Massachusetts Senate | |
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Massachusetts General Court | |
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Type | |
Type | |
Term limits | None |
History | |
New session started | January 7, 2015 |
Leadership | |
President pro Tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
Structure | |
Seats | 40 |
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Political groups | Governing Party
Opposition Party
|
Length of term | 2 years |
Authority | Chapter 1, Massachusetts Constitution |
Salary | $58,237.15/year + per diem |
Elections | |
Last election | November 4, 2014 (40 seats) |
Next election | November 8, 2016 (40 seats) |
Redistricting | Legislative Control |
Meeting place | |
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State Senate Chamber Massachusetts State House Boston, Massachusetts | |
Website | |
Massachusetts Senate |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/107th_MA-Senate_composition.png/240px-107th_MA-Senate_composition.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/189th_MA-Senate_composition.png/240px-189th_MA-Senate_composition.png)
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state. All but one of the districts are named for the counties in which they are located (the "Cape and Islands" district covers Dukes, Nantucket, and parts of Barnstable counties). Senators serve two-year terms, without term limits.[1] The Senate convenes in the Massachusetts State House, in Boston.
The current session is the 189th General Court, which convened January 7, 2015. It consists of 34 Democrats and 6 Republicans. The President of the Senate is Therese Murray of Plymouth. The Senate Majority Leader, Stanley Rosenberg of the Democratic Party, was named on February 1, 2013.[2][3] The Senate Minority Leader, from the Republican Party, is Bruce Tarr of Gloucester. The last state general election was on November 4, 2014.
Party control
editDemocrats hold a supermajority in the Senate.
Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
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Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
End of 188th General Court | 36 | 4 | 40 | 0 |
Start of 189th General Court | 34 | 6 | 40 | 0 |
Latest voting share | 85% | 15% |
Leadership
editThe Senate leadership was announced in late January 2013.[4]
Position | Name | Party | Residence | District |
---|---|---|---|---|
President | Therese Murray | Democratic | Plymouth | Plymouth & Barnstable |
Majority Leader | Stanley Rosenberg | Democratic | Amherst | Hampshire, Franklin & Worcester |
President Pro Tempore | Richard T. Moore | Democratic | Uxbridge | Worcester and Norfolk |
Minority Leader | Bruce Tarr | Republican | Gloucester | 1st Essex and Middlesex |
Members
editCurrent members of the Senate, sorted by district name:
Notes
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Article LXXXII.
- ^ "Exit opens floodgates for Senate presidency". Boston Herald. January 30, 2013.
- ^ Salsberg, Bob. "Leadership team named for Mass. Senate". boston.com. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ Murphy, Matt (January 31, 2013). "State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg of Amherst named new majority leader in reworked Massachusetts senate leadership team". MassLive.
Further reading
edit- "Senate of the General Court of Massachusetts". Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2005., 2007
External links
edit- Senate Members of the General Court official government website
- Official Senate district definitions as of 2011
- State Senate of Massachusetts at Project Vote Smart
- MarcusGraly/sandbox at Ballotpedia