Kentucky Senate | |
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Kentucky General Assembly | |
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Type | |
Term limits | None |
History | |
New session started | January 7, 2025 |
Leadership | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
Structure | |
Seats | 38 |
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Political groups | Majority Minority |
Length of term | 4 years |
Authority | The 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) |
Redistricting | Legislative Control |
Meeting place | |
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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]
Republicans have had control of the Senate since 1999. They currently hold 31 seats to Democrats' 7.
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.
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.
Additionally, each political party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chairman.
Current party leadership of the Kentucky Senate:
Session | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
2015 session | 26 | 11 | 37 | 1 |
2016 session | 27 | 11 | 38 | 0 |
2017–2018 sessions | 27 | 11 | 38 | 0 |
2019 session | 28 | 9 | 37 | 1 |
2020 session | 29 | 9 | 38 | 0 |
2021–2022 sessions | 30 | 8 | 38 | 0 |
2023 session | 30 | 6 | 36 | 2 |
2024 session | 31 | 7 | 38 | 0 |
Begin 2025 session | 31 | 7 | 38 | 0 |
Latest voting share | 82% | 18% |
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]
Committee | Chair | Vice Chair |
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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 |
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