Iowa Senate

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Iowa Senate
Iowa General Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 14, 2013
Leadership
Pam Jochum (D)
Since January 14, 2013
President pro Tempore
Steve Sodders (D)
Since January 14, 2013
Majority Leader
Michael Gronstal (D)
Since January 8, 2007
Minority Leader
Bill Dix (R)
Since January 14, 2013
Structure
250px
Political groups
Majority party

Minority party

Length of term
4 years
Authority Legislative Department, Section 3, Iowa Constitution
Salary $25,000/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 4, 2014
(50 seats)
Next election
November 1, 2018
(50 seats)
Redistricting Legislative Service Agency with legislative approval
Meeting place
File:Iowa Senate.JPG
State Senate Chamber
Iowa State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa
Website
Iowa General Assembly
Footnotes
  • Even though it is an even-district year, Senate District 49 was on the ballot due to the 2012 redistricting.[1]
  • The results of the election in Senate District 22 were counted, but not canvassed due to the death of incumbent candidate Pat Ward.[2]

The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 60,927 per constituency, as of the 2010 United States Census.[3] Each Senate district is composed of two House districts. The Senate meets at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.

Unlike the lower house, the Iowa House of Representatives, Senators serve four-year terms, with half of the Senate staggered for re-election every two years. There are no term limits for the Senate.

Leadership

The President of the Senate presides over the body, whose powers include referring bills to committee, recognizing members during debate, and making procedural rulings. Unlike the more powerful Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, the Senate President cannot appoint committee chairmanships or shuffle committee memberships.[4] The Lieutenant Governor of Iowa was the presiding officer of the Senate until 1988, when an amendment to the Iowa Constitution was passed in a referendum (effective from 1991).[5] The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority and Minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.

The President of the Senate is Democrat Pam Jochum of the 50th District. The Majority Leader is Democrat Michael Gronstal of the 8th District. The Minority Leader is Republican Bill Dix of the 25th District.

Leaders

Position Name Party District
President of the Senate Pam Jochum Democratic 4
Majority Leader Michael Gronstal Democratic 50
Minority Leader Bill Dix Republican 25

Current composition

File:Iowa State Senate Districts, 2012-2022.svg
Iowa Senate districts for 2012-2022
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
End of 2012 26 23 49 1
Begin 2013 26 24 50 0
End of previous legislature
Begin 26 24 50 0
Latest voting share 52% 48%

Past notable members

See also

References

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External links

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