Kentucky Senate
Kentucky State Senate | |
---|---|
Kentucky General Assembly | |
| |
Type | |
Type | |
Term limits | None |
History | |
New session started | January 3, 2017 |
Leadership | |
President pro Tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
Structure | |
Seats | 38 |
| |
Political groups |
Majority Minority |
Length of term | 4 years |
Authority | The Legislative Department, Section 29, Kentucky Constitution |
Salary | $186.73/day + per diem |
Elections | |
Last election |
November 8, 2016 (19 seats) |
Next election |
November 6, 2018 (19 seats) |
Redistricting | Legislative Control |
Meeting place | |
| |
State Senate Chamber Kentucky State Capitol Frankfort, Kentucky | |
Website | |
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission |
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators. The Kentucky Senate meets at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort.
Terms and qualifications
According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a state senator must:
- be at least 30 years old;
- be a citizen of Kentucky;
- have resided in the state at least six years and the district at least one year prior to election.
Per section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, senators are elected to four year staggered terms, with half the Senate elected every two years.
Leadership
Prior to a 1992 constitutional amendment, the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky presided over the Senate; the 1992 amendment created a new office of President of the Senate to be held by one of the 38 senators.
Leaders
- President (elected by full body): Robert Stivers (R-25)
- President pro tempore (elected by full body): David P. Givens (R-9)
Additionally, each political party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chairman.
Current party leadership of the Kentucky Senate:
- Republican Party
- Leader: Damon Thayer (R-17)
- Whip: Jimmy Higdon (R-14)
- Caucus chair: Dan Seum (R-38)
- Democratic Party
- Leader: Ray S. Jones II (D-31)
- Whip: Dennis Parrett[1] (D-10)
- Caucus chair: Dorsey Riddle (D-4)
Members
Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
End of previous legislature | 27 | 11 | 38 | 0 |
Begin 2017 Session | 27 | 11 | 38 | |
Latest voting share | 71.05% | 28.95% |
List of current Senators
As of 23 July 2017:[2]
History
Carolyn Conn Moore became the first woman to serve in the Kentucky Senate when in November 1949 she won a special election to replace her husband, J. Lee Moore, in the legislature after his death.[3] Gerald Neal became the first African-American to be elected to the Kentucky Senate in 1988. Gerald Neal also became the first African-American ever to be elected to a leadership position in Kentucky's General Assembly in 2014. [4]
Standing Committees
As of 16 July 2018.[5]
Committee | Chair | Vice Chair |
---|---|---|
Agriculture | Paul Hornback (R-20) | Stephen West (R-27) |
Appropriations and Revenue | Christian McDaniel (R-23) | Stan Humphries (R-1) |
Banking and Insurance | Tom Buford (R-22) | Jared Carpenter (R-34) |
Committee on Committees | Robert Stivers (R-29) | |
Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor | Alice Forgy Kerr (R-12) | Rick Girdler (R-15) |
Education | Max Wise (R-16) | Stephen West (R-27) |
Enrollment | Wil Schroder (R-24) | |
Health and Welfare | Julie Raque Adams (R-36) | Ralph Alvardo (R-28) |
Judiciary | Whitnet Westerfield (R-3) | Wil Schroder (R-24) |
Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations | John Schickel (R-11) | Paul Hornback (R-20) |
Natural Resources and Energy | Jared Carpenter (R-24) | Brandon Smith (R-30) |
Rules | Robert Stivers (R-29) | |
State and Local Government | Joe Bowen (R-8) | Stan Humphries (R-1) |
Transportation | Ernie Harris (R-26) | Brandon Smith (R-30) |
Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection | Albert Robinson (R-21) | C.B. Embry Jr. (R-6) |
Past composition of the Senate
See also
References
- ↑ "Dennis Parrett accepts leadership role in state Senate". thenewsenterprise.com.
- ↑ "Senate: Members By District". Kentucky Legislature. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
- ↑ Oswald, Sharon (5 January 1977). "From senate to housemother, Mrs. Moore is mother of 110". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa: The Tuscaloosa News. p. 8. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ↑ Lawrence Smith (December 2, 2014). "Louisvill state senator becomes first African-American elected to leadership in KY legislature". wdrb.com. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ↑ "2018 Senate Standing Committees". Kentucky Legislature. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
External links
- Kentucky Legislature Senate Members official government website
- State Senate of Kentucky at Project Vote Smart
- Kentucky Senate at Ballotpedia