Pennsylvania State Senate

Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania General Assembly
Type
Type Upper House
Term limits None
New session started January 4, 2011
Leadership
President of the Senate Jim Cawley, (R)
since January 18, 2011
President Pro Tem of the Senate Joseph Scarnati, (R)
since January 2, 2007
Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, (R)
since January 2, 2007
Minority Leader Jay Costa, (D)
since January 4, 2011
Structure
Members 50
Political groups      Republican Party (30)
     Democratic Party (20)
Length of term 4 years
Authority Article II, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary $78,315/year[1]
Elections
Last election November 2, 2010
(25 seats)
Next election November 6, 2012
(25 seats)
Redistricting Legislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Website
Pennsylvania State Senate

The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It 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 President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor, who has no vote except in the event of an otherwise tie vote. Following the 2010 elections, the Senate consisted of 30 Republicans and 20 Democrats, but Michael O'Pake died shortly after being re-elected, which resulted in a vacancy.

Contents

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: Jim Cawley (R)
President Pro Tem of the Senate: Joe Scarnati (R)

Majority party (R) Leadership position Minority party (D)
Dominic Pileggi Floor Leader Jay Costa
Jake Corman Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent Hughes
Pat Browne Whip Anthony Hardy Williams
Mike Waugh Caucus Chairman Rich Kasunic
Bob Robbins Caucus Secretary Christine Tartaglione
John Gordner Caucus Administrator Wayne Fontana
Edwin Erickson Policy Committee Chairman Lisa Boscola

Composition

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
End of previous legislature 30 20 50 0
Begin[4] 30 19 50 1
April 5, 2011[5] 20 50 0
Latest voting share 60% 40%

Members

The Senate is made up of 50 members who are elected by district. As of 2011, the parisan breakdown is 30 Republicans and 20 Democrats. In 2002, a State Senate district had an average population of 245,621 residents.

List

District Representative Party Residence Counties represented Term ends
1 Larry Farnese Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 2012
2 Christine Tartaglione Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 2014
3 Shirley Kitchen Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 2012
4 LeAnna Washington Dem Philadelphia Montgomery, Philadelphia 2014
5 Michael J. Stack III Dem Philadelphia Philadelphia 2012
6 Tommy Tomlinson Rep Bensalem Bucks 2014
7 Vincent Hughes Dem Philadelphia Montgomery, Philadelphia 2012
8 Anthony H. Williams Dem Philadelphia Delaware, Philadelphia 2014
9 Dominic Pileggi Rep Chester Chester, Delaware 2012
10 Charlie McIlhinney Rep Doylestown Bucks, Montgomery 2014
11 Judy Schwank Dem Fleetwood Berks 2012
12 Stewart Greenleaf Rep Willow Grove Bucks, Montgomery 2014
13 Lloyd Smucker Rep Lancaster Lancaster, York 2012
14 John Yudichak Dem Pittston Carbon, Luzerne 2014
15 Jeffrey Piccola Rep Susquehanna Township Dauphin, York 2012
16 Pat Browne Rep Allentown Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton 2014
17 Daylin Leach Dem Upper Merion Township Delaware, Montgomery 2012
18 Lisa Boscola Dem Bethlehem Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton 2014
19 Andy Dinniman Dem West Chester Chester, Montgomery 2012
20 Lisa Baker Rep Dallas Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming 2014
21 Mary Jo White Rep Franklin Butler, Clarion, Erie, Forest, Venango, Warren 2012
22 John Blake Dem Blakely Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe 2014
23 Eugene Yaw Rep Loyalsock Township Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union 2012
24 Bob Mensch Rep Marlborough Township Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton 2014
25 Joe Scarnati Rep Brockway Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren 2012
26 Ted Erickson Rep Newtown Square Chester, Delaware 2014
27 John Gordner Rep Berwick Columbia, Dauphin, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder 2012
28 Mike Waugh Rep York York 2014
29 Dave Argall Rep Rush Township Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Schuylkill 2012
30 John Eichelberger Rep Duncansville Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon, Mifflin 2014
31 Pat Vance Rep Silver Spring Township Cumberland, York 2012
32 Rich Kasunic Dem Dunbar Fayette, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland 2014
33 Richard Alloway Rep Hamilton Township, Franklin Co. Adams, Franklin, York 2012
34 Jake Corman Rep Benner Township Centre, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Union 2014
35 John Wozniak Dem Johnstown Cambria, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Somerset 2012
36 Mike Brubaker Rep Ephrata Chester, Lancaster 2014
37 John Pippy Rep Moon Township Allegheny, Washington 2012
38 Jim Ferlo Dem Pittsburgh Allegheny, Armstrong, Westmoreland 2014
39 Kim Ward Rep Hempfield Township Westmoreland 2012
40 Jane Orie Rep McCandless Allegheny, Butler 2014
41 Don White Rep Indiana Armstrong, Clearfield, Indiana, Westmoreland 2012
42 Wayne Fontana Dem Pittsburgh Allegheny 2014
43 Jay Costa Dem Forest Hills Allegheny 2012
44 John Rafferty, Jr. Rep Collegeville Berks, Chester, Montgomery 2014
45 Jim Brewster Dem McKeesport Allegheny, Westmoreland 2012
46 Tim Solobay Dem Bentleyville Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland 2014
47 Elder Vogel Rep New Sewickley Township Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence 2012
48 Mike Folmer Rep Lebanon Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon 2014
49 Jane Earll Rep Erie Erie 2012
50 Bob Robbins Rep Greenville Butler, Crawford, Lawrence, Mercer 2014

See also

References

  1. ^ The Pennsylvania Manual, p. 3-7.
  2. ^ Article II, section 3, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  3. ^ Article IV, section 14, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  4. ^ Democrat Michael O'Pake (District 11) died December 27, 2010
  5. ^ Democrat Judy Schwank sworn in to replace O'Pake.

Sources

External links