The president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate presides over the Senate of the U.S. state of Vermont in the absence of the lieutenant governor.[1] The president pro tempore also sets the policy priorities and legislative agenda for the Senate.[2][3]

Duties

In addition to presiding in the absence of the lieutenant governor, the president pro tempore is third in the gubernatorial line of succession, following the lieutenant governor and speaker of the House of Representatives.[4][5][6]

The Senate president pro tempore also serves as a member of the Senate's Committee on Committees.[1] The Committee on Committees, made up of the lieutenant governor, president of the Senate, and a state senator chosen by his or her peers, is responsible for making committee assignments and designating committee chairpersons, vice chairpersons and clerks.[1]

The Senate president is Senator Philip Baruth of Chittenden County, who took office on January 4, 2023.[7]

History

U.S. Senator Peter Welch served as Senate President from 1985 to 1989 and 2003 to 2007, and was the first Democrat to hold the post.[8] Peter Shumlin, Governor from 2011 to 2017, was President pro tempore from 1997 to 2003 and 2007 to 2011.[8] Becca Balint, Vermont's at-large member of the U.S. House since 2023, served as Senate President from 2021 to 2023.[9]

In the early days of the Vermont Senate, when the legislature met for a relatively short time each year, the lieutenant governor was usually present to preside over regular Senate sessions, and temporary presidents would be chosen on an as-needed basis for periods as short as one day, or even just the morning or afternoon session of one day.[10] By the 1870s, the position had evolved to the point where a permanent president pro tempore was chosen immediately after the convening of each new legislature.[11]

From the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s until the 1960s, only Republicans won statewide offices, and Republicans also controlled both the Vermont Senate and Vermont House of Representatives.[12] As part of the party's Mountain Rule, the post of Senate President, along with that of House Speaker, were used to groom future governors and lieutenant governors.[13] Including Shumlin, nine governors have served as Senate President (Eaton, Coolidge, Hendee, Redfield Proctor, McCullough, Prouty, Wills, Mortimer Proctor, Emerson, and Shumlin), as have six lieutenant governors who did not attain the governorship (Dale, Hinckley, Bates, Farnsworth, Babcock and Racine).[8]

Compensation

The president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate earned $10,080 in annual compensation as of 2005.[14] Starting in 2007, the salary receives an annual cost of living adjustment.[14]

List

No. President pro tempore Term Party
1 Horace Eaton 1841 Whig[8]
2 Ebenezer N. Briggs 1843 Whig[8]
3 James Barrett 1845 Whig[8]
4 George T. Hodges 1846–1847 Whig[8]
5 John Kimball 1848 Whig[8]
6 Oliver P. Chandler 1849 Whig[8]
7 William Weston 1850 Whig[15]
8 Asa Wentworth Jr. 1851 Whig[8]
9 Edward Seymour 1852 Whig[8]
10 Orlando Stevens 1853 Whig[16]
11 Carlos Coolidge 1853–1854 Whig[17]
12 James M. Hotchkiss 1856 Republican[18]
13 Augustus P. Hunton 1857 Republican[19]
14 Lucius E. Chittenden 1857–1858 Republican[20]
15 Bliss N. Davis 1859 Republican[8]
16 George Wilkins 1860 Republican[8]
17 Frederick E. Woodbridge 1861 Republican[8]
18 Thomas E. Powers 1861 Republican[8]
19 George F. Edmunds 1861–1862 Republican[21]
20 Henry E. Stoughton 1863 Republican[8]
21 Leverett B. Englesby 1864 Republican[8]
22 Worthington C. Smith 1865 Republican[8]
23 Seneca M. Dorr 1865–1866 Republican[8]
24 George W. Hendee 1867–1868 Republican[8]
25 George N. Dale 1869 Republican[8]
26 Charles H. Heath 1870 Republican[8]
27 Lyman G. Hinckley 1872 Republican[8]
28 Redfield Proctor 1874 Republican[8]
29 William W. Grout 1876 Republican[8]
30 Loveland Munson 1878 Republican[8]
31 Philip K. Gleed 1880 Republican[8]
32 Justus Dartt 1882 Republican[8]
33 Laforrest H. Thompson 1884 Republican[8]
34 Henry C. Bates 1886–1888 Republican[8]
35 Frank A. Dwinell 1890 Republican[8]
36 Alfred A. Hall 1892 Republican[8]
37 Frank Plumley 1894 Republican[22]
38 Ashbel A. Dean 1896 Republican[8]
39 John G. McCullough 1898 Republican[8]
40 Frederick W. Baldwin 1900 Republican[8]
41 Chauncey W. Brownell 1902 Republican[8]
42 George H. Prouty 1904 Republican[8]
43 William J. Van Patten 1906 Republican[8]
44 Ernest W. Gibson Sr. 1908 Republican[23]
45 Max L. Powell 1910 Republican[8]
46 Frederick H. Babbitt 1912 Republican[8]
47 Max L. Powell 1915 Republican[8]
48 William R. Fairchild 1917 Republican[8]
49 Martin S. Vilas 1919 Republican[8]
50 Harvey R. Kingsley 1921 Republican[8]
51 Walter K. Farnsworth 1923 Republican[8]
52 Edward H. Edgerton 1925 Republican[8]
53 Levi P. Smith 1927–1929 Republican[8]
54 William H. Wills 1931 Republican[8]
55 Charles B. Adams 1933 Republican[8]
56 William H. Wills 1935 Republican[8]
57 Ernest W. Dunklee 1937 Republican[8]
58 Mortimer R. Proctor 1939 Republican[8]
59 Joseph H. Denny 1941 Republican[8]
60 Lee E. Emerson 1943 Republican[8]
61 John A. M. Hinsman 1945 Republican[8]
62 Carroll L. Coburn 1947 Republican[8]
63 Asa S. Bloomer 1949 Republican[8]
64 Merrill W. Harris 1951 Republican[8]
65 Carleton G. Howe 1953 Republican[8]
66 Asa S. Bloomer 1955 Republican[8]
67 Robert S. Babcock 1957 Republican[8]
68 Asa S. Bloomer 1959–1963 Republican[8]
69 John H. Boylan 1963–1965 Republican[8]
70 George W. F. Cook 1965–1969 Republican[8]
71 Edward G. Janeway 1969–1975 Republican[8]
72 Robert A. Bloomer 1975–1985 Republican[8]
73 Peter Welch 1985–1989 Democratic[8]
74 Douglas Racine 1989–1993 Democratic[8]
75 John H. Bloomer 1993–1995 Republican[8]
76 Stephen W. Webster 1995–1997 Republican[8]
77 Peter Shumlin 1997–2003 Democratic[8]
78 Peter Welch 2003–2007 Democratic[8]
79 Peter Shumlin 2007–2011 Democratic[8]
80 John F. Campbell 2011–2017 Democratic[8]
81 Tim Ashe 2017–2021 Democratic/Progressive[24]
82 Becca Balint 2021–2023 Democratic[25]
83 Philip Baruth 2023– Democratic/Progressive[26]

References

  1. ^ a b c The Vermont Encyclopedia, pp. 17–18.
  2. ^ Epp, Henry; Patterson, Brittany. "Priorities For A Pandemic Session: Incoming Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint". www.vpr.org. No. 5 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Senate President Pro Tempore". State of Vermont. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Constitution of the State of Vermont". Vermont General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  5. ^ "3 V.S.A. § 1 — Vacancy, absence from State". Vermont General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "20 V.S.A. § 183 — Additional successor to office of governor". Vermont General Assembly. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  7. ^ Bradley, Pat (January 3, 2023). "Vermont Legislature set to begin its session Wednesday with a Democratic supermajority". WAMC Radio. Albany, NY.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv "List of Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate".
  9. ^ Mearhoff, Sarah (November 8, 2022). "Becca Balint becomes 1st woman to represent Vermont in Congress". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
  10. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1836), p. 10.
  11. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1873), p. 4.
  12. ^ Political Encyclopedia of U.S. States and Regions, p. 133.
  13. ^ American Legislative Leaders in the West, 1911-1994, p. 33.
  14. ^ a b "Salaries and Fees".
  15. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1851), p. 63.
  16. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1852), p. 70.
  17. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1853), p. 10.
  18. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1856), p. 16.
  19. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1857), p. 89.
  20. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1857), pp. 229–230.
  21. ^ Pro Tem: Presidents Pro Tempore of the United States Senate Since 1789, p. 69.
  22. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1894), p. 4.
  23. ^ Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont (1908).
  24. ^ "Walters: Newly Elected Senate President Ashe Comes Out Swinging".
  25. ^ "Balint nominated".
  26. ^ Duffort, Lola (November 13, 2022). "Democrats unanimously nominate Phil Baruth to serve as president of the Vermont Senate". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.

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