California State Senate
From Ballotpedia
| California State Senate | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Upper house |
| Term limits: | 2 terms (8 years) |
| 2012 session start: | January 4, 2012 |
| Website: | Official Senate Page |
| Leadership | |
| Senate President: | Darrell Steinberg, (D) |
| Majority Leader: | Ellen Corbett (D) |
| Minority leader: | Bob Huff, (R) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 40 |
| Democratic Party (25) Republican Party (15) | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Art IV, California Constitution |
| Salary: | $95,291/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 2, 2010 (20 seats) |
| Next election: | November 6, 2012 (20 seats) |
| Redistricting: | California Citizens Redistricting Commission |
Meeting place: | |
Contents |
Each California senator represents a district with an average population of 931,349 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 846,791 residents.[2] Members serve four-year terms.[3] The terms of the Senators are staggered so that half the membership is elected every two years. The senators representing odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The senators from even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years.
Since the passage of Prop 140 in 1990, California senators have been limited to two terms in office.
The California Senate has a $100 million annual operating budget and 900 staff employees. Most senators are paid an annual salary of $116,208.[4]
In 2010, the Senate began its regular session on January 12th, and this session is scheduled to adjourn on August 31st. Additionally, the Senate adjourned one special session on January 11th of this year, has one ongoing special session that convened in October of 2009, and has another ongoing special session that convened on January 8th, 2010.[5]
Sessions
Article IV of the California Constitution establishes when the California State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 3 of Article IV states that the Legislature is to convene in regular session on the first Monday of December in each even-numbered year to organize. The Legislature must adjourn by November 30th of the following even-numbered year.
Section 3 also gives the Governor of California the power to call special sessions of the Legislature.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the Senate will be in session from January 4 to August 31.
Major issues
Legislators will be looking for ways to close a $12 billion budget deficit while dealing with issues including changes to public employee pensions and deciding whether the state should regulate healthcare insurance rates.[6]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the Senate will be in session from January 3- September 9, 2011. The California Legislature was convened in an extraordinary session to act upon legislation that addresses the fiscal emergency proclaimed by Governor Jerry Brown on January 20, 2011. [7]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Senate began its regular session on January 12th, and this session is scheduled to adjourn on August 31st. Additionally, the Senate adjourned one special session on January 11th of this year, has one ongoing special session that convened in October of 2009, and has another ongoing special session that convened on January 8th, 2010.
Elections
2012
- See also: California State Senate elections, 2012
Elections for the office of California State Senate will be held in California on November 6, 2012. State senate seats in the odd-numbered districts will be on the ballot in 2012. A total of 20 seats will be up for election. In 2010, senators from even-numbered districts were up for election. In 2012, voters in the 20 odd-numbered districts will go to the polls to elect senators. The signature filing deadline is March 9th.
Redistricting in California in 2011 was undertaken by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission for the first time. There is the possibility that some voters will be re-located either from an odd district to an even district, or vice versa. But even more specifically, there is the possibility that a senator elected in 2010 could run in 2012 in an even-numbered district. Should that happen, then the odd-district will be represented by a "custodian" -- selected by the Rules Committee.
Meanwhile, if a senator in an odd-district (elected in 2008) is moved into an even-district, then the voters of that district will have two senators -- the new senator, and the old one elected in 2010. For example:
- If Alex Padilla of District 20 is moved into the 21st District, then he will continue to serve until 2014 as he was elected to a 4-year term. Voters of the new 21st District will still elect a new senator in the fall of 2012. Voters of the new District 20 will be served by the "custodian" -- likely to be a neighboring senator.[8]
California state senators are subject to term limits and may serve no more than two four-year terms. In 2012, 9 state senators will be termed-out.
2010
- See also: California State Senate elections, 2010
Elections for the office of California State Senator were held in California on November 2, 2010. State senate seats in the even numbered districts were on the ballot in 2010. There was also a special election for district 37 on June 8, 2010.
The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was February 25, 2010, and the primary election day was June 8, 2010.
In California, senators serve four-year terms with a two term limit. The Senators representing the odd-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The senators from the even-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years.
In 2010, the candidates running for senate raised a total of $23,000,670 in campaign funds. Their top 10 contributors were: [9]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| California Democratic Party | $2,591,242 |
| California Republican Party | $1,249,852 |
| AT$T | $240,088 |
| Carol Liu for Senate | $227,997 |
| California Association of Realtors | $195,600 |
| Merced County Democratic Central Cmte | $190,000 |
| Republican Party of Stanislaus County | $174,000 |
| California Dental Association | $171,200 |
| California State Council of Laborers | $166,835 |
| California Professional Fire Fighters | $158,898 |
Qualifications
A candidate shall:
- A. Be at least 30 years of age, a U.S. citizen for nine years, and a resident of California when elected. U.S. Const. Art. I, §3
- B. Have a valid voter registration affidavit on file in the county of residence at the time nomination papers are obtained. §201
- C. Satisfy the following registration requirements:
- 1. Be registered with the political party whose nomination he or she is seeking for not less than three months immediately prior to the time the declaration of candidacy is presented to the county elections official or, if eligible to register for less than three months, for as long as he or she has been eligible to register to vote in California. §8001(a)(1)
- 2. Not have been registered as affiliated with any other qualified political party within twelve months immediately prior to the filing of the declaration of candidacy. §8001(a)(2)
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
If there is a vacancy in the Senate, the Governor must call for a special election. The election must be called by the Governor within fourteen days of the vacancy being created. No special election can be held if the vacancy happened in an election year and the nominating deadline passed[11].
Senators
Partisan composition
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
| Party | As of February 2012 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 25 | |
| Republican Party | 15 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Leadership
The Lieutenant Governor serves as President of the Senate but only casts a vote in the case of a tie. The President Pro Tempore, who is elected by full senate caucus, more often than not presides over the daily senate session and serves as leader of the majority party.
Current leadership
2010 Leadership
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2011, members of the California legislature are paid $95,290.56 per year. They are also given per diem of $141.86 per day in session.[12]
The $95,290.56 that California legislators are paid as of 2011 is a decrease from the $113,098/year that they were paid during legislative sessions in 2007. The per diem however has increased from 2007 levels of $162 per day.[13]
When sworn in
California legislators assume office one month after election (December).
Current members
2006-2010 members
Senators who termed out in 2010
- See also: State senate elections, 2010
California's Proposition 140 mandates that state senators serve no more than two four-year terms.
Democrats
Democratic state senators whose final term ended in 2010 are:
Republicans
Republican state senators whose final term ended in 2010 are:
See also
- California state senators whose terms end in 2010
- California state senators whose terms expire in 2012
Senators
Salaries
California's state senators earn $95,291 per year. Senatorial pay is set by the California Citizens Compensation Commission. In 2009, it voted to cut legislators' salaries by 18% effective in December 2010.[14]
In June 2009, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg recommended that senators and staffers take a 5% pay cut in the face of the state's budget troubles.[15]
When sworn in
California legislators assume office one month after election (December).
Senate committees
The California Senate has twenty-three (23) standing committees:
- Agriculture
- Appropriations
- Banking and Financial Institutions
- Budget and Fiscal Review
- Business, Professions and Economic Development
- Education
- Elections and Constitutional Amendments
- Energy, Utilities and Communications
- Environmental Quality
- Governmental Organization
- Governance and Finance
- Health
- Human Services
- Insurance
- Judiciary
- Labor and Industrial Relations
- Legislative Ethics
- Natural Resources and Water
- Public Employment and Retirement
- Public Safety
- Rules
- Transportation and Housing
- Veterans Affairs
External links
- California State Senate website
- Project Vote Smart profile of California Senate
- California Senate Democratic Caucus, official website. This is currently the state's majority caucus.
- California State Senate Republican Caucus, official website. This is currently the state's minority caucus.
References
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ Term limits
- ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Senate aims to cut senator and staff pay by 5 percent", June 17, 2009
- ↑ Session dates for California legislature, 2010
- ↑ Sacramento Bee, "California Legislature returns to face more budget woes, new election rules," January 3, 2012
- ↑ California Legislature, accessed June 16, 2011
- ↑ Los Angeles Daily News "Brendan Huffman and Bradley Hertz: The darker side of redistricting — delayd," June 25, 2011
- ↑ Follow the Money: "California Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Qualifications for Senator
- ↑ Justia "California Code"(Referenced Statute, 1773-California Government Code)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
- ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Senate aims to cut senator and staff pay by 5 percent", June 17, 2009
- ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Senate aims to cut senator and staff pay by 5 percent", June 17, 2009
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