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Kentucky Senate

Upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly

Field	Value
background_color
name	Kentucky Senate
legislature	Kentucky General Assembly
coa_pic	Seal of Kentucky.svg
session_room	Senate Chamber - Kentucky State Capitol - DSC09173.JPG
term_limits	None
new_session	January 6, 2026
leader1_type	President
leader1	Robert Stivers (R)
election1	January 8, 2013
leader2_type	President pro tempore
leader2	David P. Givens (R)
election2	January 8, 2019
leader3_type	Majority Leader
leader3	Max Wise (R)
election3	January 7, 2025
leader4_type	Minority Leader
leader4	Gerald Neal (D)
election4	January 3, 2023
members	38
structure1	Kentucky Senate diagram, 2025.svg
structure1_res	250px
*	border	darkgray}} Republican (32)}}
*	border	darkgray}} Democratic (6)}}
last_election1	November 5, 2024
(19 seats)
next_election1	November 3, 2026
(19 seats)
term_length	4 years
authority	The Legislative Department, Section 29, Kentucky Constitution
salary	$188.22/day + per diem (elected before January 1, 2023)
$203.28/day + per diem (elected after January 1, 2023)
redistricting	Legislative Control
meeting_place	Senate Chamber
Kentucky State Capitol
Frankfort, Kentucky
website	Legislative Research Commission

Majority (32)

Minority (6)

(19 seats) (19 seats) $203.28/day + per diem (elected after January 1, 2023) Kentucky State Capitol Frankfort, Kentucky The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. The Kentucky Senate meets at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort annually beginning in January. Sessions last for 60 legislative days in even-numbered years and 30 legislative days in odd-numbered years.

The Republican Party has had control of the Senate since 1999, currently holding 32 seats, with the Democratic Party holding 5, and 1 seat being vacant. Senators serve four-year terms with no term limits; half (19) of the senators are up for election every second year, coinciding with federal House of Representatives and Senate elections.

Terms and qualifications

According to Section 32 of the Kentucky Constitution, a senator must:

be at least 30 years old;
be a citizen of Kentucky;
have resided in the state at least six years and the district at least one year prior to election. Per section 30 of the Kentucky Constitution, senators are elected to four year staggered terms, with half the Senate elected every two years.

Leadership

Prior to a 1992 constitutional amendment, the Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky presided over the Senate; the 1992 amendment created a new office of President of the Senate to be held by one of the 38 senators.

Leaders

President (elected by full body): Robert Stivers (R-25)
President pro tempore (elected by full body): David P. Givens (R-9)

Additionally, each political party elects a floor leader, whip, and caucus chairman.

Current party leadership of the Kentucky Senate:

Republican Party
- Leader: Max Wise (R-16)
- Whip: Mike Wilson (R-32)
- Caucus chair: Robby Mills (R-4)
Democratic Party
- Leader: Gerald Neal (D-33)
- Whip: Cassie Chambers Armstrong (D-19)
- Caucus chair: Reginald L. Thomas (D-13)

Recent composition

Senate composition by district

Session	Party(Shading indicates majority caucus)	Total	Republican
Republican Party (United States)}}"		Democratic Party (United States)}}"
	26	11	1
	27	0
	27	11	0
	28	9	1
	29	0
	30	8	0
	30	6	2
	31	7	0
	31	7	0
	32	6

List of current senators

District	Name	First elected	Residence	Counties represented
1	Jason Howell	Republican	2020	Murray	Calloway, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Lyon, Trigg
2	Danny Carroll	Republican	2014	Benton	Ballard, Carlisle, Livingston, Marshall, McCracken
3	Craig Richardson	Republican	2024	Hopkinsville	Caldwell, Christian, Muhlenberg
4	Robby Mills	Republican	2018	Henderson	Henderson, Hopkins, Union, Webster
5	Stephen Meredith	Republican	2016	Leitchfield	Breckinridge, Butler, Grayson, Meade, Ohio
6	Lindsey Tichenor	Republican	2022	Smithfield	Jefferson (Part), Oldham, Trimble
7	Aaron Reed	Republican	2024	Shelbyville	Anderson, Henry, Jefferson (Part), Shelby
8	Gary Boswell	Republican	2022	Owensboro	Daviess, Hancock, McLean
9	David P. Givens	Republican	2008	Greensburg	Barren, Edmondson, Green, Hart, Warren (Part)
10	Matthew Deneen	Republican	2022	Elizabethtown	Hardin, Jefferson (Part)
11	Steve Rawlings	Republican	2024	Burlington	Boone (Part)
12	Amanda Mays Bledsoe	Republican	2022	Lexington	Boyle, Fayette (Part), Mercer, Woodford
13	Reginald L. Thomas	Democratic	2013	Lexington	Fayette (Part)
14	Jimmy Higdon	Republican	2009	Lebanon	Larue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, Washington
15	Rick Girdler	Republican	2016	Somerset	Clinton, Cumberland, Pulaski, Russell, Wayne
16	Max Wise	Republican	2014	Campbellsville	Adair, Allen, Metcalfe, Monroe, Taylor, Warren (Part)
17	Matt Nunn	Republican	2024	Sadieville	Fayette (Part), Grant, Kenton (Part), Scott
18	Robin L. Webb	Republican	2009	Grayson	Boyd, Carter, Greenup, Lewis
19	Cassie Chambers Armstrong	Democratic	2023	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
20	Gex Williams	Republican	2022	Verona	Boone (Part), Carroll, Franklin, Gallatin, Kenton (Part), Owen
21	Brandon J. Storm	Republican	2020	London	Casey, Laurel, Lincoln, Rockcastle
22	Donald Douglas	Republican	2021	Nicholasville	Fayette (Part), Garrard, Jessamine
23	Christian McDaniel	Republican	2012	Ryland Heights	Kenton (Part)
24	Shelley Funke Frommeyer	Republican	2022	Alexandria	Bracken, Campbell, Kenton (Part), Pendleton
25	Robert Stivers	Republican	1996	Manchester	Clay, Jackson, Knox, McCreary, Owsley, Whitley
26	Karen Berg	Democratic	2020	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
27	Stephen West	Republican	2015	Paris	Bourbon, Fayette (Part), Fleming, Harrison, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson, Rowan
28	Greg Elkins	Republican	2023	Winchester	Bath, Clark, Fayette (Part), Menifee, Montgomery
29	Scott Madon	Republican	2024	Pineville	Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Letcher
30	Brandon Smith	Republican	2008	Hazard	Breathitt, Estill, Lee, Leslie, Magoffin, Morgan, Perry, Powell, Wolfe
31	Phillip Wheeler	Republican	2019	Pikeville	Elliott, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, Pike
32	Mike Wilson	Republican	2010	Bowling Green	Logan, Simpson, Todd, Warren (Part)
33	Gerald A. Neal	Democratic	1988	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
34	Jared Carpenter	Republican	2010	Berea	Fayette (Part), Madison
35	Keturah J. Herron	Democratic	2024	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
36	Julie Raque Adams	Republican	2014	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
37	Gary Clemons	Democratic	2025	Louisville	Jefferson (Part)
38	Michael J. Nemes	Republican	2020	Shepherdsville	Bullitt, Jefferson (Part)

Seating chart

			President
Stivers

2023 special elections

On February 21, 2023, a special election was held to fill the vacant 19th district Senate seat left by Morgan McGarvey. The seat opened up after McGarvey ran and won the U.S. House seat in Kentucky's 3rd congressional district. Democratic candidate Cassie Chambers Armstrong defeated Republican candidate Misty Glin to become Senator.
On May 16, 2023, a special election was held to fill the vacant 28th district Senate seat left by Ralph Alvarado. The seat opened up after Alvarado was appointed the 15th Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health. The candidates were Greg Elkins (R) of Winchester, Robert Sainte (D) of Winchester, and former Kentucky State Representative Richard Henderson (I) of Mt. Sterling. Republican candidate Greg Elkins defeated Sainte and Henderson to become Senator.

History

Carolyn Conn Moore became the first woman to serve in the Kentucky Senate when in November 1949 she won a special election to replace her husband, J. Lee Moore, in the legislature after his death. Georgia Davis Powers became the first person of color to be elected to the Kentucky Senate in 1967. Gerald Neal became the first African American ever to be elected to a leadership position in the Kentucky General Assembly in 2014. Ralph Alvarado became the first Hispanic to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly when he was elected in 2014.

Standing committees

Committee	Vice Chair
Agriculture	Jason Howell		Gary Boswell
Appropriations and Revenue	Christian McDaniel		Amanda Mays Bledsoe
Banking and Insurance	Jared Carpenter		Rick Girdler
Committee on Committees	Robert Stivers	none
Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor	Phillip Wheeler		Shelley Funke Frommeyer
Education	Stephen West		Lindsey Tichenor
Enrollment	Matt Nunn	none
Families and Children	Danny Carroll		Amanda Mays Bledsoe
Health and Services	Stephen Meredith		Craig Richardson
Judiciary	Brandon J. Storm		Phillip Wheeler
Licensing and Occupations	Julie Raque Adams		Jason Howell
Natural Resources and Energy	Brandon Smith		Gex Williams
Rules	Robert Stivers	none
State and Local Government	Michael J. Nemes		Greg Elkins
Transportation	Jimmy Higdon		Donald Douglas
Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection	Matthew Deneen		Aaron Reed

Past composition of the Senate

Main article: Political party strength in Kentucky

Notes

References

"How much do Kentucky's governor and other elected officials make? Here's a list". Louisville Courier-Journal.
(February 19, 2020). "Publications – The Council of State Governments".
(January 9, 2023). "Ky. 19th Senatorial District special election to be held.".
(January 19, 2023). "Alvarado sworn in as health commissioner in Tennessee".
Oswald, Sharon. (January 5, 1977). "From senate to housemother, Mrs. Moore is mother of 110". The Tuscaloosa News.
Lawrence Smith. (December 2, 2014). "Louisville state senator becomes first African-American elected to leadership in KY legislature". wdrb.com.
(October 28, 2020). "Ralph Alvarado".

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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