The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered every two years, such that half of the seats are contested at each election. Even- and odd-numbered district seats are contested in separate election years. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg, and has been meeting since 1791.
Pennsylvania State Senate | |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania General Assembly | |
| Type | |
| Type | Upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
| Founded | 1790 |
New session started | January 7, 2025 |
| Leadership | |
President | Austin Davis (D) since January 17, 2023 |
Kim Ward (R) since November 30, 2022 | |
Majority Leader | Joe Pittman (R) since November 30, 2022 |
Minority Leader | Jay Costa (D) since January 4, 2011 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 50 |
Political groups | Majority
Minority
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Authority | Article II, Pennsylvania Constitution |
| Salary | $102,844/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 5, 2024 (odd-numbered districts) |
Next election | November 3, 2026 (even-numbered districts) |
| Redistricting | Bipartisan Commission |
| Meeting place | |
| State Senate Chamber Pennsylvania State Capitol Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The president of the Senate is the lieutenant governor, who has no vote except to break a tie. The president pro tempore of the Senate becomes the lieutenant governor in the event of the sitting lieutenant governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the president pro tempore and lieutenant governor would be the same person.
Qualifications
Senators must be at least 25 years of age. They must be a United States citizen and a Pennsylvania resident for four years, and a resident of that district one year prior to their election and must reside in that district during their term.
Senate leadership
Officers
| Position | Officer |
|---|---|
| President | Austin Davis |
| President pro tempore | Kim Ward |
| Secretary & Parliamentarian | Michael Gerdes |
| Chief Clerk | Donetta D’Innocenzo |
Caucus leadership
| Majority party (R) | Leadership position | Minority party (D) |
| Joe Pittman | Floor Leader | Jay Costa |
| Wayne Langerholc | Whip | Christine Tartaglione |
| Kristin Phillips-Hill | Caucus Chairperson | Maria Collett |
| Camera Bartolotta | Caucus Secretary | Steve Santarsiero |
| Scott Martin | Appropriations Committee Chairperson | Vincent Hughes |
| Lisa Baker | Caucus Administrator | Judy Schwank |
| Dave Argall | Policy Committee Chairperson | Nick Miller |
Composition
Historical sessions
| Affiliation | Party (shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ind | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| 1995–1996 session | 29 | 0 | 21 | 50 | 0 |
| 1997–1998 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 1999–2000 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2001–2002 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2003–2004 session | 29 | 21 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2005–2006 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2007–2008 session | 29 | 21 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2009–2010 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2011–2012 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2013–2014 session | 27 | 23 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2015–2016 session | 30 | 20 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2016–2017 session | 31 | 19 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2017–2018 session | 34 | 16 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2018–2019 session | 28 | 22 | 50 | 0 | |
| 2019–2020 session | 29 | 1 | 21 | 50 | 0 |
| 2021–2022 session | 28 | 1 | 21 | 50 | 0 |
| 2023–2024 session | 28 | 0 | 22 | 50 | 0 |
Current session
As of May 5, 2025:
| 23 | 27 |
| Democratic | Republican |
| Affiliation | Party (shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ind | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 28 | 0 | 22 | 50 | 0 |
| January 7, 2025 | 27 | 0 | 22 | 49 | 1 |
| May 5, 2025 | 23 | 50 | 0 | ||
| Latest voting share | 54% | 46% | |||
Membership
The Senate comprises 50 members who are elected by district. In 2012, a State Senate district had an average population of 254,047 residents.
List of current members
| District | Senator | Party | Residence | Counties represented | First elected | Term ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikil Saval | Dem | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | 2020 | 2028 |
| 2 | Christine Tartaglione | Dem | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | 1994 | 2026 |
| 3 | Sharif Street | Dem | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | 2016 | 2028 |
| 4 | Art Haywood | Dem | Philadelphia | Montgomery, Philadelphia | 2014 | 2026 |
| 5 | Joe Picozzi | Rep | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | 2024 | 2028 |
| 6 | Frank Farry | Rep | Langhorne Borough | Bucks | 2022 | 2026 |
| 7 | Vincent Hughes | Dem | Philadelphia | Montgomery, Philadelphia | 1994 | 2028 |
| 8 | Anthony Williams | Dem | Philadelphia | Delaware, Philadelphia | 1998 | 2026 |
| 9 | John Kane | Dem | Birmingham | Chester, Delaware | 2020 | 2028 |
| 10 | Steve Santarsiero | Dem | Lower Makefield Township | Bucks | 2018 | 2026 |
| 11 | Judy Schwank | Dem | Fleetwood | Berks | 2011 | 2028 |
| 12 | Maria Collett | Dem | Lower Gwynedd Township | Montgomery | 2018 | 2026 |
| 13 | Scott Martin | Rep | West Lampeter Township | Berks, Lancaster | 2016 | 2028 |
| 14 | Nick Miller | Dem | Allentown | Lehigh, Northampton | 2022 | 2026 |
| 15 | Patty Kim | Dem | Harrisburg | Dauphin | 2024 | 2028 |
| 16 | Jarrett Coleman | Rep | Upper Macungie Township | Bucks, Lehigh | 2022 | 2026 |
| 17 | Amanda Cappelletti | Dem | East Norriton Township | Delaware, Montgomery | 2020 | 2028 |
| 18 | Lisa Boscola | Dem | Bethlehem Township | Lehigh, Northampton | 1998 | 2026 |
| 19 | Carolyn Comitta | Dem | West Chester | Chester | 2020 | 2028 |
| 20 | Lisa Baker | Rep | Lehman Township | Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming | 2006 | 2026 |
| 21 | Scott Hutchinson | Rep | Oil City | Butler, Clarion, Forest, Venango, Warren | 2012 | 2028 |
| 22 | Marty Flynn | Dem | Scranton | Lackawanna, Luzerne | 2021 | 2026 |
| 23 | Eugene Yaw | Rep | Loyalsock Township | Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, Union | 2008 | 2028 |
| 24 | Tracy Pennycuick | Rep | Harleysville | Berks, Montgomery | 2022 | 2026 |
| 25 | Cris Dush | Rep | Pine Creek Township | Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter | 2020 | 2028 |
| 26 | Tim Kearney | Dem | Swarthmore | Delaware | 2018 | 2026 |
| 27 | Lynda Culver | Rep | Sunbury | Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder | 2023 | 2028 |
| 28 | Kristin Phillips-Hill | Rep | York Township | York | 2018 | 2026 |
| 29 | Dave Argall | Rep | Rush Township | Carbon, Luzerne, Schuylkill | 2009 | 2028 |
| 30 | Judy Ward | Rep | Hollidaysburg | Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin | 2018 | 2026 |
| 31 | Dawn Keefer | Rep | Dillsburg | Cumberland, York | 2024 | 2028 |
| 32 | Pat Stefano | Rep | Bullskin Township | Bedford, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland | 2014 | 2026 |
| 33 | Doug Mastriano | Rep | Greene Township | Adams, Franklin | 2019 | 2028 |
| 34 | Greg Rothman | Rep | Silver Spring Township | Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry County | 2022 | 2026 |
| 35 | Wayne Langerholc | Rep | Johnstown | Cambria County, Centre, Clearfield | 2016 | 2028 |
| 36 | James Andrew Malone | Dem | East Petersburg | Lancaster | 2025 | 2026 |
| 37 | Devlin Robinson | Rep | Bridgeville | Allegheny, Washington | 2020 | 2028 |
| 38 | Lindsey Williams | Dem | West View | Allegheny | 2018 | 2026 |
| 39 | Kim Ward | Rep | Hempfield Township | Westmoreland | 2008 | 2028 |
| 40 | Rosemary Brown | Rep | East Stroudsburg | Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne | 2022 | 2026 |
| 41 | Joe Pittman | Rep | Indiana | Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson, Westmoreland | 2019 | 2028 |
| 42 | Wayne Fontana | Dem | Pittsburgh | Allegheny | 2005 | 2026 |
| 43 | Jay Costa | Dem | Forest Hills | Allegheny | 1996 | 2028 |
| 44 | Katie Muth | Dem | East Vincent Township | Berks, Chester, Montgomery | 2018 | 2026 |
| 45 | Nick Pisciottano | Dem | West Mifflin | Allegheny | 2024 | 2028 |
| 46 | Camera Bartolotta | Rep | Monongahela | Beaver, Greene, Washington | 2014 | 2026 |
| 47 | Elder Vogel | Rep | New Sewickley Township | Beaver, Butler, Lawrence | 2008 | 2028 |
| 48 | Chris Gebhard | Rep | North Cornwall Township | Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon | 2021 | 2026 |
| 49 | Dan Laughlin | Rep | Millcreek Township | Erie | 2016 | 2028 |
| 50 | Michele Brooks | Rep | Jamestown | Crawford, Lawrence, Mercer | 2014 | 2026 |
- John Blake resigned on February 15, 2021. Flynn was elected in a special election on May 18.
- Ryan Aument resigned December 31, 2024 to become State Director to U.S. Senator Dave McCormick. Malone was elected in a special election on March 25, 2025, and was sworn in on May 5, 2025.
- Dave Arnold died January 17, 2021. Gebhard was elected in a special election on May 18.
Standing committees
Current committees, majority chairs, minority chairs, and vice chairs include:
| Committee Name | Majority chair | Minority chair | Vice chair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aging & Youth | Wayne Langerholc | Maria Collett | Judy Ward |
| Agriculture & Rural Affairs | Elder Vogel | Judy Schwank | Michele Brooks |
| Appropriations | Scott Martin | Vincent Hughes | Elder Vogel |
| Banking & Insurance | Chris Gebhard | Sharif Street | Lisa Baker |
| Communications & Technology | Tracy Pennycuick | Nick Miller | Kristin Phillips-Hill |
| Community, Economic & Recreational Development | Rosemary Brown | Anthony H. Williams | Chris Gebhard |
| Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure | Patrick J. Stefano | Lisa Boscola | Frank Farry |
| Education | Lynda Schlegel Culver | Lindsey Williams | Doug Mastriano |
| Environmental Resources & Energy | Gene Yaw | Carolyn Comitta | Scott Hutchinson |
| Finance | Scott Hutchinson | Nick Pisciottano | Jarrett Coleman |
| Game & Fisheries | Greg Rothman | Lisa Boscola | Dan Laughlin |
| Health & Human Services | Michele Brooks | Art Haywood | Lynda Schlegel Culver |
| Institutional Sustainability & Innovation | Frank Farry | Tim Kearney | Dave Argall |
| Intergovernmental Operations | Jarrett Coleman | Christine Tartaglione | Cris Dush |
| Judiciary | Lisa Baker | Amanda Cappelletti | Gene Yaw |
| Labor & Industry | Devlin Robinson | John I. Kane | Camera Bartolotta |
| Law & Justice | Dan Laughlin | Wayne D. Fontana | Joe Picozzi |
| Local Government | Dawn Keefer | Patty Kim | Rosemary Brown |
| Rules & Executive Nominations | Joe Pittman | Jay Costa | Wayne Langerholc |
| State Government | Cris Dush | Steve Santarsiero | Patrick J. Stefano |
| Transportation | Judy Ward | Marty Flynn | Devlin Robinson |
| Urban Affairs & Housing | Joe Picozzi | Nikil Saval | Dawn Keefer |
| Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparednesss | Doug Mastriano | Katie Muth | Tracy Pennycuick |
Past composition of the Senate
See also
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- List of Pennsylvania state legislatures
Sources
- Trostle, Sharon, ed. (2009). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 119. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. ISBN 978-0-8182-0334-3.
wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about Pennsylvania State Senate, What is Pennsylvania State Senate? What does Pennsylvania State Senate mean?