Pennsylvania State Senate

Last updated

Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania General Assembly
Seal of the Senate of Pennsylvania.svg
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
Founded1790;234 years ago (1790)
New session started
January 3, 2023
Leadership
Austin Davis (D)
since January 17, 2023
Kim Ward (R)
since November 30, 2022
Majority Leader
Joe Pittman (R)
since November 30, 2022
Minority Leader
Jay Costa (D)
since January 4, 2011
Structure
Seats50
Pennsylvania State Senate 2023.svg
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (28)

Minority

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle II, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary$102,844/year + per diem [1]
Elections
Last election
November 8, 2022
(even-numbered districts)
Next election
November 5, 2024
(odd-numbered districts)
RedistrictingBipartisan Commission
Meeting place
Senate Chamber, Pennsylvania State Capitol Building.jpg
State Senate Chamber
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Website
Pennsylvania State Senate

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the seats are contested at each election. [2] Even numbered seats and odd numbered seats are contested in separate election years. The president pro tempore of the Senate becomes the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in the event of the sitting lieutenant governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the president pro tempore and lieutenant governor would be the same person. [3] The Pennsylvania Senate has been meeting since 1791.

Contents

The president of the Senate is the lieutenant governor, who has no vote except to break a tie vote.

Qualifications

Senators must be at least 25 years of age. They must be a U.S. citizen and a Pennsylvania resident four years, and a resident of that district one year prior to their election and must reside in that district during their term. [4]

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: Austin Davis (D)
President Pro Tempore of the Senate: Kim Ward (R)

Majority party (R)Leadership positionMinority party (D)
Joe Pittman Floor Leader Jay Costa
Ryan Aument Whip Christine Tartaglione
Kristin Phillips-Hill Caucus Chairman Wayne D. Fontana
Camera Bartolotta Caucus Secretary Maria Collett
Scott Martin Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent Hughes
Dan Laughlin Policy Committee Chairman Katie Muth
Lisa Baker Caucus Administrator Judy Schwank

Composition

Historical sessions

AffiliationParty
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Ind Democratic Vacant
1995–1996 session29021500
1997–1998 session3020500
1999–2000 session3020500
2001–2002 session3020500
2003–2004 session2921500
2005–2006 session3020500
2007–2008 session2921500
2009–2010 session3020500
2011–2012 session3020500
2013–2014 session2723500
2015–2016 session3020500
2016–2017 session3119500
2017–2018 session3416500
2018–2019 session2822500
2019–2020 session29121500
2021–2022 session28121500

Current session

As of January 3, 2023:

2228
DemocraticRepublican
AffiliationParty
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Ind Democratic Vacant
End of previous legislature28121500
January 3, 202327022491
February 28, 2023 [5] 28500
Latest voting share0%

Membership

The Senate is made up of 50 members who are elected by district. In 2012, a State Senate district had an average population of 254,047 residents.

List of current members

DistrictSenatorPartyResidenceCounties representedFirst electedTerm ends
1 Nikil Saval Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 20202024
2 Christine Tartaglione Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 19942026
3 Sharif Street Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 20162024
4 Art Haywood Dem Philadelphia Montgomery, Philadelphia 20142026
5 Jimmy Dillon Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 2022 [note 1] 2024
6 Frank Farry Rep Langhorne Borough Bucks 20222026
7 Vincent Hughes Dem Philadelphia Montgomery, Philadelphia 19942024
8 Anthony Williams Dem/Fwd [note 2] Philadelphia Delaware, Philadelphia 19982026
9 John Kane Dem Birmingham Chester, Delaware 20202024
10 Steve Santarsiero Dem Lower Makefield Township Bucks 20182026
11 Judy Schwank Dem Fleetwood Berks 20112024
12 Maria Collett Dem Lower Gwynedd Township Montgomery 20182026
13 Scott Martin Rep West Lampeter Township Berks, Lancaster 20162024
14 Nick Miller Dem Allentown Lehigh, Northampton 20222026
15 John DiSanto Rep Susquehanna Township Dauphin 20162024
16 Jarrett Coleman Rep Upper Macungie Township Bucks, Lehigh 20222026
17 Amanda Cappelletti Dem East Norriton Township Delaware, Montgomery 20202024
18 Lisa Boscola Dem/Fwd [note 3] Bethlehem Township Lehigh, Northampton 19982026
19 Carolyn Comitta Dem West Chester Chester 20202024
20 Lisa Baker Rep Lehman Township Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming 20062026
21 Scott Hutchinson Rep Oil City Butler, Clarion, Forest, Venango, Warren 20122024
22 Marty Flynn Dem Scranton Lackawanna, Luzerne 2021 [note 4] 2026
23 Eugene Yaw Rep Loyalsock Township Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, Union 20082024
24 Tracy Pennycuick Rep Harleysville Berks, Montgomery 20222026
25 Cris Dush Rep Pine Creek Township Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter 20202024
26 Tim Kearney Dem Swarthmore Delaware 20182026
27 Lynda Culver Rep Sunbury Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder 20232024
28 Kristin Phillips-Hill Rep York Township York 20182026
29 Dave Argall Rep Rush Township Carbon, Luzerne, Schuylkill 20092024
30 Judy Ward Rep Hollidaysburg Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin 20182026
31 Mike Regan Rep Carroll Township Cumberland, York 20162024
32 Pat Stefano Rep Bullskin Township Bedford, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland 20142026
33 Doug Mastriano Rep Greene Township Adams, Franklin 20192024
34 Greg Rothman Rep Silver Spring Township Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry County 20222026
35 Wayne Langerholc Rep Johnstown Cambria County, Centre, Clearfield 20162024
36 Ryan Aument Rep East Hempfield Township Lancaster 20142026
37 Devlin Robinson Rep Bridgeville Allegheny, Washington 20202024
38 Lindsey Williams Dem West View Allegheny 20182026
39 Kim Ward Rep Hempfield Township Westmoreland 20082024
40 Rosemary Brown Rep East Stroudsburg Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne 20222026
41 Joe Pittman Rep Indiana Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson, Westmoreland 20192024
42 Wayne Fontana Dem Pittsburgh Allegheny 20052026
43 Jay Costa Dem Forest Hills Allegheny 19962024
44 Katie Muth Dem East Vincent Township Berks, Chester, Montgomery 20182026
45 Jim Brewster Dem McKeesport Allegheny 20102024
46 Camera Bartolotta Rep Monongahela Beaver, Greene, Washington 20142026
47 Elder Vogel Rep New Sewickley Township Beaver, Butler, Lawrence 20082024
48 Chris Gebhard Rep North Cornwall Township Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon 2021 [note 5] 2026
49 Dan Laughlin Rep Millcreek Township Erie 20162024
50 Michele Brooks Rep Jamestown Crawford, Lawrence, Mercer 20142026
  1. John Sabatina resigned on December 31, 2021. Dillon was elected in a special election on May 17, and seated on June 7.
  2. Affiliated with the Forward Party.
  3. Affiliated with the Forward Party.
  4. John Blake resigned on February 15, 2021. Flynn was elected in a special election on May 18.
  5. Dave Arnold died January 17, 2021. Gebhard was elected in a special election on May 18.

Standing committees

Committee NameMajority chairMinority chair
Aging & Youth Judy Ward Maria Collett
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Elder Vogel Judy Schwank
Appropriations Scott Martin Vincent Hughes
Banking & Insurance John DiSanto Sharif Street
Communications & Technology Tracy Pennycuick Jimmy Dillon
Community, Economic & Recreational Development Chris Gebhard Anthony H. Williams
Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Patrick J. Stefano Lisa Boscola
Education Dave Argall Lindsey Williams
Environmental Resources & Energy Eugene Yaw Carolyn Comitta
Finance Scott Hutchinson Nick Miller
Game & Fisheries Greg Rothman Jim Brewster
Health & Human Services Michele Brooks Arthur L. Haywood III
Intergovernmental Operations Jarrett Coleman Christine Tartaglione
Judiciary Lisa Baker Steve Santarsiero
Labor & Industry Devlin Robinson John I. Kane
Law & Justice Mike Regan Jim Brewster
Local Government Rosemary Brown Tim Kearney
Rules & Executive Nominations Joe Pittman Jay Costa
State Government Cris Dush Amanda Cappelletti
Transportation Wayne Langerholc Marty Flynn
Urban Affairs & Housing Frank Farry Nikil Saval
Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparednesss Doug Mastriano Katie Muth

Past composition of the Senate

See also

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References

  1. The Pennsylvania Manual, pp. 3–7.
  2. Article II, section 3, Pennsylvania Constitution .
  3. Article IV, section 14, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  4. "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". "Article II. The Legislature". "§5. Qualifications of Members".
  5. Jones, Matt (February 15, 2023). "Schlegel-Culver to be sworn in to Senate Feb. 28". The Standard-Journal. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

Sources

40°15′52.9″N76°53′1.9″W / 40.264694°N 76.883861°W / 40.264694; -76.883861