Vermont State Senate

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Vermont State Senate


General Information
Type:   Upper house
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 3, 2012
Website:   Official Senate Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Phillip Scott, (D)
Majority Leader:   Bill Carris (D)
Minority leader:   William Doyle, (R)
Structure
Members:  30
   Democratic Party (20)
Republican Party (8)
Vermont Progressive Party (2)
Length of term:   2 years
Authority:   Legislative Department, Sec. 6, Vermont Constitution
Salary:   $604.79/week + $162 per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010 (30 seats)
Next election:  November 6, 2012 (30 seats)
Redistricting:  Vermont legislature has control
Meeting place:

Contents

The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, which is Vermont's state legislature.

The Vermont senate includes 30 members. However, there are only 13 state senate districts in the state. Each member represents an average of 20,294 residents, as of the 2000 Census.[1]

  • 3 of these districts elect 1 state senator.
  • 6 of these districts elect 2 state senators.
  • 3 of these districts elect 3 state senators.
  • 1 of these districts elects 6 state senators.

Senators in Vermont serve two-year terms, rather than the more standard four-year terms.

Vermont senators have no term limits.

Sessions

The Vermont State Legislature, which the Senate 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 Senate 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.[2]

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the Senate was in session from January 5 through mid May. [3]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the Senate was in session from January 5 to May 12.[4]

Elections

2012

See also: Vermont State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Vermont State Senate will be held in Vermont on November 6, 2012. A total of 30 seats will be up for election.

The signature filing deadline for the elections is June 14, 2012.

2010

See also: Vermont State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Vermont State Senate 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 senate raised a total of $670,068 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [5]

Donor Amount
Branon, Mike $20,000
Bucknam, Charles $12,600
Fox, Sally G $10,700
Banon, Mike $10,000
Campaign Research Center $7,500
Green Mountain Republican Senate Cmte $7,300
Contributions by Candidate or Immediate Family $5,369
Blittersdorf, David C $5,000
Galbraith, Peter $5,000
Galbraith, Alan J $5,000

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."[6]

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
NevadaMassachusettsColoradoNew MexicoWyomingArizonaMontanaCaliforniaOregonWashingtonIdahoTexasOklahomaKansasNebraskaSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMinnesotaIowaMissouriArkansasLouisianaMississippiAlabamaGeorgiaFloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisWisconsinTennesseeNorth CarolinaIndianaOhioKentuckyPennsylvaniaNew JerseyNew YorkVermontVermontNew HampshireMaineWest VirginiaVirginiaMarylandMarylandConnecticutConnecticutDelawareDelawareRhode IslandRhode IslandMassachusettsNew HampshireMichiganMichiganAlaska

If there is a vacancy in the Senate, 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[7] [8]

Senators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the Vermont Legislature are paid $604.79/week. For this biennium, legislators approved a 5% reduction from the statutory rate. All legislators receive $101/day for lodging and $61/day for meals. Legislators who stay overnight may additionally receive a mileage reimbursement.[9][10]

The $604.79/week that Vermont legislators were paid as of 2011 is a decrease from the $636.62/week they were paid in 2010 and an increase from the $600.78/week they were paid in 2007. The per diem has increased from $88/day for lodging and $51/day for meals in 2007 to $101/day for lodging and $61/day for meals in 2010. There was no increase in 2011. The state's lodging and dining per diem is tied to the per diem for federal employees staying in Montpelier.[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.

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Party As of February 2012
     Democratic Party 20
     Republican Party 8
     Vermont Progressive Party 2
Total 30


Leadership

The Senate is headed by the State's Lieutenant Governor as the Senate President. The Senate President only votes in the case of a tie. More often, the Senate is presided over by the President Pro Tempore who also serves as head of the Majority Party.[13][14]

Current leadership

Position Representative Party
President Pro Tempore of the Senate John Campbell Democratic
State Senate Majority Leader Bill Carris Democratic
State Senate Minority Leader William Doyle Republican

2010 Leadership

Position Representative Party
President Pro Tempore of the Senate Peter Shumlin Democratic
State Senate Majority Leader John Campbell Democratic
State Senate Minority Leader William Doyle Republican

List of current members

District Representative Party Residence
1 Claire Ayer Democratic Addison
2 Harold Giard Democratic Addison
3 Robert Hartwell Democratic Bennington
4 Richard Sears Democratic Bennington
5 Jane Kitchel Democratic Caledonia
6 Joe Benning Republican Caledonia
7 Timothy Ashe Progressive Chittenden
8 Sally Fox Democratic Chittenden
9 Virginia Lyons Democratic Chittenden
10 Hinda Miller Democratic Chittenden
11 Philip Baruth Democratic Chittenden
12 Diane Snelling Republican Chittenden
13 Vincent Illuzzi Republican Essex-Orleans
14 Robert Starr Democratic Essex-Orleans
15 Randolph Brock Republican Franklin
16 Sara Branon Kittell Democratic Franklin
17 Richard Mazza Democratic Grand Isle
18 Richard Westman Republican Lamoille
19 Mark MacDonald Democratic Orange
20 Bill Carris Democratic Rutland
21 Margaret Flory Republican Rutland
22 Kevin Mullin Republican Rutland
23 Ann Cummings Democratic Washington
24 William Doyle Republican Washington
25 Anthony Pollina Progressive Washington
26 Peter Galbarith Democratic Windham
27 Jeanette White Democratic Windham
28 John Campbell Democratic Windsor
29 Richard McCormack Democratic Windsor
30 Alice Nitka Democratic Windsor

Senate Committees

The Vermont Senate has 11 standing committees:

External links


Wikipedia has an article on:

References

  1. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  2. ↑ Boston.com, "Vt. lawmakers to tackle Irene recovery, budget," January 2, 2012
  3. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  4. ↑ 2010 session dates for Vermont Legislature
  5. ↑ Follow the Money: "Vermont Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  6. ↑ Vermont Constitution
  7. ↑ Michie "Vermont Statutes"(Referenced Statute, 2-1-4, Vermont Statutes)
  8. ↑ Michie "Vermont Statutes"(Referenced Statute, 2-1-9, Vermont Statutes)
  9. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
  10. ↑ Vermont Statutes, Title 32, Chapter 15, § 1052
  11. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  12. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
  13. ↑ Vermont Secretary of State - Gov't History: Legislative Leadership
  14. ↑ Officers of the Vermont General Assembly 2009-2010
v • d • e
Democrat majority Current members of the Vermont State Senate
   
    Addison District
  1. Claire Ayer (D)
  2. Harold Giard (D)

    3. Bennington District

  3. Robert Hartwell (D)
  4. Richard Sears (D)

    5. Caledonia District

  5. Jane Kitchel (D)
  6. Joe Benning (D)
    Chittenden District
  1. Timothy Ashe (D/P)
  2. Sally Fox (D)
  3. Virginia Lyons (D)
  4. Hinda Miller (D)
  5. Philip Baruth (D)
  6. Diane Snelling (R)

    7. Essex-Orleans District

  7. Vincent Illuzzi (R)
  8. Robert Starr (D)
    Franklin District
  1. Randolph Brock (R)
  2. Sara Branon Kittell (D)

    3. Grand Isle District

  3. Richard Mazza (D)

    4. Lamoille District

  4. Richard Westman (R)
    Orange District
  1. Mark MacDonald (D)

    2. Rutland District

  2. Bill Carris (D)
  3. Margaret Flory (R)
  4. Kevin Mullin (R)

    5. Washington District

  5. Ann Cummings (D)
  6. William Doyle (R)
  7. Anthony Pollina (D)
    Windham District
  1. Peter Galbraith (D)
  2. Jeanette White (D)

    3. Windsor District

  3. John Campbell (D)
  4. Richard McCormack (D)
  5. Alice Nitka (D)
Democratic (22) • Republican (8) • Vermont State Senate • Vermont House of Representatives
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