North Carolina Senate
| North Carolina State Senate | |
|---|---|
| North Carolina General Assembly | |
 |
|
| Type | |
| Type | Upper house |
| Term limits | None |
| History | |
| New session started | January 9, 2013 |
| Leadership | |
| Lieutenant Governor | Dan Forest, (R) Since January 7, 2013 |
| President Pro Tem of the Senate | Phil Berger, (R) Since January 26, 2011 |
| Majority Leader | Harry Brown, (R) Since January 26, 2011 |
| Minority Leader | Martin Nesbitt, Jr., (D) Since January 26, 2011 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 50 |
| Political groups | Republican Party (33) Democratic Party (17) |
| Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article II, North Carolina Constitution |
| Salary | $13,951/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last election | November 6, 2012 (50 seats) |
| Next election | November 4, 2014 (50 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Control |
| Meeting place | |
| State Senate Chamber North Carolina State Legislative Building Raleigh, North Carolina |
|
| Website | |
| www.ncga.state.nc.us/senate/Senate.html | |
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.
Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, but the Lt. Governor has very limited powers and only votes to break a tie. Before the office of Lt. Governor was created in 1868, the Senate was presided over by a "Speaker." After the 1988 election of James Carson Gardner, the first Republican Lt. Governor since Reconstruction, Democrats in control of the Senate shifted most of the power held by the Lt. Governor to the senator who is elected President Pro Tempore (or Pro-Tem). The President Pro Tempore appoints members to standing committees of the Senate, and holds great sway over bills.
According to the state constitution, the Senate is also the "Court for the Trial of Impeachments". The House of Representatives has the power to impeach state officials, after which the Senate holds a trial, as in the federal system. If the Governor or Lt. Governor is the official who has been impeached, the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court presides.
Contents |
Qualifications [edit]
The qualifications to be a senator are found in the state Constitution: "Each Senator, at the time of his election, shall be not less than 25 years of age, shall be a qualified voter of the State, and shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for which he is chosen for one year immediately preceding his election."
2011–2012 Composition [edit]
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 19 | 31 | 50 | 0 |
| Begin | 17 | 33 | 50 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 34% | 66% | ||
Leadership [edit]
| North Carolina Senate[1] Officers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | Name | Party |
| Lieutenant Governor / President of the Senate | Dan Forest | Republican |
| President Pro Tempore | Phil Berger | Republican |
| Deputy President Pro Tempore | Louis Pate | Republican |
| Majority Leader | Harry Brown | Republican |
| Majority Whip | Jerry W. Tillman | Republican |
| Majority Caucus Secretary | Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. | Republican |
| Joint Majority Caucus Leader | Andrew C. Brock | Republican |
| Minority Leader | Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. | Democratic |
| Deputy Minority Leaders | Clark Jenkins | Democratic |
| Floyd McKissick, Jr. | Democratic | |
| Gladys A. Robinson | Democratic | |
| Minority Whip | Josh Stein | Democratic |
| Minority Caucus Secretary | Eleanor Kinnaird | Democratic |
| Minority Caucus Co-Chairs | Dan Blue | Democratic |
| Dan Clodfelter | Democratic | |
Membership [edit]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
External links [edit]
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