WEST VIRGINIA SENATE

The 'West Virginia Senate' is the upper house of the West Virginia Legislature.
There are 17 senatorial districts. Each district has two senators who serve staggered four-year terms. The body is generally considered more conservative than the West Virginia House of Delegates. Democrats and Republicans are more evenly matched in the Senate.
The state's districting system is unique in the United States. The state's most populous county, Kanawha County constitutes two "superimposed" districts. In practical effect, this means that Kanawha County is a single district electing two members every two years. The remaining 54 counties of the state are divided into 15 districts, with county lines not respected in most cases. Under the unique rule, no district may have more than one senator from the same county, no matter the population. This means, for example, that the 99% of the population of the 5th District residing in Cabell County can vie for only one Senate seat, and the tiny portion of Wayne County in the district acts as a sort of rotten borough, as it must have one senator.

Contents

Senate President

Composition

Floor Leadership

Members

Committees

See Also

External links

Senate President

The Senate elects its own president from its membership. As of the 78th West Virginia Senate, Earl Ray Tomblin is Senate President.
While the West Virginia Constitution does not create or even mention the title of Lieutenant Governor, West Virginia Code 6A-1-4 creates this designation for the Senate President. The Senate President is first in the line of succession to the office of governor. As stated in the constitution: "In case of the death, conviction or impeachment, failure to qualify, resignation, or other disability of the governor, the president of the Senate shall act as governor until the vacancy is filled, or the disability removed." However, the Senate President may not always serve the remainder of the term as the constitution also states: "Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of governor before the first three years of the term shall have expired, a new election for governor shall take place to fill the vacancy."

Composition

''2007-2009:''

'Affiliation'		'Members'
	Democratic Party	23 (68%)
	Republican Party	11 (32%)
'Total'		'34'
'Government Majority'		'12'

Floor Leadership

★ Majority Leader: H. Truman Chafin

★ Majority Whip: Billy Wayne Bailey

★ Minority Leader: Don Caruth

★ Minority Whip: Clark Barnes

Members

''See Also'': List of members of the 78th West Virginia Senate

★ Billy Wayne Bailey (D-9th District)

★ Clark S. Barnes (R-15th District)

★ Donna J. Boley (R-3rd District)

★ Edwin J. Bowman (D-1st District)

★ 'Donald T. Caruth (R-10th District)' - ''Minority Leader''

★ 'H. Truman Chafin (D-6th District)' - ''Majority Leader''

★ J. Frank Deem (R-3rd District)

★ Larry J. Edgell (D-2nd District)

★ Karen L. Facemyer (R-4th District)

★ John Pat Fanning (D-6th District)

★ Dan Foster (D-17th District)

★ Mike Green (D-9th District)

★ Jesse O. Guills (R-10th District)

★ Mike Hall (R-4th District)

★ Walt Helmick (D-15th District)

★ Jon Blair Hunter (D-14th District)

★ Evan Jenkins (D-5th District)

★ Jeffrey V. Kessler (D-2nd District)

★ Shirley D. Love (D-11th District)

★ Brooks McCabe (D-17th District)

★ Andy McKenzie (R-1st District)

★ Joseph Minard (D-12th District)

★ Michael A. Oliverio (D-13th District)

★ Robert H. Plymale (D-5th District)

★ Roman W. Prezioso (D-13th District)

★ William R. Sharpe (D-12th District)

★ Vic Sprouse (R-8th District)

★ Ron Stollings (D-7th District)

★ Dave Sypolt (R-14th District)

★ 'Earl Ray Tomblin (D-7th District)' - ''President of the Senate - Lieutenant Governor''

★ John Unger (D-16th District)

★ Erik Wells (D-8th District)

★ C. Randy White (D-11th District)

★ John Yoder (R-16th District)

Committees

At the start each new Legislature, standing committees are appointed. The Senate President selects the chairpersons. The Rules of the Senate call for the following committees to be formed:

★ Agriculture (11 members) - Larry J. Edgell, Chairman

★ Banking and Insurance (14 members) - Joseph M. Minard, Chairman

★ Confirmations (9 members) - Shirley Love, Chairman

★ Economic Development (14 members) - Brooks McCabe, Chairman

★ Education (14 members) - Robert H. Plymale, Chairman

★ Energy, Industry and Mining (14 members) - William R. Sharpe, Jr., Chairman

★ Finance (17 members) - Walt Helmick, Chairman

★ Government Organization (14 members) - Edwin Bowman, Chairman

★ Health and Human Resources (14 members) - Roman W. Prezioso, Jr., Chairman

★ Interstate Cooperation (7 members) - Evan H. Jenkins, Chairman; (Senate President is ex-officio co-chairperson)

★ Judiciary (17 members) - Jeffrey V. Kessler, Chairman

★ Labor (11 members) - Michael Oliverio II, Chairman

★ Military (9 members) - Jon Blair Hunter, Chairman

★ Natural Resources (14 members) - John Pat Fanning, Chairman

★ Pensions (7 members) - Dan Foster, Chairman

★ Rules (11 members) - Earl Ray Tomblin, Ex-officio Chairman as Senate President

★ Transportation and Infrastructure (9 members) - John Unger II, Chairman

See Also

★ List of members of the 78th West Virginia Senate

★ List of members of the 77th West Virginia Senate

External links

★ Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin

★ West Virginia Legislature - official website