Kentucky Senate

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
President	Robert Stivers (R) since January 8, 2013
President pro tempore	David P. Givens (R) since January 8, 2019
Majority Leader	Damon Thayer (R) since January 8, 2013
Minority Leader	Gerald Neal (D) since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats	38
Political groups	Majority   Republican (30) Minority   Democratic (7)
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.

Terms and qualifications

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.

Leadership

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)

Members

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

District	Senator	Party	Since	Residence	Counties represented
1	Jason Howell	Republican	2021	Murray	Calloway, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Lyon, Trigg
2	Danny Carroll	Republican	2015	Benton	Ballard, Carlisle, Livingston, Marshall, McCracken
3	Whitney Westerfield	Republican	2013	Fruit Hill	Caldwell, Christian, Muhlenberg
4	Robby Mills	Republican	2019	Henderson	Henderson, Hopkins, Union, Webster
5	Stephen Meredith	Republican	2017	Leitchfield	Breckinridge, Butler, Grayson, Meade, Ohio
6	Lindsey Tichenor	Republican	2023	Smithfield	Jefferson (Part), Oldham, Trimble
7	Adrienne Southworth	Republican	2021	Lawrenceburg	Anderson, Henry, Jefferson (Part), Shelby
8	Gary Boswell	Republican	2023	Owensboro	Daviess, Hancock, McLean
9	David P. Givens	Republican	2009	Greensburg	Barren, Edmondson, Green, Hart, Warren (Part)
10	Matthew Deneen	Republican	2023	Elizabethtown	Hardin, Jefferson (Part)
11	John Schickel	Republican	2009	Union	Boone (Part)
12	Amanda Mays Bledsoe	Republican	2023	Lexington	Boyle, Fayette (Part), Mercer, Woodford
13	Reggie Thomas	Democratic	2014	Lexington	Fayette (Part)
14	Jimmy Higdon	Republican	2009	Lebanon	Larue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, Washington
15	Rick Girdler	Republican	2017	Somerset	Clinton, Cumberland, Pulaski, Russell, Wayne
16	Max Wise	Republican	2015	Campbellsville	Adair, Allen, Metcalfe, Monroe, Taylor, Warren (Part)
17	Damon Thayer	Republican	2003	Georgetown	Fayette (Part), Grant, Kenton (Part), Scott
18	Robin L. Webb	Democratic	2009	Grayson	Boyd, Carter, Greenup, Lewis
19	Cassie Chambers Armstrong	Democratic	2023	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
20	Gex Williams	Republican	2023[a]	Verona	Boone (Part), Carroll, Franklin, Gallatin, Kenton (Part), Owen
21	Brandon J. Storm	Republican	2021	London	Casey, Laurel, Lincoln, Rockcastle
22	Donald Douglas	Republican	2021	Nicholasville	Fayette (Part), Garrard, Jessamine
23	Christian McDaniel	Republican	2013	Ryland Heights	Kenton (Part)
24	Shelley Funke Frommeyer	Republican	2023	Alexandria	Bracken, Campbell, Kenton (Part), Pendleton
25	Robert Stivers	Republican	1997	Manchester	Clay, Jackson, Knox, McCreary, Owsley, Whitley
26	Karen Berg	Democratic	2020	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
27	Steve West	Republican	2015	Paris	Bourbon, Fayette (Part), Fleming, Harrison, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson, Rowan
28	Greg Elkins	Republican	2023	Winchester	Bath, Clark, Fayette (Part), Menifee, Montgomery
29	Vacant				Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Letcher
30	Brandon Smith	Republican	2008	Hazard	Breathitt, Estill, Lee, Leslie, Magoffin, Morgan, Perry, Powell, Wolfe
31	Phillip Wheeler	Republican	2019	Pikeville	Elliott, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, Pike
32	Mike Wilson	Republican	2011	Bowling Green	Logan, Simpson, Todd, Warren (Part)
33	Gerald Neal	Democratic	1989	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
34	Jared Carpenter	Republican	2011	Berea	Fayette (Part), Madison
35	Denise Harper Angel	Democratic	2005	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
36	Julie Raque Adams	Republican	2015	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
37	David Yates	Democratic	2021	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
38	Mike Nemes	Republican	2020	Shepherdsville	Bullitt, Jefferson (Part)

2023 Special Elections

• 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.

History

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]

Standing committees

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)

Past composition of the Senate

Main article: Political party strength in Kentucky

See also

• Kentucky House of Representatives
• List of Kentucky General Assemblies
• Government of Kentucky

Notes

1. Williams previously served in the senate from 1993 to 1999.

References

1. "How much do Kentucky's governor and other elected officials make? Here's a list". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
2. "Publications – The Council of State Governments". February 19, 2020.
3. Caldwell, Michael (January 9, 2023). "Ky. 19th Senatorial District special election to be held". WAVE.
4. "Alvarado sworn in as health commissioner in Tennessee". Winchester Sun. January 19, 2023.
5. "Kentucky Democrat wins special election to fill seat in state's GOP-dominated Senate". Associated Press. February 22, 2023.
6. "Kentucky's 28th District elects new state senator". wkyt.com. May 16, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
7. "Ky. 19th Senatorial District special election to be held". www.wave3.com. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
8. "Alvarado sworn in as health commissioner in Tennessee". The Winchester Sun. January 19, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
9. Oswald, Sharon (January 5, 1977). "From senate to housemother, Mrs. Moore is mother of 110". The Tuscaloosa News. Tuscaloosa. p. 8. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
10. Lawrence Smith (December 2, 2014). "Louisville state senator becomes first African-American elected to leadership in KY legislature". wdrb.com. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
11. "Ralph Alvarado". cof.org. October 28, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
12. "2023 Senate Standing Committees". Retrieved January 20, 2023.

External links

• Kentucky Legislature Senate Members Archived June 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine official government website
• State Senate of Kentucky at Project Vote Smart
• Kentucky Senate at Ballotpedia

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