By Sam Douglass

Vermont Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski announced Thursday May 28 that she will not seek re-election.

Krowinski (D-Chittenden 16, Old North Burlington) was elected Speaker of the House on January 6, 2021. She is the 92nd Speaker and fourth female Speaker of the House.

The Burlington Democrat’s decision was unexpected and has come as a shock to many in Vermont political circles. She joins a number of high profile Democrats that have also announced their retirement from the legislature this year, including Rep. Peter Conlon (D-Addision 2), chair of the House Education committee, and Sen. Alison Clarkson (D-Windsor). 

Krowinski’s departure means both chambers of the Legislature will enter the next session with new leadership. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden Central, has previously announced he will leave office at the end of the current legislative session.

Krowinski was appointed to her House seat in 2012, and was elected as House Majority Leader in 2017. Krowinski has served as the Executive Director of Emerge Vermont, an organization recruiting and training Democratic women to hold public office through recruitment, training, and providing a powerful network. Previously, she worked at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, her last role as the VP of Education and VT Community Affairs.

Krowinski issued the following statement announcing she will not seek reelection and will retire from the Vermont House of Representatives at the end of her term:

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve my community and the State for the last 14 years. To the people of Burlington’s Old North End and Downtown – thank you for the privilege of allowing me to represent our vibrant community for all these years. 

“There are many moments that stand out during my tenure in the House, but the times I will remember most fondly are the moments when Vermonters showed true resolve in the face of adversity.  

“Vermonters rallied together to face a global pandemic, leading the nation in keeping each other healthy and safe. Vermonters came together to support each other during Hurricane Irene and again following the devastating floods in 2023 and 2024. And Vermonters stood resolutely in the face of attacks on personal health care decisions and supported reproductive rights, becoming the first state in the nation to enshrine these rights in our state constitution. 

“I am incredibly proud of the legislation we’ve passed during my time in Montpelier. Our legislative agenda focused on support for working families and creating an economy that works for everyone and leaves no Vermonter behind. We did not focus on one issue, instead choosing a multipronged approach to tackle the challenges facing our families, friends, and neighbors. 

“We focused on building a brighter future for Vermont families and businesses by passing historic child care legislation guaranteeing affordable, high quality and accessible child care for all. 

“We recognized the financial challenges facing all Vermonters by passing legislation creating a child tax credit, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, exempting taxes on military and survivor’s benefits, and investing hundreds of millions of dollars to lower property taxes.      

“We faced our housing crisis head-on by investing over a billion dollars in housing projects, modernizing our land use and development laws, creating the Community Housing and Investment Program unlocking $2 billion dollars in community infrastructure, and modernizing our emergency housing program.   

“We supported our state employees and teachers by stabilizing our pension system, securing the retirement future for our dedicated public employees, and saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in the future.  

“We addressed the rising cost and lack of access to health care by controlling the cost of prescription drugs, restricting the prices hospitals can charge for care, expanding Medicaid for more Vermonters, reducing burdensome paperwork for medical professionals, eliminating medical debt for tens of thousands of Vermonters, and investing tens of millions of dollars in expanding health care access. 

“We focused on our demographic challenges, investing hundreds of millions of dollars to restructure the Vermont State Colleges, creating opportunities for free higher education and professional development, funding scholarship and grant programs for the trades and health care professions, and standing up programs for first time homebuyers and rental assistance.

“We looked towards the future by passing legislation protecting our environment and addressing the volatility of climate change, legislation making our communities healthier and safer, legislation protecting consumers and supporting local businesses, and legislation transforming our education system and meeting the needs for the next generation of Vermonters. 

“I’m incredibly grateful for the friendships and memories created over the last 14 years. It’s difficult to articulate what our work in the Vermont State House is like, but I will always remember the people that I was fortunate to connect with and the collective love for our state. We are a part-time citizen legislature, and our laws are shaped by Vermonters stepping up for public service, advocating for their community, and taking on the difficult issues facing the hardworking people of Vermont. It’s been an inspiring process to be a part of and a reminder that a democracy thrives when it is for the people, by the people. 

“My time in the legislature, and as Speaker of the House, granted me the opportunity to travel across every county and hear directly from Vermonters in their communities. From Derby to Pownal, every community has their own story and people that make it unique and special, but they have a shared foundation. Regardless of where you are in this state, you will always find the generosity, resiliency, creativity, and hopefulness of Vermonters. The people are the heart and soul of our Green Mountain State, and I hope we never stray from our shared commitment to each other and the future of this incredible place.  

“Again, it’s been an honor and a privilege to be the Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives, and I leave this role with a renewed optimism and hope for our shared future and the next generation of Vermonters.”

Following her announcement, Krowinski gave a heartfelt thank you to multiple people including her chief of staff and House Majority Leader Lori Houghton (D-Chittenden 22).