Arizona Senate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arizona Senate
55th Arizona Legislature
Type
Type	Upper house
Term limits	4 terms (8 years)
History
New session started	January 14, 2019
Leadership
President	Karen Fann (R) Since January 14, 2019
President pro tempore	Vince Leach (R) Since November 4, 2020
Majority Leader	Rick Gray (R) Since January 14, 2019
Minority Leader	Rebecca Rios (D) Since January 11, 2021
Structure
Seats	30 senators
Political groups	Majority      Republican (16) Minority      Democratic (14)
Length of term	2 years
Authority	Article 4, Arizona Constitution
Salary	$24,000/year + per diem
Elections
Last election	November 3, 2020 (30 seats)
Next election	November 8, 2022 (30 seats)
Redistricting	Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber Arizona State Capitol 1700 W. Washington St. Phoenix, Arizona • 85007
Website
Arizona State Senate

The Arizona State Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Arizona. The Senate consists of 30 members each representing an average of 219,859 constituents (2009 figures). Members serve two-year terms with term limits that limit Senators to four terms for a total of eight years. Members of the Republican Party are currently the majority in the Senate. There is currently 16 women serving in the Senate after Raquel Teran was appointed, making it the first time a majority of the body was composed of female members.

As with the Arizona House of Representatives, members to the Senate are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, however one Senator represents the constituency, while for the House there are two Representatives per district. This districting system is similar to those of the Idaho and Washington State Senate. In political science, this type of legislative district is called a multi-member district.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

The Senate convenes in the adjacent legislative chambers at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

Leadership of the Senate

Arizona, along with Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming, is one of the five U.S. states to have abolished the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the nominal senate president in many states. As a result, the Senate elects its own presiding officer, the President of the Senate, who presides over the body, appoints members to all of the Senate's committees and to joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. The Senate President also appoints a President pro tempore, who serves for the duration of a session of the legislature, to preside in their absence, and may appoint a temporary President pro tempore in the absence of the President and President pro tempore.

The current President of the Senate is Republican Karen Fann of District 1, the Senate Majority Leader is Rick Gray of District 21. The current Minority Leader is Rebecca Rios of District 27 with Lupe Contreras of District 19 as the Assistant Minority Leader.

Leadership information

Current composition

Current members, 2021–2023

Arizona state legislative districts by party of state senator (red is Republican, blue is Democrat)

District	Image	Senator	Party	Residence	Assumed office on	Elected
1		Karen Fann	Rep	Prescott	2017	2016
2		Rosanna Gabaldón	Dem	Sahuarita	2021	2020
3		Sally Ann Gonzales	Dem	Tucson	2019	2018
4		Lisa Otondo	Dem	Yuma	2017	2016
5		Sonny Borrelli	Rep	Lake Havasu City	2017	2016
6		Wendy Rogers	Rep	Tempe	2021	2020
7		Theresa Hatathlie	Dem	Coal Mine Mesa	2022†	2017
8		T. J. Shope	Rep	Coolidge	2021	2020
9		Victoria Steele	Dem	Tucson	2019	2018
10		Stephanie Stahl Hamilton	Dem	Tucson	2021	2021†
11		Vince Leach	Rep	Saddlebrooke	2019	2018
12		Warren Petersen	Rep	Gilbert	2021	2020
13		Sine Kerr	Rep	Buckeye	2018	2018†
14		David Gowan	Rep	Sierra Vista	2019	2018
15		Nancy Barto	Rep	Cave Creek	2021	2020
16		Kelly Townsend	Rep	Mesa	2021	2020
17		J. D. Mesnard	Rep	Chandler	2019	2018
18		Sean Bowie	Dem	Ahwatukee	2017	2016
19		Lupe Contreras	Dem	Cashion	2015	2014
20		Paul Boyer	Rep	Phoenix	2018	2019
21		Rick Gray	Rep	Sun City	2018	2018†
22		David Livingston	Rep	Peoria	2019	2018
23		Michelle Ugenti-Rita	Rep	Scottsdale	2019	2018
24		Lela Alston	Dem	Phoenix	2019	2018
25		Tyler Pace	Rep	Mesa	2019	2018
26		Juan Mendez	Dem	Tempe	2017	2016
27		Rebecca Rios	Dem	Apache Junction	2019	2018
28		Christine Marsh	Dem	Phoenix	2021	2020
29		Martín Quezada	Dem	Phoenix	2015	2014
30		Raquel Terán	Dem	Phoenix	2021	2021†

† Member was originally appointed.

Committees

The current standing committees of the Arizona Senate are as follows:

Past composition of the Senate

See also

In Spanish: Senado de Arizona para niños