Sarah Copeland Hanzas

Sarah Copeland Hanzas was born in Illinois and has lived in Bradford, Vermont. Hanzas graduated from Oxbow High School. She earned bachelor's degrees in history and geology from the University of Vermont in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Hanzas' career experience includes owning The Local Buzz Cafe and working as a teacher with Oxbow High School, a varsity coach with Oxbow High School and Hanover High School, and a salesperson with the Copeland Company Store. She has served as a co-chair of the Vermont Democratic Party Fundraising Committee.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Sarah grew up in Corinth, and graduated from Oxbow High School, University of Vermont, and the Upper Valley Educator Institute. After graduating, she taught science and coached. Sarah was a small business owner for 11 years, bringing community together over coffee at The Local Buzz. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2004, where she served Bradford, Fairlee, and West Fairlee for 18 years. Sarah served on the Health Care Committee, as Majority Leader, Co-Chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus and Chair of Government Operations. Sarah led on landmark legislation including Global Warming, sexual harassment and assault, Post-Traumatic Stress coverage, Cannabis legalization and pro-voter reforms.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Protecting DemocracyEfficient, Transparent GovernmentIncreased Civic Engagement

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Vermonters need to be empowered, enabled and inspired to participate in Democracy. If elected, I will bring back the Education and Outreach Coordinator position in the Secretary of State office. This person will help me convene a group of teacher advisors who will develop civics curriculum for Vermont teachers. When people don’t understand how government works, they are susceptible to misinformation about stolen elections. I will go on a Democracy Tour, tabling at farmer’s markets, and hosting Town Hall meetings to engage Vermonters in how to participate in Democracy.

The Secretary of State should put a voter guide in the hands of every registered voter in the state. Guides such as this can become commonplace. When you get your November ballot in the mail, you should also get a voter guide (online with a paper option). Voters should have the 45 days before the election to research the candidates, what they stand for and what they will do if elected. This will empower people to find the candidate whose values match their own.

During my tenure in the House, I have been a steadfast leader on climate action, reproductive liberty, sexual assault and harassment, paid sick days and paid family leave, racial justice and equity, sensible cannabis reform, and protections for Vermont’s first responders.

Campaign website

Hanzas’s campaign website stated the following:

Elections

Sarah spent the last four years as the Chair of House Government Operations, where she made it a priority to fight for free and fair elections. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sarah led the efforts in the legislature to enact universal vote-by-mail for the general election to ensure ease of access to voting for all while protecting the health and safety of Vermonters. When Sarah’s Committee made vote-by-mail permanent, they included campaign finance legislation which made it easier for women and care-givers to run for office.

Climate Change

Sarah believes we need more leaders at the State level who wake up each day thinking about how to save the planet for the next generations. Sarah has voted to protect our planet at every opportunity. She was the lead sponsor on the Global Warming Solutions Act, and finished her time in the legislature as the Co-Chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus for three years. She is recognized state-wide for her work on Climate and Environment.

Listen to Sarah's interview in Unpacking Vermont's Newest Climate Change Legislation

Reproductive Rights

As a woman, a mother of three female-bodied children, and an advocate for civil liberties, Sarah believes that Vermont is going in the right direction by adopting a constitutional amendment guaranteeing reproductive liberty (which she voted for on the House Floor.) The decision of when and whether to use one’s body for reproduction should be up to the individual.

Sexual Harassment/Assault

Do you know 5 women? Then statistically you know 4 women who have experienced sexual harassment. Like many women, this is a personal topic for Sarah, and she has fought to better laws around sexual harassment in the workplace (for all genders). Her 2018 legislation implemented sexual harassment protections that at the time were called the strongest in the nation. Sarah has also passed bills to help protect victims of sexual violence.

Read more in How Vermont's new sexual harassment law will change the workplace and Vermont bill seeks to further protect victims of sexual violence

LGBTQ+ Issues

Sarah joined the legislature in response to the attack on civil unions in Vermont. She proudly voted yes on marriage equality in 2009, and continued that trend by voting supportively on other LGBTQ+ issue bills, such as requiring non-gender bathrooms. This Legislative session she voted yes to get rid of the “LGBTQ+ panic” defense for crimes, and she co-sponsored and voted to pass the bill allowing people to amend their birth certificate to reflect gender identity.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Sarah is extremely proud to have passed legislation to get PTSD covered under worker’s comp for first responders. If we’re not protecting those who come to help us on our worst day, that is a tragedy. Sarah is hoping that the success of this legislation will grow to include more first responders, including health care workers who have been on the front line of the pandemic.

Read more in First responders, lawmakers praise workers' comp expansion

Gun Safety

Sarah has a clear voting record from her 18 years in the legislature of supporting sensible gun safety reforms.

Reapportionment 2022

Read more in House Advances Redistricting Bill By A Wide Margin

Pension Reform

Read more in How should Vermont solve its public pension shortfall?

Police Reform

Read more in Legislature may slow down on police reform so it can hear from more Vermonters

Cannabis

Read more in Vermont Cannabis Bill Heads Back to House Committee for Updates[10]

—Sarah Copeland Hanzas’s campaign website (2022)[11]

Sarah Copeland Hanzas did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.