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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont bill creates Legislative Compensation Commission and grants lawmakers state health plan access
Last action · January 9, 2026: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Government OperationsSponsors: Tanya Vyhovsky and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill establishes a 7-member Legislative Compensation Commission to review legislator pay, benefits, and staffing, and makes members of the General Assembly eligible to join the state employees' health benefit plan on July 1, 2026.
Lawmakers gain eligibility for the executive branch health insurance plan at the same premium cost as state employees, while a new appointed commission takes over biennial salary and expense recommendations.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
members of the General Assembly
Lawmakers become eligible to participate in the state employees' health insurance plan and subject to biennial salary recommendations by a new commission.
Legislative Compensation Commission members
Appointed members receive per diem compensation and expense reimbursement for up to eight meetings in the first year and three meetings annually thereafter.
Key Facts
- Creates a seven-member Legislative Compensation Commission appointed by the Speaker of the House, the Committee on Committees, and the Governor.
- Prohibits current legislators, legislative employees, and registered lobbyists from serving on the new commission.
- Requires the commission to deliver biennial compensation and expense recommendations to the General Assembly by December 15 of the first year of each biennium.
- Makes commission recommendations binding for the following biennium unless explicitly rejected by the General Assembly.
Show all 7 facts
- Expands the definition of state employees for group health insurance purposes to include members of the General Assembly.
- Requires lawmakers to pay the exact same portion of health insurance premiums as Executive Branch employees.
- Sets the effective date of the act as July 1, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can serve on the newly created Legislative Compensation Commission?
How will health insurance costs be determined for members of the General Assembly?
What happens if the General Assembly rejects the commission's recommendations?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 9, 2026SenateIntroducedRead 1st time & referred to Committee on Government Operations
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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