Kentucky Senate
Upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky senators. The Kentucky Senate meets at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort annually beginning in January. Sessions last for 60 legislative days in even-numbered years and 30 legislative days in odd-numbered years.[2]
Kentucky Senate | |
|---|---|
| Kentucky General Assembly | |
 | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | January 2, 2024 (adjourned) |
| Leadership | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 38 |
 | |
Political groups | Majority
Minority |
Length of term | 4 years |
| Authority | The Legislative Department, Section 29, Kentucky Constitution |
| Salary | $188.22/day + per diem (elected before January 1, 2023) $203.28/day + per diem (elected after January 1, 2023)[1] |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 5, 2024 (19 seats) |
Next election | November 3, 2026 (19 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Control |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Senate Chamber Kentucky State Capitol Frankfort, Kentucky | |
| Website | |
| Legislative Research Commission | |
Republicans have had control of the Senate since 2000. They currently hold 30 seats to Democrats' 7.
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According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a senator must:
- be at least 30 years old;
- be a citizen of Kentucky;
- have resided in the state at least six years and the district at least one year prior to election.
Per section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, senators are elected to four year staggered terms, with half the Senate elected every two years.
Prior to a 1992 constitutional amendment, the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky presided over the Senate; the 1992 amendment created a new office of President of the Senate to be held by one of the 38 senators.
Leaders
- President (elected by full body): Robert Stivers (R-25)
- President pro tempore (elected by full body): David P. Givens (R-9)
Additionally, each political party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chairman.
Current party leadership of the Kentucky Senate:
- Republican Party
- Leader: Damon Thayer (R-17)
- Whip: Mike Wilson (R-32)
- Caucus chair: Julie Raque Adams (R-36)
- Democratic Party
- Leader: Gerald Neal (D-33)
- Whip: David Yates (D-37)
- Caucus chair: Reggie Thomas (D-13)
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Senate composition by district
Held by Democrats
Held by Republicans
| Session | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| 2017–2018 sessions | 27 | 11 | 38 | 0 |
| 2019 session | 28 | 9 | 37 | 1 |
| 2020 session | 29 | 9 | 38 | 0 |
| 2021–2022 sessions | 30 | 8 | 38 | 0 |
| January 2, 2023[3] | 31 | 6 | 37 | 1 |
| January 6, 2023[4] | 30 | 6 | 36 | 2 |
| March 2, 2023[5] | 30 | 7 | 37 | 1 |
| June 8, 2023[6] | 31 | 7 | 38 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 82% | 18% | ||
List of current senators
Seating chart
- On February 21, 2023, a special election was held to fill the vacant 19th district Senate seat left by Morgan McGarvey.[7] The seat opened up after McGarvey ran and won the U.S. House seat in Kentucky's 3rd congressional district. Democratic candidate Cassie Chambers Armstrong defeated Republican candidate Misty Glin to become Senator.
- On May 16, 2023, a special election was held to fill the vacant 28th district Senate seat left by Ralph Alvarado. The seat opened up after Alvarado was appointed the 15th Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health.[8] The candidates were Greg Elkins (R) of Winchester, Robert Sainte (D) of Winchester, and former Kentucky State Representative Richard Henderson (I) of Mt. Sterling. Republican candidate Greg Elkins defeated Sainte and Henderson to become Senator.
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Carolyn Conn Moore became the first woman to serve in the Kentucky Senate when in November 1949 she won a special election to replace her husband, J. Lee Moore, in the legislature after his death.[9] Georgia Davis Powers became the first person of color to be elected to the Kentucky Senate in 1967. Gerald Neal became the first African American ever to be elected to a leadership position in the Kentucky General Assembly in 2014.[10] Ralph Alvarado became the first Hispanic to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly when he was elected in 2014.[11]
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As of 20 January 2023[update].[12]
| Committee | Chair | Vice Chair |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Jason Howell (R-1) | Gary Boswell (R-8) |
| Appropriations & Revenue | Christian McDaniel (R-23) | Amanda Mays Bledsoe (R-12) |
| Banking & Insurance | Jared Carpenter (R-34) | Rick Girdler (R-15) |
| Committee on Committees | Robert Stivers (R-25) | n/a |
| Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor | Max Wise (R-16) | Phillip Wheeler (R-31) |
| Education | Steve West (R-27) | Gex Williams (R-20) |
| Enrollment | Amanda Mays Bledsoe (R-12) | n/a |
| Families and Children | Danny Carrol (R-2) | Julie Raque Adams (R-36) |
| Health Services | Stephen Meredith (R-5) | Donald Douglas (R-22) |
| Judiciary | Whitney Westerfield (R-3) | Phillip Wheeler (R-31) |
| Licensing & Occupations | John Schickel (R-11) | Mike Nemes (R-38) |
| Natural Resources & Energy | Brandon Smith (R-30) | Johnnie Turner (R-29) |
| Rules | Robert Stivers (R-25) | n/a |
| State & Local Government | Robby Mills (R-4) | Mike Nemes (R-38) |
| Transportation | Jimmy Higdon (R-14) | Brandon J. Storm (R-21) |
| Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection | Rick Girdler (R-15) | Matthew Deneen (R-10) |
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