Kentucky Senate

Last updated

Kentucky Senate
Kentucky General Assembly
Seal of Kentucky.svg
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 7, 2025
Leadership
Robert Stivers (R)
since January 8, 2013
David P. Givens (R)
since January 8, 2019
Majority Leader
Max Wise (R)
since January 7, 2025
Minority Leader
Gerald Neal (D)
since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats38
2023 Kentucky Senate.svg
Political groups
Majority
  •    Republican (31)

Minority

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityThe Legislative Department, Section 29, Kentucky Constitution
Salary$188.22/day + per diem (elected before January 1, 2023)
$203.28/day + per diem (elected after January 1, 2023) [1]
Elections
Last election
November 5, 2024
(19 seats)
Next election
November 3, 2026
(19 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
Senate Chamber - Kentucky State Capitol - DSC09173.JPG
Senate Chamber
Kentucky State Capitol
Frankfort, Kentucky
Website
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 annually beginning in January. Sessions last for 60 legislative days in even-numbered years and 30 legislative days in odd-numbered years. [2]

Contents

Republicans have had control of the Senate since 1999. They currently hold 31 seats to Democrats' 7.

Terms and qualifications

According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a senator must:

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

Additionally, each political party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chairman.

Current party leadership of the Kentucky Senate:

Members

Senate composition by district
Held by Democrats
Held by Republicans Kysenate2023.svg
Senate composition by district
  Held by Democrats
  Held by Republicans
SessionParty
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
2015 session2611371
2016 session2711380
2017–2018 sessions2711380
2019 session289371
2020 session299380
20212022 sessions308380
2023 session 306362
2024 session 317380
Begin 2025 session 317380
Latest voting share

List of current senators

DistrictNamePartyFirst electedResidenceCounties represented
1 Jason Howell Republican 2020 Murray Calloway, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Lyon, Trigg
2 Danny Carroll Republican 2014 Benton Ballard, Carlisle, Livingston, Marshall, McCracken
3 Craig Richardson Republican 2024 Hopkinsville Caldwell, Christian, Muhlenberg
4 Robby Mills Republican 2018 Henderson Henderson, Hopkins, Union, Webster
5 Stephen Meredith Republican 2016 Leitchfield Breckinridge, Butler, Grayson, Meade, Ohio
6 Lindsey Tichenor Republican 2022 Smithfield Jefferson (Part), Oldham, Trimble
7 Aaron Reed Republican 2024 Shelbyville Anderson, Henry, Jefferson (Part), Shelby
8 Gary Boswell Republican 2022 Owensboro Daviess, Hancock, McLean
9 David P. Givens Republican2008 Greensburg Barren, Edmondson, Green, Hart, Warren (Part)
10 Matthew Deneen Republican 2022 Elizabethtown Hardin, Jefferson (Part)
11 Steve Rawlings Republican 2024 Burlington Boone (Part)
12 Amanda Mays Bledsoe Republican 2022 Lexington Boyle, Fayette (Part), Mercer, Woodford
13 Reginald Thomas Democratic 2013 [nb 1] Lexington Fayette (Part)
14 Jimmy Higdon Republican 2009 [nb 1] Lebanon Larue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, Washington
15 Rick Girdler Republican 2016 Somerset Clinton, Cumberland, Pulaski, Russell, Wayne
16 Max Wise Republican 2014 Campbellsville Adair, Allen, Metcalfe, Monroe, Taylor, Warren (Part)
17 Matt Nunn Republican 2024 Sadieville Fayette (Part), Grant, Kenton (Part), Scott
18 Robin L. Webb Democratic 2009 [nb 1] Grayson Boyd, Carter, Greenup, Lewis
19 Cassie Chambers Armstrong Democratic 2023 [nb 1] Louisville Jefferson (Part)
20 Gex Williams Republican 2022 [nb 2] Verona Boone (Part), Carroll, Franklin, Gallatin, Kenton (Part), Owen
21 Brandon J. Storm Republican 2020 London Casey, Laurel, Lincoln, Rockcastle
22 Donald Douglas Republican 2021 [nb 1] Nicholasville Fayette (Part), Garrard, Jessamine
23 Christian McDaniel Republican2012 Ryland Heights Kenton (Part)
24 Shelley Funke Frommeyer Republican 2022 Alexandria Bracken, Campbell, Kenton (Part), Pendleton
25 Robert Stivers Republican 1996 Manchester Clay, Jackson, Knox, McCreary, Owsley, Whitley
26 Karen Berg Democratic 2020 [nb 1] Louisville Jefferson (Part)
27 Stephen West Republican 2015 [nb 1] Paris Bourbon, Fayette (Part), Fleming, Harrison, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson, Rowan
28 Greg Elkins Republican 2023 [nb 1] Winchester Bath, Clark, Fayette (Part), Menifee, Montgomery
29 Scott Madon Republican 2024 Pineville Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Letcher
30 Brandon Smith Republican2008 [nb 1] Hazard Breathitt, Estill, Lee, Leslie, Magoffin, Morgan, Perry, Powell, Wolfe
31 Phillip Wheeler Republican 2019 [nb 1] Pikeville Elliott, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, Pike
32 Mike Wilson Republican 2010 Bowling Green Logan, Simpson, Todd, Warren (Part)
33 Gerald A. Neal Democratic1988 Louisville Jefferson (Part)
34 Jared Carpenter Republican 2010 Berea Fayette (Part), Madison
35 Keturah Herron Democratic 2024 Louisville Jefferson (Part)
36 Julie Raque Adams Republican 2014 Louisville Jefferson (Part)
37 David Yates Democratic 2020 Louisville Jefferson (Part)
38 Michael J. Nemes Republican 2020 [nb 1] Shepherdsville Bullitt, Jefferson (Part)

Seating chart

Meredith Nemes Smith Schickel Carpenter Girdler
Howell Douglas Boswell Westerfield Deneen Elkins West Williams
Mills Wheeler Carroll Raque Adams Mays Bledsoe Storm Tichenor Vacant
Higdon McDaniel Wilson Thayer Neal Yates Thomas Harper Angel
Stivers Givens Wise Funke Frommeyer Webb Berg Chambers Armstrong Southworth
President
Stivers

2023 special elections

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. [5] Georgia Davis Powers became the first person of color to be elected to the Kentucky Senate in 1967. Gerald Neal became the first African American ever to be elected to a leadership position in the Kentucky General Assembly in 2014. [6] Ralph Alvarado became the first Hispanic to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly when he was elected in 2014. [7]

Standing committees

CommitteeChairVice Chair
Agriculture Jason Howell Gary Boswell
Appropriations and Revenue Christian McDaniel Amanda Mays Bledsoe
Banking and Insurance Jared Carpenter Rick Girdler
Committee on Committees Robert Stivers none
Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Phillip Wheeler Shelley Funke Frommeyer
Education Stephen West Lindsey Tichenor
Enrollment Matt Nunn none
Families and Children Danny Carroll Amanda Mays Bledsoe
Health and Services Stephen Meredith Craig Richardson
Judiciary Brandon J. Storm Phillip Wheeler
Licensing and Occupations Julie Raque Adams Jason Howell
Natural Resources and Energy Brandon Smith Gex Williams
Rules Robert Stivers none
State and Local Government Michael J. Nemes Greg Elkins
Transportation Jimmy Higdon Donald Douglas
Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Matthew Deneen Aaron Reed

Past composition of the Senate

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Elected in a special election.
  2. Williams previously served in the senate from 1993 to 1999.

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References

  1. "How much do Kentucky's governor and other elected officials make? Here's a list". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  2. "Publications – The Council of State Governments". February 19, 2020.
  3. "Ky. 19th Senatorial District special election to be held". www.wave3.com. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  4. "Alvarado sworn in as health commissioner in Tennessee". The Winchester Sun. January 19, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  5. Oswald, Sharon (January 5, 1977). "From senate to housemother, Mrs. Moore is mother of 110". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa. p. 8. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  6. Lawrence Smith (December 2, 2014). "Louisville state senator becomes first African-American elected to leadership in KY legislature". wdrb.com. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  7. "Ralph Alvarado". cof.org. October 28, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

38°11′12.4″N84°52′33.5″W / 38.186778°N 84.875972°W / 38.186778; -84.875972