Pennsylvania State Senate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pennsylvania State Senate |
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|---|---|
| Pennsylvania General Assembly | |
 |
|
| Type | |
| Type | |
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Term limits
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None |
| History | |
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New session started
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January 1, 2019 |
| Leadership | |
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President Pro Tem of the Senate
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Jake Corman (R)
Since November 12, 2020 |
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Majority Leader
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Kim Ward (R)
Since November 12, 2020 |
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Minority Leader
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Jay Costa (D)
Since January 4, 2011 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 50 |
 |
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Political groups
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Majority caucus
Minority caucus
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Length of term
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4 years |
| Authority | Article II, Pennsylvania Constitution |
| Salary | $88,610/year |
| Elections | |
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Last election
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November 6, 2018 (25 seats) |
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Next election
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November 3, 2020 (25 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Control |
| Meeting place | |
 |
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| State Senate Chamber Pennsylvania State Capitol Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
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| Website | |
| Pennsylvania State Senate | |
The Pennsylvania State Senate is an important part of the government in Pennsylvania. It is like the "upper house" of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, which is the state's main law-making group.
The Senate has 50 members, called senators. They are currently mostly from the Republican Party. Each senator is elected for a four-year term. There is no limit to how many times a senator can be re-elected.
Contents
Who Leads the Senate?
The Senate has important leaders who help things run smoothly.
- President of the Senate: This person is also the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. They lead the Senate meetings. Currently, it's John Fetterman from the Democratic Party.
- President Pro Tempore of the Senate: This person is chosen by the senators themselves. They lead when the President of the Senate is not there. Currently, it's Jake Corman from the Republican Party.
There are also other leaders for both the main party (the majority) and the other party (the minority). These leaders help guide their party members and manage the Senate's work.
| Majority Party (Republican) | Leadership Role | Minority Party (Democratic) |
|---|---|---|
| Kim Ward | Floor Leader | Jay Costa |
| John Gordner | Whip | Anthony H. Williams |
| Bob Mensch | Caucus Chairman | Wayne D. Fontana |
| Ryan Aument | Caucus Secretary | Maria Collett |
| Pat Browne | Appropriations Committee Chairman | Vincent Hughes |
| Dave Argall | Policy Committee Chairman | Katie Muth |
| TBD | Caucus Administrator | John Blake |
How the Senate is Made Up
The Senate has 50 members. These members belong to different political parties. The party with the most members is called the "majority caucus." The other party is the "minority caucus."
Current Party Makeup
This table shows how many members each party has right now:
| Group | Party
(shading shows the main party)
|
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Independent | Democratic | Empty Seats | ||
| End of last group | 28 | 1 | 21 | 50 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 58% | 42% | |||
Who are the Members?
The Pennsylvania State Senate has 50 members. Each member is elected from a specific area in Pennsylvania called a "district." This means that each senator represents the people living in their district. They work to make laws that help their communities and the entire state.
Senators serve for four years. They are elected in different years, so not all 50 seats are up for election at the same time. This helps keep the Senate stable.
Images for kids
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The official seal of the Pennsylvania State Senate.
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The Senate Chamber inside the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building where senators meet.
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A chart showing the current party makeup of the Pennsylvania State Senate.
See also
In Spanish: Senado de Pensilvania para niños
