Kansas Senate

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Kansas State Senate
Kansas State Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type Upper house
Term limits None
History
New session started January 10, 2011
Leadership
President of the Senate Susan Wagle, (R)
Since January 10, 2005
Vice President of the Senate Jeff King, (R)
Since January 13, 2003
Majority Leader Terry Bruce, (R)
Since January 10, 2011
Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, (D)
Since January 8, 1996
Structure
Seats 40
Political groups Republican Party (32)
Democratic Party (8)
Length of term 4 years
Authority Article 2, Kansas Constitution
Salary $88.66/day + per diem
Elections
Last election November 4, 2008
(40 seats)
Next election November 6, 2012
(40 seats)
Redistricting Kansas Reapportionment Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Kansas State Capitol
Topeka, Kansas
Website
Kansas State Senate

The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. The Kansas Senate meets at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate is reserved with special functions such as confirming or rejecting gubernatorial appointments to executive departments, the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

Contents

[edit] Senate leadership

The President of the Senate presides over the body, Is a member of the Organization,Calendar and Rules Committee that appoints members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike many other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Kansas does not preside over the Senate. Since a 1972 amendment to the Kansas Constitution, the Lieutenant Governor's duties have been severed from the legislative branch, and is active in other areas of the Kansas state government such as commissions on military affairs and health insurance. In the Senate President's absence, the Vice-President presides. The President of the Kansas Senate assigns proposed bills to committees and the Majority Leader determines the calendar and order of bills to be debated on the floor of the Kansas Senate. The Organization, Rules and Calendar Committee is made up of the President, Vice-President, Majority leader, Assistant Majority Leader, Minority Leader and four senators elected by the majority caucus.

The current President of the Senate is Republican Susan Wagle of District 30 (Wichita). The Senate Majority Leader is Terry Bruce of District 34 (Hutchinson). The Senate Minority Leader is Democrat Anthony Hensley of District 19 (Topeka, Lawrence, Osage City).

[edit] Compositions of the Senate

Resignations and new members are discussed in the Changes in membership section, below.

Kansas is one of the most GOP-leaning states in the country, and the Republicans have held a majority in the State Senate for decades. The Republicans as a whole currently hold a supermajority in the chamber. Before 2013, however, the Senate was governed by a coalition of Democrats and more moderate Republicans, in opposition to the conservative wing of the Republican Senators. However, during the 2012 primaries many moderate Republicans were ousted, effectively giving the conservative wing a majority.

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Democratic Ind Vacant
End of previous legislature 30 10 40 0
Begin (January 2009) 31 9 40 0
November 2010 8 39 1
December 17, 2010 32 7
January 3, 2011
January 10, 2011
February 2011 8 40 0
September 2, 2012 31 8 1
End of Previous Legislature
Begin 32 8 0 40 0
Latest voting share 80% 20%

[edit] Officers

Position Name Party District
President of the Senate Susan Wagle Republican 39
Majority Leader Terry Bruce Republican 35
Minority Leader Anthony Hensley Democratic 19

[edit] Members of the Kansas Senate, 2009-2013

District Representative Party Residence
1 Dennis Pyle Republican Hiawatha
2 Marci Francisco Democratic Lawrence
3 Tom Holland Democratic Baldwin City
4 David Haley Democratic Kansas City
5 Steve Fitzgerald Republican Leavenworth
6 Pat Pelley Democratic Kansas City
7 Kay Wolf Republican Prairie Village
8 Jim Denning Republican Overland Park
9 Julia Lynn Republican Olathe
10 Mary Pilcher-Cook Republican Shawnee
11 John Vratil Republican Leawood
12 Jeff Melcher Republican Leawood
13 Jacob LaTurner Republican Pittsburg
14 Forrest Knox Republican Altoona
15 Jeff King Republican Independence
16 Ty Masterson Republican Augusta
17 Jeff Longbine Republican Emporia
18 Laura Kelly Democratic Topeka
19 Anthony Hensley Democratic Topeka
20 Vicki Schmidt Republican Topeka
21 Greg Smith Republican Overland Park
22 Tom Hawk Democratic Manhattan
23 Robert Olson Republican Olathe
24 Tom Arpke Republican Salina
25 Michael O'Donnell Republican Wichita
26 Dan Kerschen Republican Belle Plaine
27 Leslie Donovan Republican Wichita
28 Mike Petersen Republican Wichita
29 Oletha Faust-Goudeau Democratic Wichita
30 Susan Wagle Republican Wichita
31 Carolyn McGinn Republican Sedgwick
32 Steve Abrams Republican Arkansas City
33 Mitch Holmes Republican Stafford
34 Terry Bruce Republican Hutchinson
35 Jay Emler Republican Lindsborg
36 Elaine Bowers Republican Concordia
37 Pat Apple Republican Louisburg
38 Garrett Love Republican Montezuma
39 Larry Powell Republican Garden City
40 Ralph Ostmeyer Republican Grinnell

[edit] Changes in Membership

Date seat became vacant or otherwise affected District Previous Reason for change Subsequent Date of successor's taking seat
November 2010 36 Janis Lee
(D)		 Resigned due to appointment as chief hearing officer for the Kansas Court of Tax Appeal.[1] Allen Schmidt
(D)		 February 2011
December 17, 2010 6 Chris Steineger
(D)		 Changed party affiliation.[2] Chris Steineger
(R)		 December 17, 2010
January 5, 2011 38 Tim Huelskamp
(R)		 Resigned due to election to the US House of Representatives.[3] Garrett Love
(R)[4]		 January 5, 2011[5]
January 10, 2011 15 Derek Schmidt
(R)		 Resigned due to election to as Kansas Attorney General[6] Jeff King
(R)[7]		 January 10, 2011
January 10, 2011 23 Karin Brownlee
(R)		 Resigned due to appointment as Kansas Secretary of Labor[8] Robert Olson
(R)[9]		 January 10, 2011
January 10, 2011 37 Jeff Colyer
(R)		 Resigned due to election as Kansas Lieutenant Governor[10] Raymond Merrick
(R)[11]		 January 10, 2011
September 2, 2012 25 Jean Schodorf
(R)		 Left Republican party.[12] Jean Schodorf
(U)		 September 2, 2012
September 30, 2012 8 Tim Owens
(R)		 Resigned.[13] Dennis Kriegshauser
(R)		 October 15, 2012

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Rebecca Zepick (December 17, 2010). "Senator Janis Lee Appointed To Court of Tax Appeals After Almost 22 Years In Senate". www.stateofthestateks.com (State of the State News). Retrieved August 11, 2011. 
  2. ^ Bormann, Dawn (December 17, 2010). "Kansas Sen. Chris Steineger joins the GOP". www.kansascity.com (Kansas City Star). Retrieved December 29, 2010. 
  3. ^ Kansas Secretary of State Official Twitter Feed
  4. ^ "Love to be new District 38 state senator". www.swdtimes.com (Liberal Southwest Daily Times). December 20, 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2010. 
  5. ^ Garrett Love Twitter Feed
  6. ^ Kansas Secretary of State Official Twitter Feed
  7. ^ Taylor, Andy (December 11, 2010). "Jeff King appointed to Kansas State Senate". Montgomery County Chronicle. Retrieved January 1, 2011. 
  8. ^ Kansas Secretary of State Official Twitter Feed
  9. ^ Thompson, Danedri (December 21, 2010). "Precinct members select Olson to replace Brownlee". Gardner News. Retrieved January 10, 2011. 
  10. ^ Rothschild, Scott (November 8, 2010), "Colyer announces departure from Senate; endorses Merrick", Lawrence Journal-World 
  11. ^ "Merrick Moving To Kansas Senate". WIBW-TV. November 23, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2011. 
  12. ^ State Sen. Schodorf says she'll leave GOP
  13. ^ Kriegshauser replaces Owens... briefly

[edit] External links

Members of the Kansas State Senate
   
  1.    Dennis Pyle (R)
  2.    Marci Francisco (D)
  3.    Tom Holland (D)
  4.    David Haley (D)
  5.    Steve Fitzgerald (R)
  6.    Pat Pettey (D)
  7.    Kay Wolf (R)
  8.    Jim Denning (R)
  9.    Julia Lynn (R)
  10.    Mary Pilcher-Cook (R)
  1.    Jeff Melcher (R)
  2.    Caryn Tyson (R)
  3.    Jacob LaTurner (R)
  4.    Forest Knox (R)
  5.    Jeff King (R)
  6.    Ty Masterson (R)
  7.    Jeff Longbine (R)
  8.    Laura Kelly (D)
  9.    Anthony Hensley (D)
  10.    Vicki Schmidt (R)
  1.    Greg A. Smith (R)
  2.    Tom Hawk (D)
  3.    Robert Olson (R)
  4.    Tom Arpke (R)
  5.    Michael O'Donnell (R)
  6.    Dan Kerschen (R)
  7.    Leslie Donovan (R)
  8.    Mike Petersen (R)
  9.    Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D)
  10.    Susan Wagle (R)
  1.    Carolyn McGinn (R)
  2.    Steve Abrams (R)
  3.    Mitch Holmes (R)
  4.    Terry Bruce (R)
  5.    Jay Emler (R)
  6.    Elaine Bowers (R)
  7.    Pat Apple (R)
  8.    Garrett Love (R)
  9.    Larry Powell (R)
  10.    Ralph Ostmeyer (R)
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Coordinates: 39°02′54″N 95°40′41″W / 39.04833°N 95.67806°W / 39.04833; -95.67806

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