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Maryland State Senate

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Maryland State Senate

Seal of Maryland.jpg
General Information
Type:   Upper house
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 11, 2012
Website:   Official Senate Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Thomas Mike Miller, Jr., (D)
Majority Leader:   Robert Garagiola (D)
Minority leader:   E.J. Pipkin, (R)
Structure
Members:  47
   Democratic Party (35)
Republican Party (12)
Length of term:   4 years
Authority:   Art III, Section 2, Maryland Constitution
Salary:   $43,500/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010 (47 seats)
Next election:  November 4, 2014 (47 seats)
Redistricting:  General Assembly has control
Meeting place:
Marylandsenatechamber.jpg

Contents

The Maryland State Senate is the upper house of the Maryland General Assembly. 47 members serve in the State Senate and serve four-year terms with no term limits. Each member represents an average of 122,842 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 112,691 residents.[2] The State Senate meets at its State Capitol in Annapolis and meets each year for 90 days to act on more than 2300 bills including the State's annual budget[3].

Sessions

Article III of the Maryland Constitution establishes when the Maryland General Assembly, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 14 of Article III states that the General Assembly is to convene in regular session every year on the second Wednesday of January.

Section 14 also contains the procedures for convening extraordinary sessions of the General Assembly. If a majority of the members of each legislative house petition the Governor of Maryland with a request for an extraordinary session, the Governor is constitutionally required to proclaim an extraordinary session.

Article II of the Maryland Constitution also gives the Governor of Maryland the power to proclaim an extraordinary session without the request of the General Assembly.

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Senate will be in session from January 11 through April 19.

Major issues

Governor Martin O'Malley (D) has said 2012 is the year for a massive public works program to create jobs. Legislators are looking to boost revenue through increases in gas and sewer taxes and are considering expanding gambling in the state. Democrats are also looking to legalize same-sex marriage.[4]

2011

In 2011, the Senate was in session from January 12 through April 11. [5] A special redistricting session is planned for week of October 17, however an exact date is not yet known.[6]

2010

In 2010, the Senate was in session from January 13th to April 12th. [7]

Elections

2010

See also: Maryland State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Maryland State Senate were held in Maryland on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was July 6, 2010 and the primary election day was on September 14, 2010.

Maryland's 47 state senators are elected to four-year terms. The elections are not staggered; rather, all 47 seats are up for election on a cycle of 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, etc.

In 2010, the candidates running for state senate raised a total of $9,313,367 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [8]

Donor Amount
Lenett, Michael G $226,697
Helton, Arthur H $181,000
Maryland Realtors Association $139,665
Community Coalition Advocacy Slate $125,000
Service Employees DC & Maryland State Council 54 $98,800
Dearmon, Donald M $81,092
Maryland Trial Lawyers Association $75,000
SEIU 1199 $66,500
Democratic Senate Slate $60,812
Health Policy Leadership Alliance $57,375

Qualifications

Section 9 of Article 3 of the Maryland Constitution states, "A person is eligible to serve as a Senator or Delegate, who on the date of his election, (1) is a citizen of the State of Maryland, (2) has resided therein for at least one year next preceding that date, and (3) if the district which he has been chosen to represent has been established for at least six months prior to the date of his election, has resided in that district for six months next preceding that date.

If the district which the person has been chosen to represent has been established less than six months prior to the date of his election, then in addition to (1) and (2) above, he shall have resided in the district for as long as it has been established.

A person is eligible to serve as a Senator, if he has attained the age of twenty-five years, or as a Delegate, if he has attained the age of twenty-one years, on the date of his election.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
NevadaMassachusettsColoradoNew MexicoWyomingArizonaMontanaCaliforniaOregonWashingtonIdahoTexasOklahomaKansasNebraskaSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMinnesotaIowaMissouriArkansasLouisianaMississippiAlabamaGeorgiaFloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisWisconsinTennesseeNorth CarolinaIndianaOhioKentuckyPennsylvaniaNew JerseyNew YorkVermontVermontNew HampshireMaineWest VirginiaVirginiaMarylandMarylandConnecticutConnecticutDelawareDelawareRhode IslandRhode IslandMassachusettsNew HampshireMichiganMichiganAlaskaVacancy fulfillment map.png

The Governor is responsible for filling all vacancies in the Senate[9].

The Governor has 30 days after the vacancy to make an appointment based onthe recommendations of the political party committee that holds the vacant seat. The political party committee has up to 30 days after the vacancy to submit a list of recommended candidates to the Governor. If the party committee fails to act within the 30 day deadline, the Governor has 15 days to appoint a person from the political party that last held the seat[10].

The person appointed to the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term[11].

Senators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the Maryland legislature are paid $43,500/year. Legislators receive $100/day for lodging. Additionally, they receive $42 for meals and $225/day for out-of-state travel (which includes meals/lodging).[12]

The $43,500/year that Maryland legislators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from 2010 levels of $96/day for lodging and $36/day for meals, but fallen from 2007 levels of $116/day and $41/day respectively.[13][14]

Leadership

The President and President Pro Tem of the Senate are elected by the full body. The President appoints the majority leader. These two leaders then appoint the deputy majority leader and majority whip. Minority leaders are names by the minority party.[15]

Current leadership

Position Representative Party District
President of the Senate Thomas Mike Miller, Jr. Electiondot.png Democratic 27
President Pro Tempore Nathaniel McFadden Electiondot.png Democratic 45
State Senate Majority Leader Robert Garagiola Electiondot.png Democratic 15
State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Catherine Pugh Electiondot.png Democratic 40
State Senate Assistant Deputy Majority Leader James Robey Electiondot.png Democratic 13
State Senate Majority Whip Lisa Gladden Electiondot.png Democratic 41
State Senate Deputy Majority Whip Jim Rosapepe Electiondot.png Democratic 21
State Senate Assistant Deputy Majority Whip Nancy King Electiondot.png Democratic 39
State Senate Minority Leader Nancy Jacobs Ends.png Republican
State Senate Minority Whip E. J. Pipkin Ends.png Republican 4

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Party As of May 2012
     Democratic Party 35
     Republican Party 12
Total 47


When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Maryland legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January after the election.

List of current members

Each Senator has at least two standing committee assignments. The first is to one of the four legislative committees: Budget and Taxation, Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs (listed in this table as Education, Health, and Environment), Finance, or Judicial Proceedings. A number of Senators have secondary committee assignments, most prominently to the Executive Nominations Committee, which oversees the constitutional responsibility of the Senate to approve nominations by the Governor. Assignment to this committee is noted under the Executive Nominations column, though assignment to the Rules committee or any Ad Hoc committees is not noted.


District Representative Party Counties in District First elected Primary committee
1 George Edwards Ends.png Republican Allegany, Garrett, and Washington 2006 Budget and Taxation
2 Christopher Shank Ends.png Republican Washington 2010 Judicial Proceedings
3 Ronald Young Electiondot.png Democratic Frederick and Washington 2010 Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
4 David R. Brinkley Ends.png Republican Carroll and Frederick 2002 Budget and Taxation
5 Joseph Getty Ends.png Republican Baltimore and Carroll 2010 Judicial Proceedings
6 Norman Stone Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore 1966 Judicial Proceedings
7 J.B. Jennings Ends.png Republican Baltimore and Harford 2010 Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
8 Katherine Klausmeier Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore 2002 Finance
9 Allan Kittleman Ends.png Republican Carroll and Howard 2004 Finance
10 Delores Kelley Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore 1994 Finance
11 Robert Zirkin Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore 2006 Budget and Taxation
12 Edward Kasemeyer Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore and Howard 1986 Budget and Taxation
13 James Robey Electiondot.png Democratic Howard 2006 Budget and Taxation
14 Karen Montgomery Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 2010 Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
15 Robert Garagiola Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 2002 Finance
16 Brian Frosh Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 1994 Judicial Proceedings
17 Jennie Forehand Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 1994 Judicial Proceedings
18 Rich Madaleno Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 2006 Budget and Taxation
19 Roger Manno Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 2010 Budget and Taxation
20 Jamin B. Raskin Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 2006 Judicial Proceedings
21 Jim Rosapepe Electiondot.png Democratic Anne Arundel and Prince George's 2006 Education, Health, and Environment
22 Paul Pinsky Electiondot.png Democratic Prince George's 1994 Education, Health, and Environment
23 Douglas Peters Electiondot.png Democratic Prince George's 2006 Budget and Taxation
24 Joanne Benson Electiondot.png Democratic Prince George's 2010 Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
25 Ulysses Currie Electiondot.png Democratic Prince George's 1994 Budget and Taxation
26 C. Anthony Muse Electiondot.png Democratic Prince George's 2006 Judicial Proceedings
27 Mike Miller Electiondot.png Democratic Calvert and Prince George's 1974 n/a
28 Thomas Mac Middleton Electiondot.png Democratic Charles 1994 Finance
29 Roy Dyson Electiondot.png Democratic Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's 1994 Education, Health, and Environment
30 John Astle Electiondot.png Democratic Anne Arundel 1994 Finance
31 Bryan Simonaire Ends.png Republican Anne Arundel 2006 Judicial Proceedings
32 James DeGrange, Sr. Electiondot.png Democratic Anne Arundel 1998 Budget and Taxation
33 Edward R. Reilly Ends.png Republican Anne Arundel 2002 Education, Health, and Environment
34 Nancy Jacobs Ends.png Republican Cecil and Harford 1998 Judicial Proceedings
35 Barry Glassman Ends.png Republican Harford 1998 Finance
36 E. J. Pipkin Ends.png Republican Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's 2002 Finance
37 Richard Colburn Ends.png Republican Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, and Wicomico 1994 Education, Health, and Environment
38 James Mathias, Jr. Electiondot.png Democratic Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester 2010 Finance
39 Nancy King Electiondot.png Democratic Montgomery 2007 committee not yet assigned
40 Catherine Pugh Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore City 2006 Finance
41 Lisa Gladden Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore City 2002 Judicial Proceedings
42 James Brochin Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore County 2002 Judicial Proceedings
43 Joan Carter Conway Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore City 1997 Education, Health, and Environment
44 Verna Jones Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore City 2002 Budget and Taxation
45 Nathaniel McFadden Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore City 1994 Budget and Taxation
46 Bill Ferguson Electiondot.png Democratic Baltimore City 2010 Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
47 Victor Ramirez Electiondot.png Democratic Prince George's 2010 Judicial Proceedings

Legislative pay

All members of the Maryland General Assembly, both senators and delegates, make $43,500, except for the Senate president and House speaker,who make $56,500. They are second highest paid part-time legislators in the country.[16] These salaries have been frozen since 2006.

Standing committees

Maryland State Senate
SLP badge.jpg
Senate Committees

Budget and Taxation
Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
Executive Nominations • Finance
Judicial Proceedings • Rules

Joint Committees
House Committees


The Maryland Senate has six (6) standing committees:

History

Unicameral to bicameral

Maryland's State Senate was officially split off from what then became the Maryland House of Delegates in 1650. It was known then as the "Upper House of the General Assembly" and consisted of the Governor of Maryland and his council of advisors. However, over the next 10 years, the bicameral legislative was unstable.

Two times, in 1654 and 1657, Puritan governors (appointed by Parlimentary Commissioners based in England), convened a unicameral legislature. In 1660, Maryland's Governor, Josias Fendall, officially abolished the upper house. This act was known as "Fendall's Rebellion" and was quickly overturned and the upper house resumed the composition it had been given in 1650 for a century, with the exception that in 1675 the governor was removed from a seat in it.

Length of terms

The Maryland Constitution of 1776 officially established the senate and removed from it all members of the Governor's Council. That constitution also set the length of state senate terms at five years. [17]

In 1838, a constitutional amendment was approved that changed the length of the term to six years.

The Constitution of 1851 reduced the length of the senatorial terms to four years, where it remains to this day.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  2. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  3. ↑ "Maryland General Assembly" About The Maryland Senate, March 3, 2009
  4. ↑ Baltimore Sun, "So much to do: Annapolis Democrats push ambitious agenda," January 8, 2012
  5. ↑ Maryland General Assembly
  6. ↑ Yahoo Finance, Md. special session anticipated in week of Oct. 17, July 6, 2011
  7. ↑ 2010 session dates for Maryland legislature
  8. ↑ Follow the Money: "Maryland Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  9. ↑ Maryland General Assembly "Maryland Constitution"(Referenced Section, Article III, Section 13, Subsection (a)(1))
  10. ↑ Maryland General Assembly "Maryland Constitution"(Referenced Section, Article III, Section 13, Subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2))
  11. ↑ Maryland General Assembly "Maryland Constitution"(Referenced Section, Article III, Section 13, Subsection (a)(4))
  12. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
  13. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
  14. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  15. ↑ Organizational Structure of the Maryland State Senate
  16. ↑ MarylandReporter.com, "Commission scrutinizes legislative pay, expenses", Dec. 9, 2009
  17. ↑ Maryland State Archives, "History of the Maryland State Senate
v • d • e
Democrat majority Current members of the Maryland State Senate
Senate President: Thomas Mike Miller, Jr. (D) • Majority Leader: Robert Garagiola (D) • Minority Leader: Nancy Jacobs (R)
   
Democratic (35) • Republican (12) • Maryland State Senate • Maryland House of Delegates
v • d • e
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