Louisiana State Senate | |
General Information | |
Party control: | Republican |
Session start: | March 11, 2024 |
Session end: | June 3, 2024 |
Term length: | 4 years |
Term limits: | 3 terms (12 years) |
Redistricting: | Legislature-dominant |
Salary: | $16,800/year; plus an additional $6,000/year as an unvouchered expense + per diem |
Members | |
Total: | 39 |
Democrats: | 11 |
Republicans: | 28 |
Other: | 0 |
Vacancies: | 0 |
Leadership | |
President: | Cameron Henry (R) |
Maj. Leader: | Blake Miguez (R) |
Min. Leader: | Gerald Boudreaux (D) |
Elections | |
Last election: | November 18, 2023 |
Next election: | November 20, 2027 |
The Louisiana State Senate is the upper chamber of the Louisiana State Legislature. Alongside the Louisiana House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Louisiana state government and works alongside the governor of Louisiana to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Louisiana State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
The Louisiana State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Louisiana has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature. |
This page contains the following information on the Louisiana State Senate.
The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Louisiana State Senate as of September 2024:
Party | As of September 2024 | |
---|---|---|
Democratic Party | 11 | |
Republican Party | 28 | |
Other | 0 | |
Vacancies | 0 | |
Total | 39 |
The president and president pro tempore of the Senate are elected by the full body, needing at least 20 votes for confirmation. The president is the presiding officer of the body. Duties of the president include preserving order, calling votes, appointing and removing members of each Senate and conference committee, and approving all expenditures of the Senate. In the absence of the president, the president pro tempore assumes all duties of the position.[1]
State legislative salaries, 2024[2] | |
---|---|
Salary | Per diem |
$16,800/year; plus an additional $6,000/year as an unvouchered expense | $166/day. |
Louisiana legislators assume office at noon on the second Monday in January after their election.[3][4]
According to Article III, Section 4, of the Louisiana Constitution, candidates must meet the following qualifications in order to run for the state legislature:
“ | All candidates shall be qualified electors ... By the date of qualification, the candidate shall have attained the age of 18 years, resided in Louisiana for the preceding 2 years, and been actually domiciled for the preceding year in the legislative district from which the candidate seeks election. At the next regular election for members of the legislature following legislative reapportionment, an elector may qualify as a candidate from any district created in whole or in part from a district existing prior to reapportionment if he was domiciled in that prior district for at least 1 year immediately preceding his qualification and was a resident of Louisiana for the 2 years preceding his qualification.[5][6] | ” |
Republicans won control of the Louisiana State Senate in 2011. In 2023, they won a 28-11 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Louisiana Senate following every general election from 1991 to 2023. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Louisiana State Senate election results: 1991-2023
Party | 91 | 95 | 99 | 03 | 07 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 23 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democrats | 33 | 25 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 |
Republicans | 6 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 28 |
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Louisiana was under the following types of trifecta control:
Louisiana Party Control: 1992-2024
Eight years of Democratic trifectas • Six years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governor | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R |
Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Louisiana state senators serve four-year terms, with all seats up for election every four years. Louisiana holds elections for its legislature in odd years.
Louisiana holds October primaries in which candidates of all party affiliations face off, rather than deciding party nominees through separate primaries. Should a candidate finish with a majority of the primary vote, he or she is considered elected; otherwise, a runoff between the top two finishers is held in November. Louisiana is also one of only four states that hold state elections in odd-numbered years. Former Clerk of the Louisiana House Alfred "Butch" Speer was quoted as explaining:
“ | For scores of years we conducted our party primaries in the winter of the odd numbered years, with any necessary 2nd primary held in January. Because Republican voter registration was so miniscule from 1877 until 1980, the general elections were mere irritants to the Democrat primary victor. Once we scrapped the partisan primary system [1975] we set the entire system up to run in the fall of the odd numbered year, our traditional election season.[7][6] | ” |
Elections for the Louisiana State Senate took place in 2023. The general election was November 18, 2023. A primary was October 14, 2023. The filing deadline was August 10, 2023.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 27-12 majority. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 28-11 majority.
Louisiana State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 18, 2023 | After November 19, 2023 | |
Democratic Party | 12 | 11 | |
Republican Party | 27 | 28 | |
Total | 39 | 39 |
Elections for the Louisiana State Senate took place in 2019. The primary was on October 12, 2019, and the general election was on November 16. The filing deadline for candidates was August 8, 2019.
Louisiana State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 16, 2019 | After November 17, 2019 | |
Democratic Party | 14 | 12 | |
Republican Party | 25 | 27 | |
Total | 39 | 39 |
Elections for the Louisiana State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on October 24, 2015, with a general election held in districts where necessary on November 21, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was September 10, 2015, at 4:30 p.m. CDT.[8]
Louisiana elections use the Louisiana majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 26-13 majority. Republicans lost one seat in the election, giving them a 25-14 majority.
Louisiana State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 21, 2015 | After November 21, 2015 | |
Democratic Party | 13 | 14 | |
Republican Party | 26 | 25 | |
Total | 39 | 39 |
Click [show] to see election information dating back to 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011[edit]
Elections for the office of Louisiana State Senate consisted of a primary election on October 22, 2011, and a runoff election on November 19, 2011. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 22-17 majority. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 24-15 majority.
During the 2011 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $13,611,411. The top 10 contributors were:[9]
2007[edit]
Elections for the office of Louisiana State Senate consisted of a primary election on October 20, 2007, and a runoff election on November 17, 2007. Following the 2000 Census, each of Louisiana's 39 state senators represented an average population of 114,589 people. In 2007, Senate candidates raised a total of $18,266,324 in campaign contributions.
The top 10 donors were:[10]
2003[edit]
Elections for the office of Louisiana State Senate consisted of a primary election on October 4, 2003, and a runoff election on November 15, 2003. During the 2003 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $13,648,458. The top 10 contributors were:[11]
1999[edit]Elections for the office of Louisiana State Senate consisted of a primary election on October 23, 1999, and a runoff election on November 20, 1999. During the 1999 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $12,374,378. The top 10 contributors were:[12]
|
The Louisiana legislature is one of 16 state legislatures with term limits. It has been a term-limited state legislature since Louisiana voters approved Amendment 2 in 1995, as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The first year that the term limits enacted in 1995 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was 2007. Under Louisiana's term limits, state senators can serve no more than three four-year terms.[13]
If there is a vacancy in the Louisiana State Legislature, the vacant seat must be filled by a special election. An election is required if there are six months or more left in the unexpired term. The presiding officer in the house where the vacancy happened must call for an election no later than 10 days after the vacancy occurred. The presiding officer must determine the dates for the election along with all filing deadlines. The person elected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.[14]
See sources: Louisiana Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18:601
The state of Louisiana has 144 legislative districts. Each district elects one representative. The state Senate has 39 districts and the state House has 105 districts.
Use the interactive map below to find your district.
In Louisiana, both congressional and state legislative districts are drawn by the state legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor. In the event that the legislature is unable to approve state legislative district boundaries, the state supreme court must draw the lines. There is no such practice that applies to congressional districts.[15]
The state legislature has adopted guidelines for redistricting. These guidelines suggest that both congressional and state legislative districts be contiguous and "respect recognized political boundaries and the natural geography of the state to the extent practicable." These guidelines are non-binding; as such, the legislature may alter them at its discretion.[15]
On February 8, 2024, the U.S. District Court for Middle Louisiana struck down the state's legislative maps and declared them to be in violation of the Voting Rights Act.[16][17] According to the ruling, the court found the following:
“ | [T]he Enacted State House and Senate Maps crack or pack large and geographically compact minority populations such as Black voters in the challenged districts 'have less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of their choice,' and the Illustrative Plan offered by the Plaintiffs show that additional opportunity districts can be 'reasonable configured.'[17][6] | ” |
The legislative maps that both chambers passed during a special legislative session in February 2022 became law 20 days after their passage as Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) neither signed not vetoed the redistricting plans. The legislative redistricting plan passed the state Senate, 25-11, with all votes in favor by Republicans and 10 Democrats and one Republican voting against. The state House of Representatives approved it by a 82-21 vote with 68 Republicans, 12 Democrats, and two independents voting in favor and 20 Democrats and one independent voting against.[18][19] After the legislature voted on the maps, Tyler Bridges wrote in The Advocate, "Without much fuss, the Republican-controlled Legislature...approved new district boundaries for the state House and Senate that would maintain GOP legislative dominance for the next decade."[20]
Edwards announced on March 9, 2022, that he would not act on the legislative boundaries, releasing a statement that said, in part, "While neither the congressional or legislative maps passed by Louisiana’s Legislature do anything to increase the number of districts where minority voters can elect candidates of their choosing, I do not believe the Legislature has the ability to draw new state House and Senate maps during this upcoming legislative session without the process halting the important work of the state of Louisiana. At a time when we face unprecedented challenges, but have unprecedented opportunities to make historic investments in our future, the Legislature should be focused on the issues in the upcoming session and not concerned about what their own districts will look like in the 2023 elections."[21]
This map took effect for Louisiana’s 2023 legislative elections.
Redistricting work took place in a special session which began March 20, 2011.[22] House Speaker Jim Tucker (R) released his first draft of a House map, HB1, on Friday, March 18, 2011.[23] The House and Senate passed their respective redistricting bills on March 29, 2011.[24] The Department of Justice granted approval to the new House map on June 20, 2011, and approved the Senate map June 29, 2011.
The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Louisiana State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by the House and signed by the governor after its passage in the Senate. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.
In 2024, the legislature was scheduled to convene on March 11, 2024, and adjourn on June 3, 2024.
In 2023, the legislature was scheduled to convene on April 10, 2023, and adjourn on June 8, 2023.
Click [show] for past years' session dates. | |||
---|---|---|---|
2022[edit]In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on March 14, 2022, and adjourn on June 6, 2022. 2021[edit]In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on April 12, 2021, and adjourn on June 10, 2021. 2020[edit]In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on March 9, 2020, and adjourn on June 1, 2020. [edit]
Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The Louisiana State Legislature initially suspended its session from March 16, 2020, through March 31, 2020.[25] After reconvening on March 31, 2020, the legislature suspended its session indefinitely. The legislature resumed its session on May 4, 2020. It adjourned on June 30, 2020.[26][27] 2019[edit]In 2019, the legislature was in session from April 8, 2019, through June 6, 2019. 2018[edit]In 2018, the legislature was in session from March 12, 2018, through May 18, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here. 2017[edit]
In 2017, the legislature was in session from April 10, 2017, through June 8, 2017. The legislature held its first special session from February 13, 2017, to February 22, 2017. The legislature held its second special session from June 8, 2017, to June 16, 2017. 2016[edit]
In 2016, the legislature was in session from March 14 through June 6. A special session was held from February 14 to March 9 to address the state's budget gap.[28] A second special session was held from June 6 to June 23. 2015[edit]
In 2015, the legislature was in session from April 13 through June 11. Major issues in 2015[edit]Major issues in the 2015 legislative session included a $1.6 billion deficit, increases in the cigarette and gasoline taxes, the Common Core education standards, marijuana legislation, and religious freedom legislation.[29][30][31][32] 2014[edit]
In 2014, the legislature was in session from March 10 through June 3. Major issues in 2014[edit]Major issues in the 2014 legislative session included Common Core, education funding, Medicaid expansion, the coastal erosion lawsuit filed by the South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, and legalization of medical marijuana.[33][34] 2013[edit]
In 2013, the legislature was in session from April 8 to June 6. Major issues in 2013[edit]Major issues during the 2013 legislative session included the state budget, an overhaul of public education, increasing the retirement age of public workers, gun control, and abortion.[35] 2012[edit]
In 2012, the legislature was in session from March 12 through June 4. 2011[edit]
In 2011, the Legislature was in regular session from April 25 through June 23. The Legislature undertook a special session from March 20 to April 13, focusing on redistricting following the 2010 census.[36][37] 2010[edit]
In 2010, the Legislature was in session from March 29 to June 21.[38] |
The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[39] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.
Article III of the Louisiana Constitution establishes when the Louisiana State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, is to be in session. Section 2 of Article III states that, in even-numbered years, the Legislature shall convene on the last Monday in March and meet for no more than sixty legislative days during a period of eighty-five calendar days. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature is to convene on the last Monday in April and meet for no more than forty-five legislative days during a period of sixty calendar days. During regular sessions in odd-numbered years, the Legislature can only consider measures regarding the state budget, revenues, and appropriations.
Section 2 of Article III also allows the Legislature to be called into a special session by the Governor of Louisiana or by a majority of the members of each legislative house. During special sessions, the Legislature can only legislate on matters related to the proclaimed purposes of the session. Section 2 of Article III also authorizes the Governor of Louisiana to call an emergency session without prior notice in the event of a public emergency.[40]
Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, term limits, procedures for filling membership vacancies, and redistricting.
State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Louisiana are listed below.
How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.
Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 70 of the 105 members in the Louisiana House of Representatives and 26 of the 39 members in the Louisiana State Senate. Louisiana is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto. |
How can vetoes be overridden after the legislature has adjourned?
According to Article III, Section 18 of the Louisiana Constitution, the legislature shall convene 40 days after the legislative session has ended to consider veto overrides for a period not to exceed five days. If a majority of members agree, the veto session can be cancelled. |
Authority: Article III, Section 18 of the Louisiana Constitution.
"A bill vetoed and returned and subsequently approved by two-thirds of the elected members of each house shall become law. The legislature shall meet in veto session in the state capital at noon on the fortieth day following final adjournment of the most recent session, to consider all bills vetoed by the governor. " |
Louisiana on |
The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is:[41]
Louisiana is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[41][43]
The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature must pass a balanced budget.[41]
Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.
Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Louisiana State Senate has 17 standing committees:
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods in which the Louisiana Constitution can be amended:
The Louisiana Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution— a legislative process and a state constitutional convention. Louisiana requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.
According to Article XII, the state Legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot for voters to decide. A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one session of the Louisiana State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 70 votes in the Louisiana House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Louisiana State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. Amendments can be referred to the ballot in odd-numbered years and even-numbered years in Louisiana.
According to Article XII, the state legislature can provide for the calling of a constitutional convention by law enacted by two-thirds of the members of each chamber of the legislature.
Historical context:
A total of 112 constitutional amendments appeared on the statewide ballot in Louisiana during even-numbered years from 2000 through 2022. Of the 112 amendments, 77 (68.75%) were approved and 35 (31.25%) were defeated.
Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 2000-2022 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Even-year average | Even-year median | Even-year minimum | Even-year maximum | |
112 | 77 | 68.75% | 35 | 31.25% | 9 | 8 | 4 | 21 |
2025 measures:
Certified:
No measures to list
2024 measures:
Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2024 ballot by the legislature.
Certified:
Louisiana 48-Hour Waiting Period for Concurrence on Appropriation Bills Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 26 | Yes votes: 32 (82.05%) | No votes: 0 (0.00%) | Yes: 7; No: 0 | Yes: 25; No: 0 |
House: | Required: 70 | Yes votes: 98 (93.33%) | No votes: 0 (6.67%) | Yes: 28; No: 0 | Yes: 69; No: 0 |
Louisiana Allow Legislature to Extend Regular Sessions to Pass Appropriations Bills Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 26 | Yes votes: 32 (82.05%) | No votes: 0 (0.00%) | Yes: 7; No: 0 | Yes: 25; No: 0 |
House: | Required: 70 | Yes votes: 92 (87.62%) | No votes: 1 (0.95%) | Yes: 26; No: 1 | Yes: 65; No: 0 |
Louisiana Judiciary Commission Investigation of Sitting Judges Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 26 | Yes votes: 37 (94.9%%) | No votes: 0 (0%%) | Yes: 9; No: 0 | Yes: 28; No: 0 |
House: | Required: 70 | Yes votes: 94 (89.5%) | No votes: 3 (2.9%) | Yes: 22; No: 3 | Yes: 71; No: 0 |
Louisiana Outer Continental Shelf Revenues for Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 26 | Yes votes: 33 (84.6%%) | No votes: 3 (7.7%%) | Yes: 11; No: 0 | Yes: 22; No: 3 |
House: | Required: 70 | Yes votes: 100 (95.24%) | No votes: 0 (0.00%) | Yes: 30; No: 0 | Yes: 69; No: 0 |
Louisiana Property Tax Sales Administration Amendment | Democrats | Republicans | |||
Senate: | Required: 26 | Yes votes: 35 (89.7%) | No votes: 1 (2.6%) | Yes: 10; No: 0 | Yes: 25; No: 1 |
House: | Required: 70 | Yes votes: 94 (89.5%) | No votes: 0 (0.00%) | Yes: 29; No: 0 | Yes: 65; No: 0 |
Elections | Louisiana State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
---|---|---|---|
|
State of Louisiana Baton Rouge (capital) | |
---|---|
Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |