Arkansas Senate

Arkansas State Senate
Arkansas General Assembly

Type
Type	Upper house
Term limits	2 terms (8 years)
New session started	January 10, 2011
Leadership
President of the Senate	Mark Darr, (R) since January 10, 2011
President pro Tempore of the Senate	Paul Bookout, (D) since January 10, 2011
Majority Leader	Robert Thompson, (D) since January 10, 2011
Minority Leader	Ruth Whitaker, (R) since January 10, 2011
Structure
Members	35
Political groups	Democratic Party (20) Republican Party (15)
Length of term	4 years
Authority	Article 8, Section 2, Arkansas Constitution
Salary	$15,362/year + per diem
Elections
Last election	November 2, 2010 (17 seats)
Next election	November 6, 2012 (35 seats)
Redistricting	Arkansas Board of Apportionment and Arkansas General Assembly
Meeting place

State Senate Chamber Arkansas State Capitol Little Rock, Arkansas
Website
Arkansas State Senate

The Arkansas State Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 76,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have full-time jobs during the rest of the year. The 35-member Senate consists of fifteen Republicans and twenty Democrats. There are eight women, twenty-seven men, thirty-one Caucasians, and four African-Americans.

1 Election
2 Current composition 2011-2013
3 References
4 External links

Election

The senators are usually elected for four-year terms. After the U.S. Census every ten years, all Senate districts are redrawn to ensure that they each have approximately the same number of constituents. Every senate position will on the ballot in 2012. After the 2012 election, senators will draw lots and 18 will be allotted a two-year term and 17 a four-year term This will stagger elections so that half the body is up for re-election every two years. Two-year terms drawn by a senator after reapportionment do not count against a senator's service under the term limits amendment, which limits Arkansas state senators to two terms of four years. A senator who draws a two-year term can serve for a total of 10 years, the sum of two terms of four years each and the two-year term. Legal basis :
Arkansas Constitution - Article 5. Legislative Department. § 3. Senate.

The Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four years, by the qualified electors of the several districts. At the first session of the Senate, the Senators shall divide themselves into two classes, by lot, and the first class shall hold their places for two years only, after which all shall be elected for four years.

They are also limited to serving no more than two four-year terms.

Legal basis :
Arkansas Constitution - Amendment 73. Arkansas Term Limitation Amendment. § 2(b). Legislative Branch.

The Arkansas Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four years by the qualified electors of the several districts. No member of the Arkansas Senate may serve more than two such four year terms.

Current composition 2011-2013

88th General Assembly

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total

	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
End of the 86th General Assembly	27	8	35	0

Beginning of the 87th General Assembly	27	8	35	0
August 21, 2009^[1]		7	34	1
December 8, 2009^[2]		8	35	0

Beginning of the 88th General Assembly	20	15	35	0
Latest voting share	57.0%	43.0%

Officers

Office	Officer	Party	District
President/Lieutenant Governor	Mark Darr	Republican
President Pro Tempore of the Senate	Paul Bookout	Democratic	14
Assistant Presidents pro tempore	David Wyatt	Democratic	12
	Linda Chesterfield	Democratic	34
	Kim Hendren	Republican	9
	Jerry Taylor	Democratic	5

Floor Leaders

Office	Officer	Party	District
Majority Leader	Robert Thompson	Democratic	11
Majority Whip	Joyce Elliott	Democratic	33
Minority Leader	Ruth Whitaker	Republican	3
Minority Whip	Michael Lamoureux	Republican	4

Members of the 87th Senate

District	Name	Party	Residence	Seat Up
1	Johnny Key	Rep	Mountain Home	2012
2	Randy Laverty	Dem	Jasper	2012
3	Ruth Whitaker	Rep	Cedarville	2012
4	Michael Lamoureux	Rep	Russellville	2012
5	Stephanie Flowers	Dem	Pine Bluff	2012
6	Bruce Holland	Rep	Greenwood	2012
7	Sue Madison	Dem	Fayetteville	2012
8	Cecile Bledsoe	Rep	Rogers	2012
9	Kim Hendren	Rep	Gravette	2012
10	Missy Irvin	Rep	Mountain View	2012
11	Robert Thompson	Dem	Paragould	2012
12	David Wyatt	Dem	Batesville	2012
13	Jake Files	Rep	Fort Smith	2012
14	Paul Bookout	Dem	Jonesboro	2012
15	David Burnett	Dem	Osceola	2012
16	Jack Crumbly	Dem	Widener	2012
17	Jim Luker	Dem	Wynne	2012
18	Jason Rapert	Rep	Conway	2012
19	Bill Sample	Rep	Hot Springs	2012
20	Larry Teague	Dem	Nashville	2012
21	Steve Harrelson	Dem	Texarkana	2012
22	Jeremy Hutchinson	Rep	Little Rock	2012
23	Jerry Taylor	Dem	Pine Bluff	2012
24	Jimmy Jeffress	Dem	Crossett	2012
25	Gene Jeffress	Dem	Louann	2012
26	Percy Malone	Dem	Arkadelphia	2012
27	Mike Fletcher	Dem	Hot Springs	2012
28	Eddie Joe Williams	Rep	Cabot	2012
29	Jonathan Dismang	Rep	Beebe	2012
30	Gilbert Baker	Rep	Conway	2012
31	Mary Anne Salmon	Dem	North Little Rock	2012
32	David Johnson	Dem	Little Rock	2012
33	Joyce Elliott	Dem	Little Rock	2012
34	Linda Chesterfield	Dem	Little Rock	2012
35	Bill Pritchard	Rep	Elkins	2012

References

^ Republican Sharon Trusty (D-4) resigned
^ Republican Michael Lamoureux (D-4) elected for the remainder of Trusty's term [1]

External links

Arkansas Senate official government website
State Senate of Arkansas at Project Vote Smart
Arkansas Senate at Ballotpedia

Members of the Arkansas State Senate

87th General Assembly (2011)
President of the Senate: Mark Darr (R) • President Pro Tempore: Paul Bookout (D) • Majority Leader: Robert Thompson (D) • Minority Leader: Ruth Whitaker (R)

Johnny Key (R)
Randy Laverty (D)
Ruth Whitaker (R)
Michael Lamoureux (R)
Stephanie Flowers (D)
Bruce Holland (R)
Sue Madison (D)

Cecile Bledsoe (R)
Kim Hendren (R)
Missy Irvin (R)
Robert Thompson (D)
David Wyatt (D)
Jake Files (R)
Paul Bookout (D)

David Burnett (D)
Jack Crumbly (D)
James Luker (D)
Jason Rapert (R)
Bill Sample (R)
Larry Teague (D)
Steve Harrelson (D)

Jeremy Hutchinson (R)
Jerry Taylor (D)
Jimmy Jeffress (D)
Gene Jeffress (D)
Percy Malone (D)
Mike Fletcher (D)
Eddie Joe Williams (R)

Jonathan Dismang (R)
Gilbert Baker (R)
Mary Salmon (D)
David Johnson (D)
Joyce Elliott (D)
Linda Chesterfield (D)
Bill Pritchard (R)

Democratic (20) • Republican (15) • Arkansas General Assembly • Arkansas House of Representatives • Arkansas State Senate

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