Term limits None Length of term 2 years New session started 9 January 2017 | Seats 98 Seat 98 | |
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Majority Leader Pat Sullivan (D)Since November 19, 2010 Minority Leader Dan Kristiansen (R)Since April 27, 2013 Authority Speaker pro Tempore Tina Orwall (D); Since January 9, 2017 Political groups Opposition, Washington State Republican Party | ||
The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the US state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 districts, each of which elects one Senator and two members of the House. All members of the House are elected to a two-year term without term limits. The House meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia.
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Leadership of the House
The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker and the Speaker Pro Tem are nominated by the majority party caucus followed by a vote of the full House. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation. In the absence of the Speaker the Speaker Pro Tem assumes the role of Speaker. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the House.
The current Speaker of the House is Democrat Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) of the 43rd Legislative District. The Speaker Pro Tempore is Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines) of the 33rd Legislative District. The Majority Leader is Pat Sullivan (D-Covington) of the 47th Legislative District. The Republican Minority Leader is Dan Kristiansen (R-Snohomish) of the 39th Legislative District.
Notable former members
The first women elected were Frances Cleveland Axtell and Nena Jolidon Croake in 1912.