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Florida State Senate

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Florida State Senate

Florida State Senate Seal.jpg
General Information
Type:   Upper house
Term limits:   2 terms (8 years)
2013 session start:   March 5, 2013
Website:   Official Senate Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Don Gaetz, (R)
Majority Leader:   Lizbeth Benacquisto, (R)
Minority leader:   Christopher Smith, (D)
Structure
Members:  40
   Democratic Party (14)
Republican Party (26)
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:   Art I, Section 1, Florida Constitution
Salary:   $29,697/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 6, 2012 (40 seats)
Next election:  November 4, 2014 (20 seats)
Redistricting:  Florida Legislature has control
Meeting place:
Florida State Senate Chamber.jpg

Contents

The Florida State Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, which is the state legislature of Florida. The Senate includes 40 state senators who are elected from single-member districts to four-year terms with term limits. However, in the election following reapportionment, some senators are elected to two-year terms, in order to maintain staggered terms among the senators.[1] Each member represents an average of 470,033 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[2] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 399,559 residents.[3]

As of May 2013, Florida is one of 24 Republican state government trifectas.

Sessions

Article III of the Florida Constitution establishes when the Florida State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 3 of Article III states that the regular session of the Legislature is to convene on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each year. Regular sessions of the Legislature are not to exceed sixty days, unless extended by a three-fifths vote of each house.

Section 3 also allows for the convening of special sessions, either by the proclamation of the Governor of Florida or as otherwise provided by law.

2013

See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions

In 2013, the Legislature is in session from March 5 to May 3.

Major issues

Issues identified as priorities in the legislative agenda for 2013 include:[4]

  • Election Reform
  • Ethics Reform
  • Higher Ed Reform
  • Gambling
  • Affordable Care Act

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Senate was in session from January 10 through March 9.

Major issues

In a rebuke to the Republican leaders of the Florida State Senate, nine GOP senators joined Democrats in voting against a plan to create private prisons that was a high priority of Senate President Mike Haridopolos. The plan, which aimed to replace a similar one struck down last year for being unconstitutional, would have been the largest privatization of prisons in the country. It was voted down 21-19.[5]

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the Senate was in session from March 8 through May 6.

Session highlights

In 2011, the legislature reduced government spending and avoided raising taxes. Spending will be reduced by $1 billion from last year, and $4 billion less than in 2006. Florida also removed 14,000 businesses from corporate tax income rolls. Areas that spending was cut include education and social programs. The legislature removed funding from a veteran's homeless support group, reduced payments to social workers by 15 percent, and will spend $2.5 billion less on education than last year. [6]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the Senate was in session from March 2nd to April 30th.

Elections

2012

See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Florida State Senate were held in Florida on November 6, 2012. A total of 40 seats were up for election. Although Florida senators typically serve four-year terms, they are elected to a two-year term during the first election of the decade. Thus, rather than only half of all senators being up for election, all sitting members were on the ballot in 2012. The signature filing deadline for the 2012 elections was May 7 and the primary date was August 14.

Florida state senators are subject to term limits and may serve no more than two four-year terms. In 2012, 10 state senators were termed-out.

This chamber was mentioned in a November 2012 Pew Center on the States article that addressed supermajorities at stake in the 2012 election. Supermajority generally means a party controls two-thirds of all seats. While it varies from state to state, being in this position gives a party much greater power. Going into the election, Republicans in the Florida Senate held a supermajority, which Democrats looked to cut into.[7]

The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.

2010

See also: Florida State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Florida State Senator were held in Florida on November 2, 2010. State senate seats in the even numbered districts were on the ballot in 2010.

The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was April 30, 2010, and the primary election day was August 24, 2010.

The partisan breakdown of the House before and after the election was as follows:

Florida State Senate
Party As of November 1, 2010 After the 2010 Election
     Democratic Party 13 12
     Republican Party 26 28
     Vacancy 1 -
Total 40 40


In 2010, the total amount of campaign contributions raised in senate elections was $14,617,863. The top 10 contributors were: [8]


Qualifications

To run for the Florida State Senate, candidates must be 21 years old, have lived in Florida for two years and live in the district they intend to serve. [9]

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
NevadaMassachusettsColoradoNew MexicoWyomingArizonaMontanaCaliforniaOregonWashingtonIdahoTexasOklahomaKansasNebraskaSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMinnesotaIowaMissouriArkansasLouisianaMississippiAlabamaGeorgiaFloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisWisconsinTennesseeNorth CarolinaIndianaOhioKentuckyPennsylvaniaNew JerseyNew YorkVermontVermontNew HampshireMaineWest VirginiaVirginiaMarylandMarylandConnecticutConnecticutDelawareDelawareRhode IslandRhode IslandMassachusettsNew HampshireMichiganMichiganAlaskaVacancy fulfillment map.png

If there is a vacancy in the Senate, a special election must be called to fill the vacant seat[10]. The Governor is responsible for calling the election and must consult with the Secretary of State to set the election dates and nominating deadlines[11]. The person elected to fill the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term[12].

Redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Florida

The Florida Legislature is responsible for redistricting. For state legislative redistricting, the legislature must first pass a joint resolution, which is then sent to the state Supreme Court for review. If it is accepted, the plan becomes law. If it is not, the legislature holds a 15 day session to approve a new plan. If the second plan does not pass the Court or if the legislature fails to approve a new plan during the 15 days, the Court has 60 days to design their own plan.[13]

2010 census

Florida received its 2010 local census data on March 16, 2011. The state population increased by 2.8 million residents, or 17.6 percent.[14] Going into redistricting, it was clear that Amendment 5, passed by voters in 2010, was going to have a major impact on the process. Amendment 5 established that legislative district boundaries had to be drawn in such ways that they establish "fairness," are "as equal in population as feasible" and use "city, county and geographical boundaries."[15]

The Senate redistricting committee approved a proposed map on January 11, which ultimately received final approval from the Florida State Legislature on February 9. The legislative maps were approved 80-37 in the House and 31-7 in the Senate, moving to the state Supreme Court for approval.[16] On March 10, the Florida Supreme Court issued a 234-page decision rejecting the state’s new Senate maps, while upholding the new House districts and providing extensive interpretation of the state's 2010 redistricting reform amendment. The Court found that eight districts had been drawn to favor incumbents and thus violated the state's legislative redistricting amendment. In addition, the court found that districts had been renumbered in order to allow select incumbents to serve longer terms.[17]

The Legislature went back to work on the map, modifying 24 districts. The plan was then sent back to the Court, who approved it on April 27. Three days later it was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice.[18]

Term limits

See also: State legislatures with term limits

The Florida legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Florida Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that Florida senators are subject to term limits of no more than two four-year terms.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2000.[19]

Senators

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Party As of May 2013
     Democratic Party 14
     Republican Party 26
Total 40

Leadership

The President of the Senate is selected by the majority party caucus and then elected by the full membership of the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is selected by the President of the Senate and elected by the full membership of the Senate.[20][21]

Current leadership

Current Leadership, Florida State Senate
Office Representative Party
President of the Senate Don Gaetz Ends.png Republican
President pro tempore Garrett Richter Ends.png Republican
Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto Ends.png Republican
Senate Minority Leader Christopher Smith Electiondot.png Democratic
Senate Minority Leader pro tempore Maria Lorts Sachs Electiondot.png Democratic
Florida senate districts.gif

Members of the Florida Senate must be at least 21 years old, a resident of the district where they have been elected, and must have lived in the state for two years before running for election.

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2013, members of the Florida legislature are paid $29,687 per year. Legislators are allowed $131 per day for per diem, tied to the federal rate. Travel vouchers are required.[22]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Florida legislators assume office two weeks following their election.

List of current members

District Representative Party Term expires
1 Don Gaetz Ends.png Republican 2016
2 Greg Evers Ends.png Republican 2014
3 Bill Montford Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
4 Aaron Bean Ends.png Republican 2014
5 Charles Dean Ends.png Republican 2016
6 John Thrasher Ends.png Republican 2014
7 Rob Bradley Ends.png Republican 2016
8 Dorothy L. Hukill Ends.png Republican 2014
9 Audrey Gibson Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
10 David Simmons Ends.png Republican 2014
11 Alan Hays Ends.png Republican 2016
12 Geraldine Thompson Electiondot.png Democratic 2014
13 Andy Gardiner Ends.png Republican 2016
14 Darren Soto Electiondot.png Democratic 2014
15 Kelli Stargel Ends.png Republican 2016
16 Thad Altman Ends.png Republican 2014
17 John Legg Ends.png Republican 2016
18 Wilton Simpson Ends.png Republican 2014
19 Arthenia Joyner Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
20 Jack Latvala Ends.png Republican 2014
21 Denise Grimsley Ends.png Republican 2016
22 Jeff Brandes Ends.png Republican 2014
23 Garrett Richter Ends.png Republican 2016
24 Tom Lee Ends.png Republican 2014
25 Joseph Abruzzo Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
26 Bill Galvano Ends.png Republican 2014
27 Jeff Clemens Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
28 Nancy Detert Ends.png Republican 2014
29 Jeremy Ring Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
30 Lizbeth Benacquisto Ends.png Republican 2014
31 Christopher Smith Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
32 Joe Negron Ends.png Republican 2014
33 Eleanor Sobel Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
34 Maria Lorts Sachs Electiondot.png Democratic 2014
35 Gwen Margolis Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
36 Oscar Braynon Electiondot.png Democratic 2014
37 Anitere Flores Ends.png Republican 2016
38 Rene Garcia Ends.png Republican 2014
39 Dwight Bullard Electiondot.png Democratic 2016
40 Miguel Diaz de la Portilla Ends.png Republican 2014

Standing Senate Committees

Florida Senate has 20 standing committees for the 2013-2014 session:

History

David Levy Yulee was the first Senator of the Florida State Senate. He was elected in 1845 when Florida joined the Union.[23]

External links

References

  1. ↑ Florida Constitution on term length for senators (see Article III, Section 15a)
  2. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  3. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  4. ↑ Sun Sentinel "Florida Legislature's top priorities in 2013" Accessed January 3, 2012
  5. ↑ Palm Beach Post, "Prison privatization proposal failure stings Fla. Senate President Mike Haridopolos," February 19, 2012
  6. ↑ Stateline.org, States balance budgets with cuts, not taxes, June 15, 2011
  7. ↑ Stateline, "In Legislative Elections, Majorities and Supermajorities at Stake," November 2, 2012
  8. ↑ Follow the Money: "Florida Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  9. ↑ Qualifications for Senate
  10. ↑ Florida Legislature "Florida Election Law"(Referenced Statute 100.101(2), Florida Election Code)
  11. ↑ Florida Legislature "Florida Election Law"(Referenced Statute 100.141 (1) (2), Florida Election Code)
  12. ↑ Florida Legislature "Florida Election Law"(Referenced Statute 100.111 (1) (a-c), Florida Election Code)
  13. ↑ Rose Report, "Florida Redistricting: The Complete Analysis," February 22, 2010
  14. ↑ Naples News, "Florida picks up 2 congressional seats, 2010 Census shows," December 21, 2010
  15. ↑ The Daily Loaf,"Fair Districts Florida makes it on 2010 ballot," January 22, 2010
  16. ↑ Miami Herald, "Florida redistricting plans get final passage," February 9, 2012
  17. ↑ WJHJ, "Florida Supreme Court Justices Reject Senate Redistricting Plan," March 9, 2012
  18. ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "State congressional, legislative districts approved by Justice Department," April 30, 2012
  19. ↑ State legislative term limits
  20. ↑ Florida State Senate Glosary
  21. ↑ Florida State Senate Leadership
  22. ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
  23. ↑ History of the Florida State Senate
v • d • e
Republican majority Current members of the Florida State Senate
Senate President: Don Gaetz (R) • Majority Leader: Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) • Minority Leader: Christopher Smith (D)
Democratic (14) • Republican (26) • Florida State Senate • Florida House of Representatives
v • d • e
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