franklin-2 Richard Howrigan, Sr. Democratic Fairfield
Franklin-3 Dustin Degree Republican St. Albans
Franklin-3 Kathleen Keenan Democratic St. Albans
Franklin-4 Peter Perley Republican Enosburg Falls
Franklin-5 Brian Savage Republican Swanton
Franklin-5 Michel Consejo Democratic Sheldon Springs
Franklin-6 Norman McAllister Republican Franklin
Franklin-6 Albert Pearce Democratic Richford
Grand Isle-Chittenden-1-1 Mitzi Johnson Democratic South Hero
Grand Isle-Chittenden-1-1 Bob Krebs Democratic Grand Isle
Lamoille-1 Heidi Scheuermann Republican Stowe
Lamoille-2 Linda Martin Democratic Walcott
Lamoille-3 Mark Woodward Democratic Johnson
Lamoille-4 Adam B. Howard Republican Cambridge
Lamoille-Washington-1 Peter Peltz Democratic Woodbury
Lamoille-Washington-1 Shap Smith Democratic Morrisville
Orange-1 Susan Hatch Davis Progressive West Topsham
Orange-1 Philip Winters Republican Williamstown
Orange-2 Sarah Copeland-Hanzas Democratic Bradford
Orange-Addison-1 Patsy French Democratic Randolph
Orange-Addison-1 Larry Townsend Democratic Randolph
Orange-Caledonia-1 Chip Conquest Democratic Wells River
Orleans-1 Robert Lewis Republican Derby
Orleans-1 Lynn Batchelor Republican Newport
Orleans-2 Duncan Kilmartin Republican Newport
Orleans-2 Michael Marcotte Republican Newport
Orleans-Caledonia-1 Vicki Strong Republican Orleans
Orleans-Caledonia-1 Sam Young Democratic Glover
Orleans-Franklin-1 Mark Higley Republican Lowell
Rutland-1-1 Andrew Donaghy Republican Poultney
Rutland-1-2 Tom Burditt Republican West Rutland
Rutland-1-2 Dave Potter Democratic Clarendon
Rutland-2 William Canfield Republican Fair Haven
Rutland-2 Robert Helm Republican Fair Haven
Rutland-3 Eldred French Democratic Cuttingsville
Rutland-4 James McNeil Republican Rutland Town
Rutland-5-1 Peter Fagan Republican Rutland
Rutland-5-2 Margaret Andrews Democratic Rutland
Rutland-5-3 Herb Font-Russell Democratic Rutland
Rutland-5-4 Gale Courcelle Democratic Rutland
Rutland-6 Charles Shaw Republican Pittsford
Rutland-7 Joe Acinapura Republican Brandon
Rutland-8 John Malcolm Democratic Pawlet
Rutland-Windsor-1 James Eckhardt Republican Mendon
Washington-1 Adam Greshin Non-partisan Warren
Washington-2 Anne Donahue Republican Northfield
Washington-2 Maxine Jo Grad Democratic Moretown
Washington-3-1 Paul Poirier Non-partisan Barre
Washington-3-2 Tess Taylor Democratic Barre
Washington-3-3 Patti Lewis Republican Barre
Washington-4 Thomas Koch Republican Barre
Washington-4 Francis McFaun Republican Barre
Washington-5 Mary Hooper Democratic Montpelier
Washington-5 Warren Kitzmiller Democratic Montpelier
Washington-6 Janet Ancel Democratic Calais
Washington-7 Tony Klein Democratic Montpelier
Washington-Chittenden-1 Tom Stevens Democratic Waterbury
Washington-Chittenden-1 Rebecca Ellis Democratic Waterbury Center
Windham-1 Mike Hebert Republican Vernon
Windham-2 Ann Manwaring Democratic Wilmington
Windham-3-1 Valerie Stuart Democratic Brattleboro
Windham-3-2 Mollie Burke Progressive Brattleboro
Windham-3-3 Sarah Edwards Progressive Brattleboro
Windham-4 Matt Trieber Democratic Bellows Falls
Windham-4 Carolyn Partridge Democratic Windham
Windham-5 David Deen Democratic Putney
Windham-5 Mike Mrowicki Democratic Putney
Windham-6 Richard Marek Democratic Newfane
Windham-Bennington-1 John Moran Democratic Wardsboro
Windham-Bennington-Windsor-1 Oliver Olsen Republican South Londonderry
Windsor-1-1 Leigh Dakin Democratic Chester
Windsor-1-2 Alice Emmons Democratic Springfield
Windsor-1-2 Cynthia Martin Democratic Springfield
Windsor-2 Ernest Shand Democratic Windsor
Windsor-3 Donna Sweaney Democratic Windsor
Windsor-4 John Bartholomew Democratic Hartland
Windsor-5 Alison Clarkson Democratic Woodstock
Windsor-6-1 Teo Zagar Democratic
Windsor-6-2 Kevin Christie Democratic White River Junction
Windsor-6-2 Charles Bohi Democratic White River Junction
Windsor-Orange-1 Sarah Buxton Democratic South Royalton
Windsor-Orange-2 Margaret Cheney Democratic Norwich
Windsor-Orange-2 James Masland Democratic Thetford Center
Windsor-Rutland-1 Dennis Devereux Republican Belmont
Windsor-Rutland-2 Sandy Haas Progressive Rochester

Standing committees

Vermont
House of Representatives
House Committees

AgricultureAppropriations
Commerce and Economic Development
Corrections and Institutions
EducationFish, Wildlife and Water Resources
General, Housing and Military Affairs
Government OperationsHealth CareHuman Services
JudiciaryNatural Resources and Energy
RulesTransportationWays and Means

Joint Committees
Senate Committees

The Vermont House has 15 standing committees:

External links

References

Personal tools