Pennsylvania State Senate

Last updated

Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania General Assembly
Other seal of the Pennsylvania Senate.svg
Logo of the Pennsylvania State Senate.svg
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
Founded1790 (1790)
New session started
January 7, 2025
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
PA Senate 25.svg
PA Senate August 2025.svg
Political groups
Majority
  •   Republican (27)

Minority

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle II, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary$102,844/year + per diem [1]
Elections
Last election
 November 5, 2024
(odd-numbered districts)
Next election
 November 3, 2026
(even-numbered districts)
RedistrictingBipartisan Commission
Meeting place
Senate Chamber, Pennsylvania State Capitol Building.jpg
State Senate Chamber
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Website
Official website

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered every two years, such that half of the seats are contested at each election. [2] Even- and odd-numbered district seats are contested in separate election years. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg, and has been meeting since 1791.

Contents

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

Qualifications

Senators must be at least 25 years of age. They must be a United States citizen and a Pennsylvania resident for 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

Officers

PositionOfficer
President of the Senate Austin Davis
President pro tempore Kim Ward
Secretary & ParliamentarianMichael Gerdes
Chief ClerkDonetta D’Innocenzo

Caucus leadership

Majority party (R)Leadership positionMinority party (D)
Joe Pittman Floor Leader Jay Costa
Wayne Langerholc Whip Christine Tartaglione
Kristin Phillips-Hill Caucus Chairman Maria Collett
Camera Bartolotta Caucus Secretary Steve Santarsiero
Scott Martin Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent Hughes
Lisa Baker Caucus Administrator Judy Schwank
Dave Argall Policy Committee Chairman Nick Miller

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
2023–2024 session28022500

Current session

As of May 5, 2025:

↓
2327
DemocraticRepublican
AffiliationParty
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Ind Democratic Vacant
End of previous legislature28022500
January 7, 202527022491
May 5, 202523500
Latest voting share

Membership

The Senate comprises 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 20202028
2 Christine Tartaglione Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 19942026
3 Sharif Street Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 20162028
4 Art Haywood Dem Philadelphia Montgomery, Philadelphia 20142026
5 Joe Picozzi Rep Philadelphia Philadelphia 20242028
6 Frank Farry Rep Langhorne Borough Bucks 20222026
7 Vincent Hughes Dem Philadelphia Montgomery, Philadelphia 19942028
8 Anthony Williams Dem Philadelphia Delaware, Philadelphia 19982026
9 John Kane Dem Birmingham Chester, Delaware 20202028
10 Steve Santarsiero Dem Lower Makefield Township Bucks 20182026
11 Judy Schwank Dem Fleetwood Berks 20112028
12 Maria Collett Dem Lower Gwynedd Township Montgomery 20182026
13 Scott Martin Rep West Lampeter Township Berks, Lancaster 20162028
14 Nick Miller Dem Allentown Lehigh, Northampton 20222026
15 Patty Kim Dem Harrisburg Dauphin 20242028
16 Jarrett Coleman Rep Upper Macungie Township Bucks, Lehigh 20222026
17 Amanda Cappelletti Dem East Norriton Township Delaware, Montgomery 20202028
18 Lisa Boscola Dem Bethlehem Township Lehigh, Northampton 19982026
19 Carolyn Comitta Dem West Chester Chester 20202028
20 Lisa Baker Rep Lehman Township Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming 20062026
21 Scott Hutchinson Rep Oil City Butler, Clarion, Forest, Venango, Warren 20122028
22 Marty Flynn Dem Scranton Lackawanna, Luzerne 2021 [note 1] 2026
23 Eugene Yaw Rep Loyalsock Township Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, Union 20082028
24 Tracy Pennycuick Rep Harleysville Berks, Montgomery 20222026
25 Cris Dush Rep Pine Creek Township Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter 20202028
26 Tim Kearney Dem Swarthmore Delaware 20182026
27 Lynda Culver Rep Sunbury Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder 20232028
28 Kristin Phillips-Hill Rep York Township York 20182026
29 Dave Argall Rep Rush Township Carbon, Luzerne, Schuylkill 20092028
30 Judy Ward Rep Hollidaysburg Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin 20182026
31 Dawn Keefer Rep Dillsburg Cumberland, York 20242028
32 Pat Stefano Rep Bullskin Township Bedford, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland 20142026
33 Doug Mastriano Rep Greene Township Adams, Franklin 20192028
34 Greg Rothman Rep Silver Spring Township Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry County 20222026
35 Wayne Langerholc Rep Johnstown Cambria County, Centre, Clearfield 20162028
36 James Andrew Malone Dem

East Petersburg

Lancaster 2025 [note 2] 2026
37 Devlin Robinson Rep Bridgeville Allegheny, Washington 20202028
38 Lindsey Williams Dem West View Allegheny 20182026
39 Kim Ward Rep Hempfield Township Westmoreland 20082028
40 Rosemary Brown Rep East Stroudsburg Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne 20222026
41 Joe Pittman Rep Indiana Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson, Westmoreland 20192028
42 Wayne Fontana Dem Pittsburgh Allegheny 20052026
43 Jay Costa Dem Forest Hills Allegheny 19962028
44 Katie Muth Dem East Vincent Township Berks, Chester, Montgomery 20182026
45 Nick Pisciottano Dem West Mifflin Allegheny 20242028
46 Camera Bartolotta Rep Monongahela Beaver, Greene, Washington 20142026
47 Elder Vogel Rep New Sewickley Township Beaver, Butler, Lawrence 20082028
48 Chris Gebhard Rep North Cornwall Township Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon 2021 [note 3] 2026
49 Dan Laughlin Rep Millcreek Township Erie 20162028
50 Michele Brooks Rep Jamestown Crawford, Lawrence, Mercer 20142026
  1. ↑ John Blake resigned on February 15, 2021. Flynn was elected in a special election on May 18.
  2. ↑ Ryan Aument resigned December 31, 2024 to become State Director to U.S. Senator Dave McCormick. Malone was elected in a special election on March 25, 2025, and was sworn in on May 5, 2025.
  3. ↑ Dave Arnold died January 17, 2021. Gebhard was elected in a special election on May 18.

Standing committees

Current committees, majority chairs, minority chairs, and vice chairs include: [5]

Committee NameMajority chairMinority chairVice chair
Aging & Youth Wayne Langerholc Maria Collett Judy Ward
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Elder Vogel Judy Schwank Michele Brooks
Appropriations Scott Martin Vincent Hughes Elder Vogel
Banking & Insurance Chris Gebhard Sharif Street Lisa Baker
Communications & Technology Tracy Pennycuick Nick Miller Kristin Phillips-Hill
Community, Economic & Recreational Development Rosemary Brown Anthony H. Williams Chris Gebhard
Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Patrick J. Stefano Lisa Boscola Frank Farry
Education Lynda Schlegel Culver Lindsey Williams Doug Mastriano
Environmental Resources & Energy Gene Yaw Carolyn Comitta Scott Hutchinson
Finance Scott Hutchinson Nick Pisciottano Jarrett Coleman
Game & Fisheries Greg Rothman Lisa Boscola Dan Laughlin
Health & Human Services Michele Brooks Art Haywood Lynda Schlegel Culver
Institutional Sustainability & Innovation Frank Farry Tim Kearney Dave Argall
Intergovernmental Operations Jarrett Coleman Christine Tartaglione Cris Dush
Judiciary Lisa Baker Amanda Cappelletti Gene Yaw
Labor & Industry Devlin Robinson John I. Kane Camera Bartolotta
Law & Justice Dan Laughlin Wayne D. Fontana Joe Picozzi
Local Government Dawn Keefer Patty Kim Rosemary Brown
Rules & Executive Nominations Joe Pittman Jay Costa Wayne Langerholc
State Government Cris Dush Steve Santarsiero Patrick J. Stefano
Transportation Judy Ward Marty Flynn Devlin Robinson
Urban Affairs & Housing Joe Picozzi Nikil Saval Dawn Keefer
Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparednesss Doug Mastriano Katie Muth Tracy Pennycuick

Past composition of the Senate

See also

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. ↑ "Senate Committee List | 2025–2026 Session – PA State Senate". Senate Committee List | 2025–2026 Session – PA State Senate. Retrieved April 14, 2025.

Sources

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

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.