Thepresidentpro tempore of the Vermont Senate presides over theSenate of theU.S. state ofVermont in the absence of thelieutenant governor.^[1] The presidentpro tempore also sets the policy priorities and legislative agenda for the Senate.^[2][3]

In addition to presiding in the absence of the lieutenant governor, the presidentpro tempore is third in thegubernatorial line of succession, following thelieutenant governor andspeaker of theHouse of Representatives.^[4][5][6]

The Senate presidentpro 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 SenatorPhilip Baruth ofChittenden County, who took office on January 4, 2023.^[7]

U.S. SenatorPeter Welch served as Senate President from 1985 to 1989 and 2003 to 2007, and was the firstDemocrat to hold the post.^[8]Peter Shumlin,Governor from 2011 to 2017, was Presidentpro tempore from 1997 to 2003 and 2007 to 2011.^[8]Becca Balint, Vermont'sat-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 presidentpro tempore was chosen immediately after the convening of each new legislature.^[11]

From the founding of theRepublican Party in the 1850s until the 1960s, only Republicans won statewide offices, and Republicans also controlled both the Vermont Senate andVermont House of Representatives.^[12] As part of the party'sMountain Rule, the post of Senate President, along with that ofHouse 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 andRacine).^[8]

The presidentpro 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 of Vermont General Assemblies

• Clerk of the Vermont House of Representatives (2011)."List of Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate".leg.state.vt.us. Montpelier, VT: Vermont General Assembly. RetrievedMarch 31, 2018.
• "Title 32, Chapter 015, Subchapter 002: Salaries and Fees, General Assembly".Vermont Statutes Online. Montpelier, VT: Vermont General Assembly. 2005. RetrievedJanuary 8, 2021.

• Duffy, John J.; Hand, Samuel B.; Orth, Ralph H. (2003).The Vermont Encyclopedia. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.ISBN 978-1-58465-086-7.
• Erickson, Nancy, Secretary of the U.S. Senate (2008).Pro Tem: Presidents Pro Tempore of the United States Senate Since 1789. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.ISBN 978-0-16-079984-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Haider-Markel, Donald P. (2009).Political Encyclopedia of U.S. States and Regions. Washington, DC: CQ Press.ISBN 978-0-87289-377-1.
• Sharp, Nancy Weatherly; Sharp, James Roger (1997).American Legislative Leaders in the West, 1911-1994. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.ISBN 978-0-313-30212-1.
• Vermont General Assembly (1836).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Montpelier, VT: E. P. Walton & Sons. p. 10.
• Vermont General Assembly (1851).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Burlington, VT: Chauncey Goodrich.
• Vermont General Assembly (1852).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Rutland, VT: Tuttle & Co.
• Vermont General Assembly (1853).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Rutland, VT: Tuttle & Co.
• Vermont General Assembly (1856).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Montpelier, VT: E. P. Walton.
• Vermont General Assembly (1857).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Woodstock, VT: Davis & Greene.
• Vermont General Assembly (1873).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. Montpelier, VT: Freeman Steam printing House and Bindery.
• Vermont General Assembly (1895).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. St. Albans, VT: St. Albans Messenger Co. p. 4.
• Vermont General Assembly (1908).Journal of the House of Representatives and Senate of the State of Vermont. St. Albans, VT: St. Albans Messenger Co.

• Walters, John (January 4, 2017)."Walters: Newly Elected Senate President Ashe Comes Out Swinging".Seven Days. Burlington, VT.
• "Balint nominated as first woman Senate President Pro Tempore".Vermont Business Magazine. South Burlington, VT. November 23, 2020.

• Politics of Vermont
• Government of Vermont
• Vermont General Assembly
• Vermont state senators
• Presidents pro tempore of the Vermont Senate

• CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list