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Vermont House of Representatives
| Vermont House of Representatives | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Lower house |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2013 session start: | January 9, 2013 |
| 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 (96) Republican Party (45) Progressive Party (5) Independent (4) | |
| Length of term: | 2 years |
| Authority: | Section 7 of the Legislative Department of the Vermont Constitution |
| Salary: | $604.79/week + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 6, 2012 (150 seats) |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 (150 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Vermont legislature has control |
Contents |
As of May 2013, Vermont is one of 12 Democratic state government trifectas.
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.
2013
- See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions
In 2013, the Legislature will be in session from January 9 through May 10 (estimated).
Major issues
Lawmakers will have to address a projected budget shortfall of $50-$70 million.They are also expected to take up physician assisted death, and marijuana decriminalization.[3]
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the House was in session from January 3 through May 5.
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
Elections for the office of Vermont House of Representatives will be held in Vermont on November 6, 2012. All 150 seats were up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in the elections was June 14, 2012.
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]
| 2010 Donors, Vermont House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| 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
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
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]
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Vermont
The Vermont Legislative Apportionment Board is tasked with drawing redistricting maps, but the Legislature must approve -- and can revise -- any plans. The Board is made up of a chairperson selected by the Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, and six members, two from each of the major parties (Democratic, Republican, Progressive).
2010 census
Vermont received its census data on February 10, 2011. The state grew by 2.8 percent. The most populous cities had mixed results: Burlington grew by 9.1 percent, Essex grew by 5.2 percent, South Burlington grew by 13.2 percent, Colchester grew by 0.5 percent, and Rutland decreased by 4.6 percent.[10]
The 2011 redistricting process was notable for a push to eliminate nearly all of the state's multi-member districts. Though a preliminary plan that achieved this end was passed by the Board, its final plan from August 11, 2011 only reduced the number of two-member districts from 42 to 29.
The Legislature took up redistricting in January 2012. Despite disagreements over deviation from ideal district size (18.2 percent for the Senate and 24 percent for the House), the Senate passed and the House concurred with a final plan, H. 789. The plan added a new seat in Burlington, and paired incumbents Dennis Devereux (R) and Eldred French (D). Governor Peter Shumlin (D) signed the maps into law on May 1, 2012.
Representatives
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
| Party | As of May 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 96 | |
| Republican Party | 45 | |
| Vermont Progressive Party | 5 | |
| Independent | 4 | |
| Total | 150 | |
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Vermont State House from 1992-2013.
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2013, members of the Vermont Legislature are paid $604.79/week during session and $112/day for special sessions or interim committee meetings. Legislators who are non-commuters receive $101/day for lodging and $61/day for meals. Commuters receive $61/day for meals/mileage.[11]
Pension
Vermont does not provide pensions for legislators.[12]
When sworn in
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
| Current Leadership, Vermont House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Representative | Party |
| Speaker of the House | Shap Smith |  Democratic
|
| State House Majority Leader | Willem Jewett | Democratic
|
| State House Assistant Majority Leader | Tess Taylor | Democratic
|
| State House Minority Leader | Donald Turner, Jr. |  Republican
|
| State House Assistant Minority Leader | Brian Savage | Republican
|
| State House Progressive Leader | Christopher Pearson | Progressive |
Current members
Standing committees
The Vermont House has 15 standing committees:
- Agriculture and Forest Products
- Appropriations
- Commerce and Economic Development
- Corrections and Institutions
- Education
- Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources
- General, Housing and Military Affairs
- Government Operations
- Health Care
- Human Services
- Judiciary
- Natural Resources and Energy
- Rules
- Transportation
- Ways and Means
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
From 1992-2013, the Democratic Party was the majority in the Vermont State House of Representatives for 17 years while the Republicans were the majority for five years. Vermont was under Democratic trifectas for the final three years of the study.
Across the country, there were 579 Democratic and 482 Republican State Houses of Representatives from 1992-2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states have divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Vermont, the Vermont State Senate and the Vermont House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
.PNG)
External links
- Official Webpage of the Vermont State Legislature
- Official list of the current members of the Vermont House of Representatives
- Vermont House of Representatives on Wikipedia
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ Boston.com, "2013 Vt. legislative session to get under way," January 6, 2013
- ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Vermont Legislature
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Vermont House 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Vermont Constitution
- ↑ Michie "Vermont Statutes"(Referenced Statute, 2-1-4, Vermont Statutes)
- ↑ Michie "Vermont Statutes"(Referenced Statute, 2-1-9, Vermont Statutes)
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Vermont's 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," February 10, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
- ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
- ↑ USA Today, "State-by-state: Benefits available to state legislators," September 23, 2011
- ↑ Officers of the Vermont General Assembly 2009-2010
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