The Vermont Legislature gaveled into a new biennium this morning and its first order of business involved organizational items and choosing the leaders of each chamber. In one high-profile race, the House Speaker turned away a challenge.
The Vermont Senate gaveled in just before the House began its business. Following devotionals, each chamber conducted roll calls and then began organizing for the session, including swearing in representatives.
In the Senate, Democrat/Progressive Phil Baruth, who held the position of Pro-Tem during the previous biennium, was the only nominee and received unanimous approval to serve in the position again.
He noted that over the last two years historic legislation was passed to meet major challenges, but said the Legislature must still address complex problems.
“Today we face spiking property taxes and an education finance system that has become too complicated to understand and too unreliable to trust. I’ll make you all a promise here today. I will work like a dog every single day of this biennium to solve these two complex interwoven problems. It’s our top priority, in my opinion, and we cannot adjourn without a comprehensive legislative framework in hand,” Baruth pledged.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas presided over House proceedings until the body elected a Speaker. Burlington Democrat Jill Krowinski, who had served as Speaker since 2021, was challenged by Dover Independent Laura Sibilia. After about a half hour of debate, representatives voted and Hanzas announced the results of the secret ballot.
“Majority needed for the election is 74. Those voting for Jill Krowinski of Burlington: 111. Those voting for Laura Sibilia of Dover: 35,” reported Hanzas. “Jill Krowinski having received a majority of votes cast is hereby elected Speaker of the House for the ensuing biennium.”
As she ascended the dais, Krowinski pledged to approach the biennium with new dedication.
“Collaboration is essential in this moment. Members, the challenges before us are clear. They are urgent and they are complex. We need to address the future of our public education and rising property taxes. This will be very, extremely difficult work. For meaningful progress to be made, we must come together as a body with the Senate and with the Governo,” Krowinski told the representatives.
In an earlier interview with WAMC, Sibilia said if she lost her campaign for Speaker, she would continue to work across the aisle to solve problems as she has for the past 10 years.
“What has been really encouraging and exciting is the hopefulness of Vermonters about this contest. I think that that hopefulness goes on,” Sibilia said. “I have been a very effective legislator and that is because of my ability to work across the aisle and frankly because I’m an Independent and I have a lot less partisan pressure on me to sit down and be quiet.”
The Legislature will meet in joint session Thursday afternoon to hear Republican Governor Phil Scott’s inaugural address.
