West Virginia Senate

West Virginia Senate
Type
Type	Upper house
Leadership
President of the Senate	Earl Ray Tomblin (D) since 1995
Acting President of the Senate	Jeffrey V. Kessler (D) since 2011
President pro Tempore	Brooks McCabe (D) since 2011
Majority Leader	John Unger (D) since 2011
Minority Leader	Mike Hall (R) since 2010
Structure
Seats	34
Political groups	Democratic Party Republican Party
Elections
Last election	November 2, 2010
Meeting place
Senate Chamber, West Virginia State Capitol, Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.
Website
official website

The West Virginia Senate is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature. There are 17 senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. The body is generally considered more conservative than the West Virginia House of Delegates.

The state's districting system is unique in the United States. The state's most populous county, Kanawha County constitutes two "superimposed" districts. In practical effect, this means that Kanawha County is a single district electing two members every two years. The remaining 54 counties of the state are divided into fifteen districts, with county lines not respected in most cases. Under the unique rule, no district may have more than one senator from the same county, no matter the population. This means, for example, that one of the 5th District's two senators must reside in Cabell County and the other must reside in the tiny portion of Wayne County that's inside the 5th District, even though Cabell County has more people than the portion of Wayne County that is part of the 5th District. However, both senators are elected by everybody within the district, not just by the people of the county in which the senators reside.

Senate President

See also: List of Presidents of the West Virginia Senate

The Senate elects its own president from its membership. As of the 80th West Virginia Senate, Earl Ray Tomblin is Senate President.

While the West Virginia Constitution does not create or even mention the title of lieutenant governor, West Virginia Code 6A-1-4 creates this designation for the Senate President. The Senate President is first in the line of succession to the office of governor. As stated in the constitution: "In case of the death, conviction or impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation, or other disability of the governor, the president of the Senate shall act as governor until the vacancy is filled, or the disability removed." However, the Senate President may not always serve the remainder of the term as the constitution also states: "Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of governor before the first three years of the term shall have expired, a new election for governor shall take place to fill the vacancy."

Currently, Tomblin is serving as governor following the resignation of Joe Manchin after his election to the United State Senate seat vacated by the death of Robert Byrd. Tomblin will remain Senate President, as it is that position that makes him Governor during the interim. Tomblin has stated, however, that he will not participate in legislative business, preside over the Senate or accept his Senate salary while serving as governor. Ordinarily, President Pro Tempore Joe Minard would preside over the Senate and serve as de facto Senate President; however, changes to Senate rules enacted on January 12, 2011 resulted in the creation of an Acting Senate President. Senator Jeffrey V. Kessler (D-Marshall County) was elected Acting Senate President.

Composition

2011-2013:

Affiliation		Members
Template:American politics/party colors/Democratic|	Democratic Party	28 (82%)
Template:American politics/party colors/Republican|	Republican Party	6 (18%)
Total		34
Majority		22

Leadership of the 80th West Virginia Senate

Position	Name	Party	District	County
President of the Senate/Lieutenant Governor	Earl Ray Tomblin	Democratic	7	Logan Co.
Acting President of the Senate*	Jeffrey V. Kessler	Democratic	2	Marshall Co.
President Pro Tempore	Brooks McCabe	Democratic	17	Kanawha Co.
Majority Leader	John Unger	Democratic	16	Berkeley Co.
Minority Leader	Mike Hall	Republican	4	Putnam Co.
Majority Whip	Richard Browning	Democratic	9	Wyoming Co.
Minority Whip	Karen L. Facemyer	Republican	4	Jackson Co.

*The position of Acting President was created as an amendment to Senate rules on January 12, 2011. The position remains in effect at any and all times when the President of the Senate is serving as Acting Governor. For all intents and purposes, the Acting President shall retain the power and duties ordinarily exercised by the President of the Senate.

Members of the 80th West Virginia Senate

District	Senator	Party	Residence	District County/Counties
1	Orphy Klempa	Democratic	Ohio	Brooke, Hancock, Ohio
	Jack Yost	Democratic	Brooke
2	Larry J. Edgell	Democratic	Wetzel	Calhoun, Doddridge, Marion (part), Marshall, Monongalia (part), Ohio (part), Ritchie, Tyler, Wetzel
	Jeffrey V. Kessler	Democratic	Marshall
3	Donna J. Boley	Republican	Pleasants	Pleasants, Roane (part), Wirt, Wood
	David Nohe	Republican	Wood
4	Karen L. Facemyer	Republican	Jackson	Jackson, Mason, Putnam, Roane (part)
	Mike Hall	Republican	Putnam
5	Evan Jenkins	Democratic	Raleigh	Cabell, Wayne (part)
	Robert H. Plymale	Democratic	Wayne
6	H. Truman Chafin	Democratic	Mingo	McDowell, Mercer (part), Mingo (part), Wayne (part)
	John Pat Fanning	Democratic	McDowell
7	Ron Stollings	Democratic	Boone	Boone, Lincoln, Logan, Wayne (part)
	Earl Ray Tomblin	Democratic	Logan
8	Corey Palumbo	Democratic	Kanawha	Kanawha
	Erik Wells	Democratic
9	Richard Browning	Democratic	Wyoming	Raleigh, Wyoming (part)
	Mike Green	Democratic	Raleigh
10	Ron Miller	Democratic	Greenbrier	Fayette (part), Greenbrier, Mercer, Monroe, Summers
	Mark Wills	Democratic	Mercer
11	William R. Laird, IV	Democratic	Fayette	Fayette (part), Clay, Nicholas, Upshur, Webster
	Gregory Tucker	Democratic	Nicholas
12	Douglas E. Facemire	Democratic	Braxton	Braxton, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis
	Joseph M. Minard	Democratic	Harrison
13	Bob Beach	Democratic	Monongalia	Marion (part), Monongalia (part)
	Roman W. Prezioso, Jr.	Democratic	Marion
14	David Sypolt	Republican	Preston	Barbour, Grant (part), Mineral (part), Monongalia (part), Preston, Taylor
	Bob Williams	Democratic	Taylor
15	Clark S. Barnes	Republican	Randolph	Berkeley, Grant (part), Hardy, Hampshire, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur (part)
	Walt Helmick	Democratic	Pocahontas
16	Herb Snyder	Democratic	Jefferson	Berkeley (part), Jefferson
	John Unger	Democratic	Berkeley
17	Dan Foster	Democratic	Kanawha	Kanawha
	Brooks McCabe	Democratic

See also

• West Virginia Senate
• List of Presidents of the West Virginia Senate
• List of members of the 80th West Virginia Senate

Committees

• Agriculture (11 members) - Bob Williams, Chairman
• Banking and Insurance (13 members) - Joseph M. Minard, Chairman
• Confirmations (9 members) - Larry J. Edgell, Chairman
• Economic Development (14 members) - Richard Browning, Chairman
• Education (14 members) - Robert H. Plymale, Chairman
• Energy, Industry and Mining (13 members) - Mike Green, Chairman
• Enrolled Bills (5 members) - Ron Miller, Chairman
• Finance (17 members) - Roman W. Prezioso, Jr., Chairman
• Government Organization (14 members) - Herb Snyder, Chairman
• Health and Human Resources (13 members) - Roman W. Prezioso, Jr., Chairman
• Interstate Cooperation (7 members) - Ron Stollings, Chairman; (Acting Senate President is ex-officio co-chairperson)
• Judiciary (17 members) - Corey Palumbo, Chairman
• Labor (11 members) - Jack Yost, Chairman
• Military (9 members) - Erik Wells, Chairman
• Natural Resources (13 members) - William R. Laird, IV, Chairman
• Pensions (7 members) - Dan Foster, Chairman
• Rules (10 members) - Jeffrey V. Kessler, Ex-officio Chairman as Acting Senate President
• Transportation and Infrastructure (9 members) - Bob Beach, Chairman

See also

• List of members of the 79th West Virginia Senate

References

External links

• West Virginia Legislature - official website
• Project Vote Smart - State Senate of West Virginia