Vermont General Assembly

Vermont General Assembly
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate House
Leadership
President/Lt. Governor	David Zuckerman (P) Since January 5, 2017
President Pro Tem of the Senate	Tim Ashe (P) Since January 6, 2017
Senate Majority Leader	Becca Balint (D) Since January 6, 2017
Speaker of the House	Mitzi Johnson (D) Since January 4, 2017
House Majority Leader	Sarah Copeland-Hanzas (D) Since January 7, 2015
Structure
Seats	180 30 senators 150 representatives
Political groups	Governing parties      Democratic (21)*      Progressive (4)* Opposition party      Republican (7)
Political groups	Democratic (85)*      Republican (53)      Progressive  (7)*      Independent (6)
Elections
Last election	November 4, 2014
Meeting place
Vermont State House
Website
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/

Governing parties

Opposition party

The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The General Assembly is a bicameral legislature, consisting of the 150-member Vermont House of Representatives and the 30-member Vermont Senate. Members of the House are elected by single and two-member districts. 58 districts choose one member, and 46 choose two, with the term of service being two years. The Senate includes 30 Senators, elected by 13 multi-member districts. It is the only state legislative body in the United States in which a third-party has had continuous representation and been consecutively elected alongside Democrats and Republicans.

The Vermont General Assembly meets at the Vermont State House in the state capital of Montpelier. Biennial terms commence on the first Wednesday following the first Monday in January (beginning in 1915; thus, terms commence in odd-numbered years).

Legislative elections are held in November of every even-numbered year. Representatives and Senators serve two-year terms. One must be a resident of the state for the two years, and of the legislative district for the one year, immediately preceding the election in order to qualify for either house.

The House is headed by the Speaker of the House, while the Senate is headed by the State's Lieutenant Governor as the Senate President. The Senate President has only a casting vote. More often, the Senate is presided over by the President Pro Tempore, or temporary President.