Kansas State Senate | |
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Kansas State Legislature | |
Type | |
Type | Upper house |
Term limits | None |
New session started | January 10, 2011 |
Leadership | |
President of the Senate | Stephen Morris, (R) since January 10, 2005 |
Vice President of the Senate | John Vratil, (R) since January 13, 2003 |
Majority Leader | Jay Emler, (R) since January 10, 2011 |
Minority Leader | Anthony Hensley, (D) since January 8, 1996 |
Structure | |
Members | 40 |
Political groups | Republican Party (32) Democratic Party (8) |
Length of term | 4 years |
Authority | Article 2, Kansas Constitution |
Salary | $88.66/day + per diem |
Elections | |
Last election | November 2, 2010 (20 seats) |
Next election | November 6, 2012 (20 seats) |
Redistricting | Kansas Reapportionment Commission |
Meeting place | |
State Senate Chamber Kansas State Capitol Topeka, Kansas |
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Website | |
Kansas State Senate |
The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. The Kansas Senate meets at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate is reserved with special functions such as confirming or rejecting gubernatorial appointments to executive departments, the state cabinet, commissions and boards.
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Senate leadership
The President of the Senate presides over the body, Is a member of the Organization,Calendar and Rules Committee that appoints members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike many other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Kansas does not preside over the Senate. Since a 1972 amendment to the Kansas Constitution, the Lieutenant Governor's duties have been severed from the legislative branch, and is active in other areas of the Kansas state government such as commissions on military affairs and health insurance. In the Senate President's absence, the Vice-President presides. The President of the Kansas Senate assigns proposed bills to committees and the Majority Leader determines the calendar and order of bills to be debated on the floor of the Kansas Senate. The Organization, Rules and Calendar Committee is made up of the President, Vice-President, Majority leader, Assistant Majority Leader, Minority Leader and 4 senators elected by the majority caucus.
The current President of the Senate is Republican Stephen Morris of District 39 (Garden City, Ulysses). The Senate Majority Leader is Jay Emler of District 35 (McPherson, Ellsworth). The Senate Minority Leader is Democrat Anthony Hensley of District 19 (Topeka, Burlingame, Osage City).
Compositions of the Senate
Kansas is one of the most GOP-leaning states in the country and Republicans currently hold a supermajority in the State Senate.
Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
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Total | ||
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Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
End of previous legislature | 30 | 10 | 40 | 0 |
Begin | 31 | 9 | 40 | 0 |
December 17, 2010 | 32 | 8 | ||
Latest voting share | 80% | 20% |
Officers
Position | Name | Party | District |
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President of the Senate | Stephen Morris | Republican | 39 |
Majority Leader | Jay Emler | Republican | 35 |
Minority Leader | Anthony Hensley | Democratic | 19 |
Members of the Kansas Senate, 2009-2013
District | Representative | Party | Residence |
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1 | Dennis Pyle | Republican | Hiawatha |
2 | Marci Francisco | Democratic | Lawrence |
3 | Tom Holland | Democratic | Baldwin City |
4 | David Haley | Democratic | Kansas City |
5 | Kelly Kultala | Democratic | Kansas City |
6 | Chris Steineger | Republican* | Kansas City |
7 | Terrie Huntington | Republican | Mission Hills |
8 | Tim Owens | Republican | Overland Park |
9 | Julia Lynn | Republican | Olathe |
10 | Mary Pilcher-Cook | Republican | Shawnee |
11 | John Vratil | Republican | Leawood |
12 | Pat Apple | Republican | Louisburg |
13 | Bob Marshall | Republican | Frontenac |
14 | Dwayne Umbarger | Republican | Thayer |
15 | Jeff King | Republican | Independence |
16 | Ty Masterson | Republican | Augusta |
17 | Jeff Longbine | Republican | Emporia |
18 | Laura Kelly | Democratic | Topeka |
19 | Anthony Hensley | Democratic | Topeka |
20 | Vicki Schmidt | Republican | Topeka |
21 | Mark Taddiken | Republican | Clifton |
22 | Roger Reitz | Republican | Manhattan |
23 | Robert Olson | Republican | Olathe |
24 | Pete Brungardt | Republican | Salina |
25 | Jean Schodorf | Republican | Wichita |
26 | Dick Kelsey | Republican | Haysville |
27 | Leslie Donovan | Republican | Wichita |
28 | Mike Petersen | Republican | Wichita |
29 | Oletha Faust-Goudeau | Democratic | Wichita |
30 | Susan Wagle | Republican | Wichita |
31 | Carolyn McGinn | Republican | Sedgwick |
32 | Steve Abrams | Republican | Arkansas City |
33 | Ruth Teichman | Republican | Stafford |
34 | Terry Bruce | Republican | Hutchinson |
35 | Jay Emler | Republican | Lindsborg |
36 | Allen Schmidt | Democratic | Hays |
37 | Raymond Merrick | Republican | Stilwell |
38 | Garrett Love | Republican | Montezuma |
39 | Stephen Morris | Republican | Hugoton |
40 | Ralph Ostmeyer | Republican | Grinnell |
Changes in Membership
Date seat became vacant or otherwise affected | District | Previous | Reason for change | Subsequent | Date of successor's taking seat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
November 2010 | 36 | Janis Lee (D) |
Resigned due to appointment as chief hearing officer for the Kansas Court of Tax Appeal.[1] | Allen Schmidt (D) |
February 2011 |
December 17, 2010 | 6 | Chris Steineger (D) |
Changed party affiliation.[2] | Chris Steineger (R) |
December 17, 2010 |
January 5, 2011 | 38 | Tim Huelskamp (R) |
Resigned due to election to the US House of Representatives.[3] | Garrett Love (R)[4] |
January 5, 2011 [5] |
January 10, 2011 | 15 | Derek Schmidt (R) |
Resigned due to election to as Kansas Attorney General[6] | Jeff King (R)[7] |
January 10, 2011 |
January 10, 2011 | 23 | Karin Brownlee (R) |
Resigned due to appointment as Kansas Secretary of Labor[8] | Robert Olson (R)[9] |
January 10, 2011 |
January 10, 2011 | 37 | Jeff Colyer (R) |
Resigned due to election as Kansas Lieutenant Governor[10] | Raymond Merrick (R)[11] |
January 10, 2011 |
See also
References
- ^ Rebecca Zepick (December 17, 2010). "Senator Janis Lee Appointed To Court of Tax Appeals After Almost 22 Years In Senate". www.stateofthestateks.com (State of the State News). http://stateofthestateks.com/2010/11/17/senator-janis-lee-appointed-to-court-of-tax-appeals-after-19-years-in-senate-governor-parkinson-gives-excellence-awards-to-disability-service-providers/. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ Bormann, Dawn (December 17, 2010). "Kansas Sen. Chris Steineger joins the GOP". www.kansascity.com (Kansas City Star). http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/17/2528398/kansas-sen-chris-steineger-joins.html. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
- ^ Kansas Secretary of State Official Twitter Feed
- ^ "Love to be new District 38 state senator". www.swdtimes.com (Liberal Southwest Daily Times). December 20, 2010. http://www.swdtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3414:love-to-be-new-district-38-state-senator&catid=12:local-news&Itemid=40. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
- ^ Garrett Love Twitter Feed
- ^ Kansas Secretary of State Official Twitter Feed
- ^ Taylor, Andy (December 11, 2010). "Jeff King appointed to Kansas State Senate". Montgomery County Chronicle. http://www.taylornews.org/mcc/2010/12/11/jeff-king-appointed-to-state-senate/. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
- ^ Kansas Secretary of State Official Twitter Feed
- ^ Thompson, Danedri (December 21, 2010). "Precinct members select Olson to replace Brownlee". Gardner News. http://gardnernewsnow.com/precinct-members-select-olson-to-replace-brownlee/. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
- ^ Rothschild, Scott (November 8, 2010), "Colyer announces departure from Senate; endorses Merrick", Lawrence Journal-World, http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/nov/08/colyer-announces-departure-senate-endorses-merrick/
- ^ "Merrick Moving To Kansas Senate". WIBW-TV. November 23, 2010. http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/Merrick_Moving_To_Kansas_Senate_110295044.html. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
External links
- Kansas Senate
- Interactive Map of Kansas House and Senate Districts
- State Senate of Kansas at Project Vote Smart
- Kansas Senate at Ballotpedia
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