Term limits 2 terms (8 years) New session started March 7, 2017 | Founded January 7, 1839 | |
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Type Upper house of the Florida Legislature Preceded by Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida President Joe Negron (R)
Since November 22, 2016 | ||
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. Along with the House of Representatives, it comprises the Florida Legislature. The Senate has 40 members, each elected from a single-member district with a population of about 470,000. The Senate meets at the State Capitol in Tallahassee.
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Senators generally serve four-year terms and are restricted by term limits, barring them from running for re-election if they have served in office for the past eight consecutive years. This ordinarily limits senators to two four-year terms.
The Florida Constitution establishes the legislature’s powers and duties, which include passing laws, developing an annual state budget, and making investigations. Additionally, the Senate has the exclusive power to try officials impeached by the House, and to confirm some executive appointments.
The Senate has its origins in Florida’s territorial period, when the Florida Territorial Council was made bicameral in 1838.
Terms, qualification and districts
The Florida Constitution requires state senators to be elected to staggered, four-year terms. Senators in odd-numbered districts are elected in U.S. presidential election years, while senators in even-numbered districts are elected in midterm election years. However, to reflect the results of the U.S. Census and the redrawing of district boundaries, all seats are up for election in redistricting years, with some terms truncated as a result. Thus, senators in even-numbered districts were elected to two-year terms in 2012 (following the 2010 Census), and senators in odd-numbered districts will be elected to two-year terms in 2022 (following the 2020 Census). All terms were truncated again in 2016, with all 40 seats up for election, due to court-ordered redistricting.
State senators must be at least 21 years of age, an elector and resident of their electoral district, and a Florida resident for at least two years prior to election. They take office upon election.
Powers and process
The Florida Constitution authorizes the state legislature to create and amend the laws of the U.S. state of Florida. State senators propose legislation in the forms of bills drafted by a nonpartisan, professional staff. Successful legislation must undergo committee review, three readings on the floor of each house, with appropriate voting majorities, as required, and either be signed into law by the governor or enacted through a veto override approved by two-thirds of the membership of each legislative house.
The entire Florida Legislature meets every year in a session beginning on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March and lasting 60 calendar days. Special sessions may be called either by the governor or by the leaders of both chambers acting jointly.