Pennsylvania State Senate

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Pennsylvania State Senate

Seal of Pennsylvania.svg.png
General Information
Type:   Upper house
Term limits:   None
2013 session start:   January 2, 2013
Website:   Official Senate Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Jim Cawley, (R)
Majority Leader:   Dominic Pileggi, (R)
Minority leader:   Jay Costa, (D)
Structure
Members:  50
   Democratic Party (23)
Republican Party (27)
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:   Art II, Sec 3, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary:   $82,026/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 6, 2012 (25 seats)
Next election:  November 4, 2014 (25 seats)
Redistricting:  Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission

Contents

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house in the Pennsylvania Legislature. It consists of 50 members who serve four-year terms without term limits.[1][2]

Each state senator represents an average of 254,048 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[3] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 245,621 residents.[4]

The Pennsylvania senate is a continuing body during the term for which its senators are elected. It meets at noon on the first Tuesday of January and then regularly throughout the year. When the Pennsylvania Constitution stipulates that the General Assembly must meet in regular session annually, that means the session of one year must adjourn by noon of the first Tuesday of the following year. Two regular sessions cannot meet at the same time.

The General Assembly must also adjourn by midnight, November 30, in even-numbered years due to the expiration of the terms of office of all House members and half the Senate. The Lieutenant Governor, as President of the Senate, can cast a tie-breaking vote on any question except the final passage of a bill or joint resolution, the adoption of a conference report, or the concurrence in amendments made by the House of Representatives[5].

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

Sessions

Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution establishes when the Pennsylvania General Assembly, of which the Senate is a part, is to meet. Section 4 of Article II states that the General Assembly is to convene its regular session on the first Tuesday of January each year.

Section 4 gives the Governor of Pennsylvania the authority to convene special sessions of the General Assembly either when he judges a special session to be in the public interest, or when a majority of each legislative House requests a special session.

2013

See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions

In 2013, the General Assembly will be in session from January 2 to a date to be determined.

Major issues

Like many other states, Pennsylvania lawmakers will have to work on a budget deficit. Other issues include economic development, public pension reform, liquor privatization, and child abuse.[6]

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Senate began its legislative session on January 3.

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the Senate will be in session from January 4 through a date to be determined by the General Assembly. [7]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the Senate convened its legislative session on January 5, and it remained in session throughout the year.[8]

Elections

2012

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate will be held in Pennsylvania on November 6, 2012. A total of 25 seats were up for election.

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

2010

See also: Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Pennsylvania's State Senate were held in Pennsylvania on November 2, 2010. State senate seats in all even numbered districts were on the ballot in 2010.

The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 9, 2010. The primary election day was May 18, 2010.


In 2010, the candidates for state senate raised a total of $11,102,031 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [9]

Qualifications

Under Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution, Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age and Representatives twenty-one years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State) and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
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If there is a vacancy in the Senate, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Senate President must call for a special election. There are no deadlines set in the state constitution on when a special election can be held[10].

Redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Pennsylvania

As far as legislative redistricting, the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission is responsible. This commission is normally made up of the majority and minority leaders of each legislative chamber, plus a fifth member selected by the other four to serve as chair. If the four cannot agree on a fifth, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decides. The commission has until the October of the redistricting year to submit a plan.

2010 census

Pennsylvania received its local census data on March 9, 2011. The state had a low 3.4 percent growth rate from 2000-2010. The five most populous cities showed mostly stagnation: Philadelphia grew by 0.6 percent, Pittsburgh decreased by 8.6 percent, Allentown grew by 10.7 percent, Erie decreased by 1.9 percent, and Reading grew by 8.5 percent. By county, the major standout was Forest County with a 56 percent rate of growth.[11]

On August 17, 2011, the Commission approved the census data and went to work on a preliminary map, which it passed on October 31, 2011 by a vote of 3-2. Democrats were not happy with the plan or the negotiation process. Final maps were approved on December 12, 2011 by a 4-1 vote, moving a Senate district and five House districts from west to east. There was a 30-day window to file appeals, of which 11 were filed. The state Supreme Court threw out the maps on January 25, 2012 after appeals were heard.

The commission met on April 12, 2012 to vote in favor of a compromise map, which contained two Senate district splits and 68 House splits. On June 8, the commission approved the final plan, which went to the state Supreme Court for final approval.

Senators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2013, members of the Pennsylvania Legislature are paid $82,026/year during legislative sessions. Legislators receive $159/day (vouchered) tied to the federal rate, which they can receive actual expenses or per diem.[12]

Pension

Legislators in Pennsylvania are able to retire at age 50, while other state workers cannot retire until they turn 60. In 2011, the average legislative pension was $35,221 annually, while the average state employee pension was $23,491. According to former legislator David Mayernik, who began collecting a pension of $29,583 a year when he retired at age 50, the lowered retirement age was intended as compensation for small legislative salaries as well as the uncertainty of serving in office.[13]

When sworn in

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

Pennsylvania legislators assume office in January.

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Party As of May 2013
     Democratic Party 23
     Republican Party 27
Total 50

Leadership

The Lieutenant Governor serves as president of the Senate, but has no vote except in the case of a tie. The President Pro Tempore is elected by the Senate from its members.[14][15]

Current leadership

Current Leadership, Pennsylvania State Senate
Office Representative Party
President of the Senate Jim Cawley Ends.png Republican
President Pro Tempore of the Senate Joe Scarnati Ends.png Republican
State Senate Majority Floor Leader Dominic Pileggi Ends.png Republican
State Senate Majority Whip Pat Browne Ends.png Republican
State Senate Majority Caucus Leader Mike Waugh Ends.png Republican
State Senate Minority Floor Leader Jay Costa Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Minority Whip Anthony Williams Electiondot.png Democratic
State Senate Minority Caucus Leader Rich Kasunic Electiondot.png Democratic

List of current members

Current members, Pennsylvania State Senate
District Senator Party Assumed office
1 Larry Farnese Electiondot.png Democratic 2009
2 Christine Tartaglione Electiondot.png Democratic 1995
3 Shirley Kitchen Electiondot.png Democratic 1997
4 LeAnna Washington Electiondot.png Democratic 2005
5 Mike Stack Electiondot.png Democratic 2001
6 Tommy Tomlinson Ends.png Republican 1995
7 Vincent Hughes Electiondot.png Democratic 1995
8 Anthony Williams Electiondot.png Democratic 1999
9 Dominic Pileggi Ends.png Republican 2003
10 Charles McIlhinney Ends.png Republican 2007
11 Judy Schwank Electiondot.png Democratic 2011
12 Stewart Greenleaf Ends.png Republican 1979
13 Lloyd Smucker Ends.png Republican 2009
14 John Yudichak Electiondot.png Democratic 2011
15 Rob Teplitz Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
16 Pat Browne Ends.png Republican 2005
17 Daylin Leach Electiondot.png Democratic 2009
18 Lisa Boscola Electiondot.png Democratic 1999
19 Andy Dinniman Electiondot.png Democratic 2006
20 Lisa Baker Ends.png Republican 2007
21 Scott Hutchinson Ends.png Republican 2012
22 John Blake Electiondot.png Democratic 2011
23 Gene Yaw Ends.png Republican 2009
24 Bob Mensch Ends.png Republican 2009
25 Joe Scarnati Ends.png Republican 2001
26 Ted Erickson Ends.png Republican 2001
27 John Gordner Ends.png Republican 2003
28 Mike Waugh Ends.png Republican 1999
29 David Argall Ends.png Republican 2009
30 John Eichelberger Ends.png Republican 2007
31 Pat Vance Ends.png Republican 2005
32 Rich Kasunic Electiondot.png Democratic 1995
33 Richard Alloway Ends.png Republican 2009
34 Jake Corman Ends.png Republican 1999
35 John Wozniak Electiondot.png Democratic 1997
36 Michael Brubaker Ends.png Republican 2007
37 Matthew Smith Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
38 Jim Ferlo Electiondot.png Democratic 2003
39 Kim Ward Ends.png Republican 2009
40 Randy Vulakovich Ends.png Republican 2012
41 Don White Ends.png Republican 2001
42 Wayne Fontana Electiondot.png Democratic 2005
43 Jay Costa Electiondot.png Democratic 1997
44 John Rafferty Ends.png Republican 2003
45 James Brewster Electiondot.png Democratic 2011
46 Timothy Solobay Electiondot.png Democratic 2011
47 Elder Vogel Ends.png Republican 2009
48 Mike Folmer Ends.png Republican 2007
49 Sean Wiley Electiondot.png Democratic 2013
50 Bob Robbins Ends.png Republican 1991

Senate Committees

The Pennsylvania Senate has 22 standing committees:

External links

References

  1. ↑ Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 2, Section 3
  2. ↑ List of state legislative term limits
  3. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  4. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  5. ↑ "Pennsylvania General Assembly" About the Pennsylvania Senate, March 3, 2009
  6. ↑ Post-Gazette, "Pennsylvania lawmakers start settling in," January 2, 2013
  7. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  8. ↑ 2010 session dates for Pennsylvania legislature
  9. ↑ Follow the Money: "Pennsylvania Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  10. ↑ State of Pennsylvania "Pennsylvania Constitution"(Referenced Section, Article II, Section 2)
  11. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Pennsylvania's 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," March 9, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  12. ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
  13. ↑ USA Today, "State lawmakers pump up pensions in ways you can't," September 23, 2011
  14. ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly FAQ
  15. ↑ Officers of the Pennsylvania Senate
v • d • e
Republican majority Current members of the Pennsylvania State Senate
Senate President: Jim Cawley (R) • Senate Majority Leader: Dominic Pileggi (R) • Senate Minority Leader: Jay Costa (D)
   
Democratic (23) • Republican (27) • Pennsylvania State Senate • Pennsylvania House of Representatives
v • d • e
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