Alabama Senate
The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state, with each district containing at least 127,140 citizens. The members meets at the Alabama State House in Montgomery.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the United States Senate, the Alabama Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.
Powers
While the House of Representatives has exclusive power to originate revenue bills, such legislation can be amended and/or substituted by the Senate. Moreover, because the Senate is considered to be the "deliberative body", rules concerning length of debate are more liberal than those of the House of Representatives.
Like the United States Senate, the Alabama Senate has sole power of Confirmation of certain appointees designated by the Constitution and by statute.
Membership
The Alabama Senate is composed of 35 state senators, in keeping with Article IV, Section 50, of the Alabama Constitution, which limits the Alabama House of Representatives to 105 members, and the Senate to 35; together with Article IX, Sections 197 and 198, which requires that membership in the state senate consist of not less than one-fourth, nor more than one-third, of the total membership of the state House of Representatives. Additional representation is authorized in the event of the creation of new counties. Thus, the Alabama Senate is precisely one-third the size of the House of Representatives, and each state senator represents a district of approximately 125,000 Alabamians.
Under Article IV, Section 47 of the Constitution, Senators must be at least 25 years of age at the time of their election, must be citizens and residents of the state of Alabama for at least 3 years, and reside within their district for at least one year prior to election.
Senators, like members of the House of Representatives, are elected for four-year terms, take office at midnight of the day of their election, and do not have term limits.. Amendment 97 to the Constitution, provides that should a vacancy occur in either house of the Legislature, the governor is required to call a special election to fill the vacancy.
Leadership
The Lieutenant Governor of Alabama 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 full Senate by nominations taken from the floor, followed by a recorded vote. The President Pro Tempore is the chief leadership position in the Senate. The other Senate Majority and Minority leaders are elected by their respective party caucuses.
Senate districts in the Birmingham District
| District | Counties Represented |
|---|---|
| 4 | Cullman County, Lawrence County, Winston County |
| 5 | Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Walker County, Winston County |
| 9 | Blount County, Madison County, Marshall County |
| 12 | Calhoun County, St. Clair County |
| 14 | Bibb County, Chilton County, Jefferson County, Shelby County |
| 15 | Jefferson County, Shelby County |
| 16 | Jefferson County, Shelby County |
| 17 | Blount County, Jefferson County, St. Clair County |
| 18 | Jefferson County |
| 19 | Jefferson County |
| 20 | Jefferson County |
| 21 | Hale County, Pickens County, Tuscaloosa County |
| 24 | Bibb County, Choctaw County, Greene County, Hale County, Marengo County, Perry County, Sumter County, Tuscaloosa County |
See also
References
- Alabama Senate. (October 17, 2013). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed January 29, 2014.
External links
- Alabama State Senate official government website