California State Senate

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Coordinates: 38°34′36″N 121°29′37″W / 38.57667°N 121.49361°W / 38.57667; -121.49361

California State Senate
California State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type Upper House
Term limits 2 terms (8 years)
New session started December 6, 2010
Leadership
President of the Senate Gavin Newsom, (D)
since January 10, 2011
President Pro Tem of the Senate Darrell Steinberg, (D)
since November 30, 2008
Majority Leader Ellen Corbett, (D)
since December 6, 2010
Minority Leader Bob Huff, (R)
since January 5, 2012
Structure
Members 40
California State Senate 2011-2012.svg
Political groups
  Democratic Party
(25)
  Republican Party
(15)
Length of term 4 years
Authority Article IV, California Constitution
Salary $95,291/year + per diem
Elections
Last election November 2, 2010
(20 seats)
Next election November 6, 2012
(20 seats)
Redistricting California Citizens Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
California Senate chamber p1080899.jpg
State Senate Chamber
California State Capitol
Sacramento, California
Website
California State Senate

The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote. The officers of the Senate, elected at the start of each legislative session, are the President pro tem Darrell Steinberg, Secretary of the Senate Gregory Schmidt, and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Tony Beard, Jr.

Prior to 1968, state senate districts were restricted such that one county could hold at most only one seat. This led to the situation of Los Angeles County, with 6 million residents as of 1968, receiving 600 times less representation than residents of Alpine County and Calaveras County, some of California's least populous counties. The federal Reynolds v. Sims decision by the United States Supreme Court compelled all states to draw up districts with equal populations. As such, boundaries were changed to provide more equitable representation.[1]

Senators are limited to serving two four-year terms, which are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The Senators representing the odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The senators from the even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years.[2]

Each senator represents approximately 846,791 Californians, which is more than the approximately 639,088 residents in each of California's congressional districts.

The red tones of the California State Senate Chamber are based on the British House of Lords, which is outfitted in a similar color. Likewise, the California State Assembly Chamber is decorated green, parallel to the British House of Commons. Almost every decorating element of the Senate chamber is identical to those in the Assembly.

Contents

[edit] Senators

See:

[edit] Senate

[edit] Officers

Position Name Party District
Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom Democratic
President Pro Tem of the Senate Darrell Steinberg Democratic 6th–Sacramento
Majority Leader Ellen Corbett Democratic 10th–San Leandro
Majority Caucus Chair Kevin de León Democratic 22nd–Los Angeles
Majority Whip Vacant
Minority Leader Bob Huff Republican 29th–Diamond Bar
Minority Caucus Chair Tom Harman Republican 35th–Huntington Beach
Minority Whip Doug LaMalfa Republican 4th–Richvale
Secretary Greg Schmidt
Sergeant at Arms Tony Beard, Jr.

Note: The Secretary and the Sergeant at Arms are not Members of the Legislature

[edit] Composition

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
End of previous legislature 24 14 38 2
Begin[3] 24 14 38 2
December 21, 2010[4] 13 37 3
January 6, 2011[5] 14 38 2
February 18, 2011[6] 25 15 40 0
Latest voting share 62.5% 37.5%

[edit] Seating chart

* * * * * *
Lieutenant Governor/Senate President
Newsom
 * * * * *
*
Runner Wyland * Anderson Strickland * Correa Leno * Hernández Negrete McLeod * Yee de León * DeSaulnier Wolk
Gaines Blakeslee * Walters Berryhill * Emmerson Wright * Kehoe Simitian * Calderon Rubio * Liu Hancock
Dutton Cannella * LaMalfa Harman * Fuller Huff * Vargas Price * Evans Lowenthal * Pavley Alquist *
* * * * * * Padilla Steinberg * Corbett Lieu

[edit] Senate Committees

[edit] Standing

  • Senate Committee on Agriculture
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations
    • Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Fiscal Oversight and Bonded Indebtedness
  • Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions
  • Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and General Government
    • Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections
  • Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development
  • Senate Committee on Education
    • Senate Education Subcommittee on Sustainable School Facilities
  • Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments
  • Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications
  • Senate Committee on Environmental Quality
  • Senate Committee on Governmental Organizations
  • Senate Committee on Governance and Finance
  • Senate Committee on Health
  • Senate Committee on Human Services
  • Senate Committee on Insurance
  • Senate Committee on Judiciary
  • Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
  • Senate Committee on Legislative Ethics
  • Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water
    • Senate Natural Resources and Water Subcommittee on Urban Rivers
  • Senate Committee on Public Employment and Retirement
  • Senate Committee on Public Safety
  • Senate Committee on Rules
  • Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing
  • Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs

[edit] Joint Committees

  • Joint Committee on Arts
  • Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture
  • Joint Committee on Fairs, Allocation, and Classification
  • Joint Committee on Legislative Audit
  • Joint Committee on Rules
  • Joint Committee on Legislative Budget
  • Joint Legislative Sunset Review Committee

[edit] Senate Offices

  • Senate Office of Research
  • Senate Office of Demographics
  • Senate Office of Floor Analysis
  • Senate Office of International Relations
  • Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes

[edit] See also

Portal icon California portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stephen Ansolabehere, James M. Snyder, Jr., and Jonathan Woon (August 1999). "Why Did a Majority of Californians Vote to Limit Their Own Power?". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. http://web.mit.edu/polisci/research/representation/apsa_99_v2.pdf. 
  2. ^ Cal. Const. Art. IV. §2(a)
  3. ^ Republican Dave Cox (District 1) and Democrat Jenny Oropeza (District 28) died on July 13 and October 20, 2010, respectively. Their vacancies had not yet been filled at the time the new legislature assumed office.
  4. ^ Republican George Runner (District 17) resigned after his election to the State Board of Equalization
  5. ^ Republican Ted Gaines sworn in to succeed Dave Cox (District 1)
  6. ^ Republican Sharon Runner and Democrat Ted Lieu sworn in to succeed George Runner and Oropeza, respectively.

[edit] External links

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