By Guy Page

On the first day of the 2026 session Tuesday, both the House and the Senate welcomed new members following resignations. 

Perhaps no outgoing legislator will be missed more than longtime representative Jim Harrison, who is moving to New Hampshire with his wife to be closer to family. 

Valorie Taylor will succeed Harrison (R-Chittenden-Killington-Mendon), vice-chair of the Appropriations Committee.  The Mendon resident is a former chair of the town selectboard and has been operating a residential painting business. “She is a good choice,” Harrison said. 

“My tenure as the state representative for Chittenden, Killington, Mendon and Pittsfield ended on Tuesday, January 6 at 12:00 noon,” Harrison continued in a statement to constituents. “I can’t thank the voters of the district communities (including Bridgewater before reapportionment), enough for your ongoing support by reelecting me four times.

“I have often said that life is a journey. While I have enjoyed the past eight and half years as a state representative, it was time to change direction and get onto a different road. Pat and I will miss the area but know that we will be back on occasion to visit.”

In the Senate, John Morley of Orleans County and John Benson of the Orange County town of Brookfield both were sworn in, replacing Sam Douglass and Larry Hart respectively. Morley is the general manager of VPPSA, which oversees municipal utilities. Benson is a retired civil engineer. 

In the House, Heather Surprenant, Mari Cordes, and Casey Toof have resigned. Karen Lueders of Lincoln and Michael Hoyt of West Hartford replace Cordes and Surprenant. Toof, a former GOP caucus leader and member of House Education, is now the St. Albans Town Manager. No replacement has been named. 

Citizen petition to Legislature: Stop school shooters with bullet-proof shutters

Brian Pearl, a Grand Isle County resident and father, has been concerned about inadequate public and private school security ever since last August, when a Minnesota person shot through school windows from outside, killing two school children and injuring 18.  His solution: install bullet-proof glass, or window shutters that can be deployed at a moment’s notice. This week, he submitted the following petition to the Vermont House Clerk:

“To the General Assembly of the State of Vermont – To secure the perimeter of the State of Vermont public and private schools. There will be adequate funding provided to install bullet proof glass or window shutters to the height of seven feet or a height to be determined by the Department of Public Safety for the purpose of preventing assailants breaching the facility.”

It is unclear whether any legislator will sponsor the petition in the form of a resolution, or whether Pearl’s request will be taken up by the education or judiciary (public safety) committees in either House or Senate. 

GoldendomeVT Smart Clip of the Day: Life is better in schools without student cellphones, the representative from Glover who is also a high school English teacher told the House Education Committee.

“I have not had a single argument with a student all year long about cellphones,” Rep. Leann Harple (D-Glover) said. 

State of the State today – Gov. Phil Scott will deliver his State of the State speech today at 2 PM. 

Expect him to focus – again – on the need to improve public safety and affordability of housing, health care, education in order to attract the workers the Vermont economy needs. Expect him to allude to themes of his legislative platform, rather than the nitty-gritty details. 

The governor tipped his hand Tuesday in the last paragraph of his statement recalling the “January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol” urging the Legislature to lead by example and “put people ahead of partisanship, solutions ahead of slogans, and decency over divisions.” Entire statement, below:

“As we begin the 2026 legislative session, I welcome Vermont’s legislators back to the State House and thank them for their continued service to Vermonters. Today also marks the fifth anniversary of the January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol, a very dark day for our country. My feelings haven’t changed, and I continue to believe it could and should have been avoided.

“As I reflect on the causation, it’s an important reminder that fear, anger, and deeply held beliefs can be manipulated and elevated to the point of destruction and violence. It’s also a reminder that our democracy depends on respect for the rule of law, peaceful political disagreement, and the integrity and accountability of the institutions created to serve the people, as well as the officials elected or appointed to uphold them.

“Here in Vermont, we have an opportunity and responsibility to lead by example, rather than allow hyper-partisan activism and political division to dominate the national conversation. By working together, we put people ahead of partisanship, solutions ahead of slogans, and decency over divisions.

“This session, we need to make significant progress on housing, health care affordability, education transformation, and public safety. To deliver results for Vermonters, we must stay focused on what’s within our control and commit to the notion that when Vermonters with different perspectives come together with an open mind, there is no challenge we cannot meet.”

House Speaker Jill Krowinski will speak to the press following the Governor’s address.