Type Upper house New session started January 9, 2017 | Term limits None | |
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Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib (D)
Since January 11, 2017 President of the Senate pro tempore Tim Sheldon (Majority Coalition Caucus)
Since January 9, 2017 Majority Leader Mark Schoesler (Majority Coalition Caucus)
Since December 1, 2014 | ||
The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 members, each representing a district with a population of nearly 140,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia.
Contents
Map of Washington, USA
As with the lower House of Representatives, state senators serve without term limits, though senators serve four-year terms. Senators are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, with each district electing two representatives but only one senator.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the state senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.
Leadership
The Lieutenant Governor of Washington serves as the President of the Senate, but only casts a vote if required to break a tie. In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the entire Senate through a Senate Resolution. The President Pro Tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate after the Lieutenant Governor. The other Senate leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.
The current President of the Senate is Cyrus Habib. The current President Pro Tempore is Tim Sheldon following the election of Pam Roach to the Pierce County Council. Roach had previously ousted Sheldon from the role with the support of the Democratic Caucus. The Majority leader is Republican Mark Schoesler, who assumed office following the retirement of Majority Coalition Caucus founder Rodney Tom in 2014, and the Minority Leader is Sharon Nelson, a Democrat who has been serving as her party's Senate leader since Seattle Mayor Ed Murray was elected to his current office.