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Wyoming State Senate
| Wyoming State Senate | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Upper house |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2012 session start: | February 13, 2012 |
| Website: | Official Senate Page |
| Leadership | |
| Senate President: | Jim Anderson, (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Tony Ross, (R) |
| Minority leader: | John Hastert, (D) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 30 |
| Democratic Party (4) Republican Party (26) | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Art 3, Sec 3, Wyoming Constitution |
| Salary: | $150/day + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 2, 2010 (15 seats) |
| Next election: | November 6, 2012 (15 seats) |
| Redistricting: | Wyoming Legislature has control |
Members of the Senate serve four-year terms without term limits.
The Wyoming Term Limits Referendum (1996) and Wyoming Term Limits Initiative (1996) both were approved in 1996 but these votes were held in 2004 not to have been successful by the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Sessions
Article III of the Wyoming Constitution establishes when the Wyoming State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Sections 6 and 7 of Article III contain the relevant provisions. The Legislature is to convene in regular session for no more than sixty legislative working days every two years, and no more than forty legislative days in any year. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature meets for a general and budget session, beginning on the second Tuesday of January. In even-numbered years, the Legislature meets for a session devoted to budgetary matters.
Section 7 of Article III contains the provisions for convening special sessions of the Legislature. Special sessions can be convened by the proclamation of the Governor of Wyoming, or the Legislature can convene a special session of up to twenty legislative days if the session is requested by a majority of the members of each legislative house.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the Senate will be in session from February 13 through March 9.
Major issues
With projections estimating a $115 million decrease in revenue, a number of legislators are focused on either cutting spending or at least preventing the budget from increasing. Governor Matt Mead (R) has called for $17 million in spending cuts. Other issues include redistricting, creating a statewide school support and evaluation system, increasing motor vehicle fees and raising the state speed limit 80 mph.[3]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the Legislature was in regular session from January 11 through March 3. [4] The 45 calendar days that the Wyoming Legislature was in session during 2011 is tied with Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arkansas for the shortest legislative session in the country.[5]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Senate convened for its biennial budget session, which lasted from February 8 to March 5.[6]
Elections
2012
- See also: Wyoming State Senate elections, 2012
Elections for the office of Wyoming State Senate will be held in Wyoming on November 6, 2012. A total of 15 seats will be up for election.
The signature filing deadline is June 1, 2012 and the primary date will be August 21, 2012.
2010
- See also: Wyoming State Senate elections, 2010
Elections for the office of Wyoming's State Senate were held in Wyoming on November 2, 2010. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was May 28, 2010 (August 23 for independents). The primary election day was August 17, 2010. Of the 30 seats in the Senate, 15 are up for re-election. Incumbents ran in 10 of the seats. In addition, in 10 of the 15 seats, candidates are running unopposed in the November 2, 2010 general election.
In 2010, the candidates for state senate raised a total of $259,183 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [7]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Democrat (Party) | $16,550 |
| Meier, Curtis Eugine | $16,516 |
| Wyoming State Senate Republican Conference | $10,000 |
| Steinmetz, Corey A | $7,978 |
| Frisbie, Tom | $5,000 |
| Workers Help in Politics | $5,000 |
| Republican (Party) | $4,500 |
| Rothfuss, Chris | $4,446 |
| Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association | $4,150 |
| Williams Companies | $4,000 |
Qualifications
Section 2 of Article 3 of the Wyoming Constitution states, "Senators shall be elected for the term of four (4) years and representatives for the term of two (2) years. The senators elected at the first election shall be divided by lot into two classes as nearly equal as may be. The seats of senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first two years, and of the second class at the expiration of four years. No person shall be a senator who has not attained the age of twenty-five years, or a representative who has not attained the age of twenty-one years, and who is not a citizen of the United States and of this state and who has not, for at least twelve months next preceding his election resided within the county or district in which he was elected."
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
If there is a vacancy in the Senate, the Board of County Commissioners representing the vacant seat must select a replacement. The state central committee of the political party that last held the seat must submit a list of three candidates to the Board of County Commissioners. The party committee must submit the list of candidates within 30 days after the vacancy happened[8].
The Board of County Commissioners selects the replacement within five days of receiving the list of candidates. The person appointed to the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term[9].
Senators
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2010, members of the Wyoming Senate are paid $150/day. Legislators receive $109/day per diem, set by the legislature.[10]
The $150/day that Wyoming senators are paid as of 2010 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. Per diem has increased from $85/day in 2007 to $109/day in 2010.[11]
When sworn in
Wyoming legislators assume office the first Monday in January following the election.
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
| Party | As of May 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 4 | |
| Republican Party | 26 | |
| Total | 30 | |
Leadership
Wyoming does not have the office of Lieutenant Governor, and so the President of the Senate is selected from the membership.[12]
Current leadership
2010 Leadership
List of current members
Senate Committees
The Wyoming Senate has 12 standing committees.
- Judiciary Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Appropriations Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Revenue Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Education Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Transportation and Highways Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Mineral, Business and Economic Development Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Labor, Health and Social Services Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Journal Committee, Wyoming Senate
- Rules and Procedure Committee, Wyoming Senate
External links
- Vote Smart profile of Wyoming Senate
- Wikipedia:Wyoming Senate
- Official Wyoming Senate
- Map of Senate Districts
- The Wyoming Liberty Index
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ Wyoming Tribune Eagle, "State may cracked down on spending," February 12, 2012
- ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
- ↑ South Carolina Policy Council "50 State Legislative Session Interactive Map," February 2011
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Wyoming Legislature
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Wyoming Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions
- ↑ Wyoming Legislature "Wyoming Election Code"(Referenced Statute 22-18-111 (iii)-(A))
- ↑ Wyoming Legislature "Wyoming Election Code"(Referenced Statute 22-18-111 (iii)-(A))
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
- ↑ Wyoming State Legislative Leadership
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