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Virginia State Senate
| Virginia State Senate | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Upper house |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2012 session start: | January 11, 2012 |
| Website: | Official Senate Page |
| Leadership | |
| Senate President: | Bill Bolling, (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Thomas Norment (R) |
| Minority leader: | Dick Saslaw, (D) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 40 |
| Democratic Party (20) Republican Party (20) | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Art IV, Section 2, Virginia Constitution |
| Salary: | $18,000/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | Virginia State Senate elections, 2007 |
| Next election: | November 8, 2011 (40 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Virginia legislature has control |
Meeting place: | |
Virginia senators serve four-year terms with no term limits.
Virginia state senate elections are held in odd-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. All senate seats are up for election simultaneously; that is, unlike in many states with four-year senate terms, Virginia senate districts do not have staggered elections. The most recent state senate election was held November 6, 2007. State senators elected in November 2007 were sworn in in January 2008 and their terms expire in January 2012. The next state senate election date is November 8, 2011.
The Virginia Senate holds regular sessions of 60 days duration during even-numbered years and 30 days duration during odd numbered years. The length of these sessions can be extended by a two-thirds vote of both houses.
Sessions
Article IV of the Virginia Constitution establishes when the Virginia General Assembly, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 6 of Article IV states that the General Assembly is to convene annually on the second Wednesday in January. In even-numbered years, regular sessions are limited to sixty days. In odd-numbered years, regular sessions are limited to thirty days. Section 6 allows the General Assembly to extend its regular sessions by thirty days if two-thirds of each house vote to extend the session.
Section 6 allows the Governor of Virginia to convene special sessions of the General Assembly. Section 6 also allows for a special session to be called when it is requested by two-thirds of the members of each house.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the General Assembly was in regular session from January 11 through March 10.[3]
Major issues
With the Senate tied 20-20, control of the chamber will be a major issue. Republicans, using the tie-breaking vote of Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, claim control of the chamber, but Democrats are challenging in court. The General Assembly will take up Governor Bob McDonnell's proposed $85 billion budget, job creation, economic development, and a proposal to end the 30-year-old moratorium on uranium mining.[4]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the Legislature was in regular session from January 12 through February 27. On February 27, a special redistricting session was convened. A reconvened session will begin on April 6 at 12 p.m. to consider any Governor's amendments and/or vetoes to legislation passed by the General Assembly. This is the only business that can occur during the reconvened session. [5]
A second special session convened June 9 and lasted through July 29. The session was called to elect judges to the state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.[6]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Senate was in session from January 13 to March 13.[7]
Elections
Qualifications
Senators must be at least 21 years of age at the time of the election, residents of the district they represent, and qualified to vote for members of the Virginia General Assembly.[8]
2011
- See also: Virginia State Senate elections, 2011
Elections for the office of Virginia's state senators will be held in Virginia on November 8, 2011.
2007
As of the 2000 Census, Virginia's 40 state senators each represent an average population of 176,963 people. In 2007, the candidates for state senate raised a total of $31,534,141 in campaign contributions.
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 77 | $31,534,141 |
| 2003 | 69 | $11,439,328 |
The top 10 donors were:[9]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Democratic Party of Virginia | $2,472,021 |
| Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus | $1,351,536 |
| Virginia Senate Republican Leadership Trust | $1,333,782 |
| Moving Virginia Forward | $914,467 |
| Tom Davis for Congress | $784,635 |
| Republican Party of Virginia | $760,699 |
| Citizens for the Commonwealth | $475,000 |
| Rensin, David | $394,500 |
| Republican State Leadership Cmte | $327,221 |
| Holtzman, William B | $308,747 |
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
If there is a vacancy in the Virginia Senate, then a special election must be conducted to fill the vacant seat[10]. Within 15 days of the vacancy, the governing body of the county or city that represents the seat must petition to a circuit court to hold a special election. All special elections must be held promptly[11]. No special election can be held with less than 60 days remaining in the vacant Senator's term or less than 55 days before a statewide primary or general election[12].
Senators
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2010, members of the Virginia Senate are paid $18,000/year. Senators receive $169/day per diem tied to the federal rate.[13]
The $18,000/year that Virginia senators are paid as of 2010 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $140/day in the Senate in 2007 to $169/day in 2010.[14]
When sworn in
Virginia legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January after the election.
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
| Party | As of May 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 20 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Leadership
The Lieutenant Governor serves as presiding officer of the Senate. In the event of the lieutenant governor's absence, the President pro tempore becomes presiding officer. The President pro tempore is elected by the Senate.[15]
Current leadership
List of current members
Standing committees
The Virginia Senate has 11 standing senate committees. They are:[16]
- Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
- Commerce and Labor Committee
- Courts of Justice
- Education and Health
- Finance
- General Laws and Technology
- Local Government
- Privileges and Elections
- Rehabilitation and Social Services
- Rules
- Transportation
External links
- Virginia General Assembly official government website
- List of Virginia Senators
- Project Vote Smart profile of Virginia Senate
- Wikipedia:Senate of Virginia
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ StateScape, Session schedules, accessed April 30, 2012
- ↑ Richmond Times Dispatch, "Fight to control Senate highlights start of session," January 11, 2012
- ↑ Virginia General Assembly
- ↑ Post Local, Va. assembly to vote Friday on Supreme Court, appeals judges, July 29, 2011
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Virginia legislature
- ↑ Virginia State Legislature For Kids
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Virginia Senate 2007 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Virginia General Assembly "Code of Virginia"(Referenced Statute 24.2-228.1 (A), Code of Virginia)
- ↑ Virgina General Assembly "Code of Virginia"(Referenced Statute 24.2-682(C), Virginia Code)
- ↑ Virgina General Assembly "Code of Virginia"(Referenced Statute 24.2-682(A), Virginia Code)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
- ↑ Senate of Virginia - Leadership
- ↑ Virginia Senate,"Standing Committees," retrieved August 11, 2009
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