Pennsylvania State Senate

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the seats are contested at each election.[2] Even numbered seats and odd numbered seats are contested in separate election years. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate becomes the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in the event of the sitting Lieutenant Governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the President Pro Tempore and Lieutenant Governor would be the same person.[3] The Pennsylvania Senate has been meeting since 1791.

Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania General Assembly
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 5, 2021
Leadership
John Fetterman (D)
since January 15, 2019
Jake Corman (R)
since November 12, 2020
Majority Leader
Kim Ward (R)
since November 12, 2020
Minority Leader
Jay Costa (D)
since January 4, 2011
Structure
Seats50
Political groups
Majority caucus
  •   Republican (27)
  •   Independent (1)

Minority caucus

Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle II, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary$88,610/year[1]
Elections
Last election
November 6, 2018
(25 seats)
Next election
November 3, 2020
(25 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Website
Pennsylvania State Senate

The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor, who has no vote except in the event of an otherwise tie vote.

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: John Fetterman (D)
President Pro Tem of the Senate: Jake Corman (R)

Majority party (R) Leadership position Minority party (D)
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

Composition

Historical sessions
Main article: 2020 Pennsylvania Senate election
Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
1995–1996 session 29 21 50 0
1997–1998 session 30 20 50 0
1999–2000 session 30 20 50 0
2001–2002 session 30 20 50 0
2003–2004 session 29 21 50 0
2005–2006 session 30 20 50 0
2007–2008 session 29 21 50 0
2009–2010 session 30 20 50 0
2011–2012 session 30 20 50 0
2013–2014 session 27 23 50 0
2015–2016 session 30 20 50 0
2016–2017 session 31 19 50 0
2017–2018 session 34 16 50 0
2018–2019 session 28 22 50 0
2019–2020 session 29 21 50 0

Current session

As of January 17, 2021:

↓
21 1 1 27
Democratic Republican


Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Republican Ind Democratic Vacant
End of previous legislature 28 1 21 50 0
January 5, 2021[4] 28 1 20 49 1
January 13, 2021[5] 28 1 21 50 0
January 17, 2021[6] 27 1 21 49 1
Latest voting share 57.1% 42.9%

Membership

The Senate is made up of 50 members who are elected by district. In 2012, a State Senate district had an average population of 254,047 residents.

List of current members
District Representative Party Residence Counties represented Term ends First elected
1Nikil SavalDemPhiladelphiaPhiladelphia20242020
2Christine TartaglioneDemPhiladelphiaPhiladelphia20221994
3Sharif StreetDemPhiladelphiaPhiladelphia20242016
4Arthur L. Haywood IIIDemPhiladelphiaMontgomery, Philadelphia20222014
5John SabatinaDemPhiladelphiaPhiladelphia20242015
6Tommy TomlinsonRepBensalem TownshipBucks20221994
7Vincent HughesDemPhiladelphiaMontgomery, Philadelphia20241994
8Anthony H. WilliamsDemPhiladelphiaDelaware, Philadelphia20221998
9John KaneDemBirminghamChester, Delaware20242020
10Steve SantarsieroDemLower Makefield TownshipBucks20222018
11Judy SchwankDemFleetwoodBerks20242011
12Maria CollettDemLower Gwynedd Township Bucks, Montgomery20222018
13Scott MartinRepWest Lampeter TownshipLancaster20242016
14John YudichakInd.Plymouth TownshipCarbon, Luzerne20222010
15John DiSantoRepSusquehanna TownshipDauphin, Perry20242016
16Pat BrowneRepAllentownLehigh20222005
17Amanda CappellettiDemDelaware, Montgomery20242020
18Lisa BoscolaDemBethlehem TownshipLehigh, Northampton20221998
19Carolyn ComittaDemWest ChesterChester20242020
20Lisa BakerRepLehman TownshipLuzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming20222006
21Scott HutchinsonRepOil CityButler, Clarion, Forest, Venango, Warren20242012
22John BlakeDemArchbaldLackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe20222010
23Eugene YawRepLoyalsock TownshipBradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union20242008
24Bob MenschRepMarlborough TownshipBerks, Bucks, Montgomery20222009
25Cris DushRepCameron, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga20242020
26Tim KearneyDemSwarthmoreChester, Delaware20222018
27John GordnerRepBerwickColumbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder20242003
28Kristin Phillips-HillRep York Township York20222018
29Dave ArgallRepRush TownshipBerks, Schuylkill20242009
30Judy WardRepHollidaysburg Blair, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon20222018
31Mike ReganRepCarroll TownshipCumberland, York20242016
32Patrick J. StefanoRepBullskin TownshipFayette, Somerset, Westmoreland20222014
33Doug MastrianoRepGreene TownshipAdams, Cumberland, Franklin, York20242019[note 1]
34Jake CormanRepBenner TownshipCentre, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin20221998
35Wayne LangerholcRepJohnstownBedford, Cambria, Clearfield20242016
36Ryan AumentRepEast Hempfield TownshipLancaster20222014
37Devlin RobinsonRepBridgevilleAllegheny, Washington20242020
38Lindsey WilliamsDemWest ViewAllegheny20222018
39Kim WardRepHempfield TownshipWestmoreland20242008
40Mario ScavelloRepMount PoconoMonroe, Northampton20222014
41Joe PittmanRepIndianaArmstrong, Butler, Indiana, Westmoreland20242019[note 2]
42Wayne D. FontanaDemPittsburghAllegheny20222005
43Jay CostaDemForest HillsAllegheny20241996
44Katie MuthDemRoyersfordBerks, Chester, Montgomery20222018
45Jim BrewsterDem McKeesport Allegheny, Westmoreland 20242010
46Camera BartolottaRepMonongahelaBeaver, Greene, Washington20222014
47Elder VogelRepNew Sewickley TownshipBeaver, Butler, Lawrence20242008
48Vacant[note 3]Dauphin, Lebanon, York2022
49Dan LaughlinRepMillcreek TownshipErie20242016
50Michele BrooksRepJamestownCrawford, Erie, Mercer, Warren20222014
  1. Elected in special election on May 21, 2019 (2019-05-21), to fill unexpired term.
  2. Elected in special election on May 21, 2019 (2019-05-21), to fill unexpired term.
  3. Senator Arnold died January 17, 2021.

Committee assignments
Standing committeeMajority membershipMinority membership
Aging & Youth
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Appropriations
Banking & Insurance
Communications & Technology
Community, Economic & Recreational Development
Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure
Education
Environmental Resources & Energy
Finance
Game & Fisheries
Health & Human Services
Intergovernmental Operations
Judiciary
Labor & Industry
Law & Justice
Local Government
Rules & Executive Nominations
State Government
Transportation
Urban Affairs & Housing
Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparednesss

Past composition of the Senate
Main article: Political party strength in Pennsylvania

See also

References
  1. The Pennsylvania Manual, pp. 3–7.
  2. Article II, section 3, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  3. Article IV, section 14, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  4. Senator Brewster not seated.
  5. Hughes, Sarah Anne (2021-01-12). "Federal judge rules in favor of Democratic Pa. Senate candidate GOP refused to seat". Spotlight PA. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  6. Murphy, Jan (January 17, 2021). "Pa. state senator dies from brain cancer at age 49". PennLive. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

Sources

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