California State Senate

Coordinates: 38°34′36″N 121°29′37″W / 38.57667°N 121.49361°W / 38.57667; -121.49361

California State Senate
California State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
 Elected before 2012:
2 terms (8 years)
Elected 2012 and after:
3 terms (12 years)
History
New session started
 December 5, 2016
Leadership
Gavin Newsom (D)
Since January 10, 2011
Kevin de León (D)
Since October 15, 2014
Majority Leader
Bill Monning (D)
Since December 17, 2014
Minority Leader
Patricia Bates (R)
Since April 12, 2017
Structure
Seats 40
Composition of the California State Senate
Political groups

Majority

  Democratic (27)

Minority

  Republican (13)
Length of term
 4 years
Authority Article 4, California Constitution
Salary $104,118/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
 November 8, 2016 (20 seats)
Next election
 November 6, 2018 (20 seats)
Redistricting California Citizens Redistricting Commission
Motto
Senatoris est civitatis libertatem tueri
("It is a senator's duty to protect the liberty of the people.")
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
California State Capitol
Sacramento, California
Website
www.sen.ca.gov

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. Due to the state's large population and relatively small legislature, the State Senate has the largest population per representative ratio of any state legislative house. In the United States House of Representatives, California is apportioned 53 representatives, each representing approximately 704,566 people,[1] while in the State Senate, each of the 40 Senators represents approximately 931,349 people,[2] with the result that California state senators each actually represent more voters than California's representatives to the United States Congress do. Each member roughly represents a population equivalent to the state of Delaware. As a result of Proposition 140 in 1990 and Proposition 28 in 2012, members elected to the legislature prior to 2012 are restricted by term limits to two four-year terms (eight years), while those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years in the legislature in any combination of four-year state senate or two-year state assembly terms.[3]

The State Senate convenes at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.

In the current session, Democrats control 27 seats, comprising a two-thirds supermajority of the chamber. Republicans control 13 seats.

History

Prior to 1968, state senate districts were drawn so that each county had at most one state senator. This led to the situation of a populous county such as Los Angeles County being accorded the same number of state senators (1) as less populous counties such as Humboldt County. In Reynolds v. Sims, the United States Supreme Court compelled all states to draw up districts with equal population. As such, boundaries were changed to comply with the ruling.

Leadership

The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote. The President pro tempore is elected by the majority party caucus, followed by confirmation of the full senate. Other leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses according to each party's strength in the chamber.

The current president pro tem is Democrat Kevin de León (22nd–Los Angeles). The minority leader is Republican Patricia Bates (36th–Laguna Niguel).

Meeting chamber

The red tones of the California State Senate Chamber are based on the British House of Lords, which is outfitted in a similar color. The dais rests along a wall shaped like an "E", with its central projection housing the rostrum. Along the cornice appears a portrait of George Washington and the Latin quotation: senatoris est civitatis libertatem tueri ("It is a senator's duty to protect the liberty of the people"). Almost every decorating element is identical to the Assembly Chamber.

Officers

Position Name Party District
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom Democratic
President pro tempore Kevin de León Democratic 24th–Los Angeles
Majority leader Bill Monning Democratic 17th–Carmel
Majority whip Nancy Skinner Democratic 9th–Berkeley
Majority caucus chair Connie Leyva Democratic 20th–Chino
Majority caucus vice chair Mike McGuire Democratic 2nd–Healdsburg
Minority leader Patricia Bates Republican 36th–Laguna Niguel
Minority caucus chair Jim Nielsen Republican 4th–Gerber
Minority whip Ted Gaines Republican 1st–El Dorado Hills
Secretary Daniel Alvarez
Sergeant-at-Arms Debbie Manning
Chaplain Sister Michelle Gorman

The Secretary, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Chaplain are not members of the Legislature.

Composition

Composition of the California State Senate
  Democratic Party
  Republican Party
Midpoint
27 13
Democratic Republican
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
End of previous legislature 26 13 39 1
Begin 27 13 40 0
Latest voting share 67.5% 32.5%

Seating chart

              President
Newsom
 
Wilk Anderson   Moorlach Vidak   Hueso Hernandez   Roth Galgiani   Hertzberg Wieckowski   Pan McGuire
Morrell Stone   Nguyen Bates   Bradford Hill   Lara Allen   Mendoza Wiener   Leyva Portantino
Gaines Nielsen   Berryhill Cannella   Fuller Dodd   Jackson Mitchell   Glazer Atkins   Stern Beall
            Skinner De León   Monning Newman

Committees

Current committees include:[4]

Standing

Joint

Offices

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Apportionment Data". United States Census Bureau.
  2. ↑ "Senate Roster". State of California.
  3. ↑ "Article 4. Legislative". California Constitution. California Legislative Counsel. Retrieved December 1, 2012.
  4. ↑ "California Senate Committees". Open States. Sunlight Foundation. 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
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