Alabama Senate

Upper house of the Alabama legislature

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32°22′36″N 86°17′56″W﻿ / ﻿32.37667°N 86.29889°W﻿ / 32.37667; -86.29889

Alabama State Senate

Alabama State Legislature
Type
Type|

Upper house

Term limits

| None
History

New session started

| March 7, 2023
Leadership

President

Will Ainsworth (R)
since January 14, 2019

President pro tempore

Greg Reed (R)
since February 2, 2021

Majority Leader

Steve Livingston (R)
since October 30, 2023

Minority Leader

Bobby Singleton (D)
since January 8, 2019

Structure
Seats| 35

Political groups

| Majority

* Republican (27)

Minority

* Democratic (8)

Length of term

| 4 years
Authority| Article IV, Alabama Constitution
Salary| $53,913/yr [1]
Elections

Voting system

| First-past-the-post

Last election

| November 8, 2022
(35 seats)

Next election

| November 3, 2026
(35 seats)
Redistricting| Legislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Alabama State House
Montgomery, Alabama
Website
Alabama State Senate
Rules
Rules of the Alabama State Senate

The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district containing at least 127,140 citizens. Similar to the lower house, the Alabama House of Representatives, the senate serves both without term limits and with a four-year term.

The Alabama State Senate meets at the State House in Montgomery.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the United States Senate, the senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

## Assembly powers

[edit]

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 the length of the debate are more liberal than those of the House of Representatives.

Like the United States Senate, the Alabama State Senate has the sole power of Confirmation of certain appointees designated by the Constitution and by statute. The legislative antecedent of this role is a similar power that was vested in the Roman Senate during the Roman Republic.

## Membership guidelines

[edit]

The Alabama State 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 State 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 and take office at midnight of the day of their election. 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.

## Composition

[edit]

27 | 8
Republican | Democratic
Affiliation  | Party

(Shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |
Republican | Democratic | Vacant
November 7, 2018  | 27  | 8  | 35  | 0
December 7, 2020  | 26  | 34  | 1
July 14, 2021  | 27  | 35  | 0
October 30, 2023  | 26  | 34  | 1
January 23, 2024  | 27  | 35  | 0
Latest voting share  | 77%  | 23%  |

## Senate leadership

[edit]

Position  | Name  | Party  | District

|
|
|

| President | Will Ainsworth | Republican | Statewide
| President pro tempore  | Greg Reed | Republican | 5th–Jasper
Secretary of the senate  | D. Patrick Harris

### Majority leadership

[edit]

Position  | Name  | Party  | District

|
|
|

| Senate Majority Leader in Alabama State Senate  | Steve Livingston  | Republican | 8th–Scottsboro
| Senate Majority Vice Leader in Alabama State Senate  | Clyde Chambliss  | Republican | 30th–Prattville

### Minority leadership

[edit]

Position  | Name  | Party  | District

|
|
|

| Minority Leader in Alabama State Senate  | Bobby Singleton  | Democratic | 24th–Greensboro
| Minority Vice Leader in Alabama State Senate  | Rodger Smitherman  | Democratic | 18th–Birmingham
| Minority Democratic Caucus Chair in Alabama State Senate  | Linda Coleman-Madison | Democratic | 20th–Birmingham

## List of state senators

[edit]

District  | Senator  | Political party  | Hometown  | First elected  | Counties represented

|
|
|
|
|

1 | Tim Melson | Republican  | Florence | 2014  | Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison
2 | Tom Butler | Republican  | Madison | 2018  | Limestone, Madison
3 | Arthur Orr | Republican  | Decatur | 2006  | Limestone, Madison, Morgan
4 | Garlan Gudger | Republican  | Cullman | 2018  | Cullman, Lawrence, Marion, Winston
5 | Greg Reed | Republican  | Jasper | 2010  | Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston
6 | Larry Stutts | Republican  | Tuscumbia | 2014  | Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion
7 | Sam Givhan | Republican  | Gurley | 2018  | Madison
8 | Steve Livingston | Republican  | Scottsboro | 2014  | DeKalb, Jackson, Madison
9 | Wes Kitchens | Republican  | Arab | 2024 (special)  | Blount, DeKalb, Madison, Marshall
10 | Andrew Jones | Republican  | Centre | 2018  | Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah, St. Clair
11 | Lance Bell | Republican  | Pell City | 2022  | Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega
12 | Keith Kelley | Republican  | Anniston | 2022  | Calhoun, Talladega
13 | Randy Price | Republican  | Opelika | 2018  | Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Lee, Randolph
14 | April Weaver | Republican  | Alabaster | 2021 (special)  | Bibb, Chilton, Shelby
15 | Dan Roberts | Republican  | Birmingham | 2018  | Jefferson, Shelby, Talladega
16 | J. T. Waggoner | Republican  | Birmingham  | 1990  | Jefferson, Shelby
17 | Shay Shelnutt | Republican  | Trussville | 2014  | Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair
18 | Rodger Smitherman | Democratic  | Birmingham  | 1994  | Jefferson
19 | Merika Coleman | Democratic  | Birmingham  | 2022  | Jefferson
20 | Linda Coleman-Madison | Democratic  | Birmingham  | 2006  | Jefferson
21 | Gerald Allen | Republican  | Tuscaloosa | 2010  | Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa
22 | Greg Albritton | Republican  | Range | 2014  | Baldwin, Clarke, Escambia, Monroe, Washington
23 | Robert Stewart | Democratic  | Selma | 2022  | Butler, Conecuh, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Wilcox
24 | Bobby Singleton | Democratic  | Greensboro | 2005  | Choctaw, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa
25 | Will Barfoot | Republican  | Montgomery | 2018  | Crenshaw, Elmore, Montgomery
26 | Kirk Hatcher | Democratic  | Montgomery | 2021 (special)  | Montgomery
27 | Jay Hovey | Republican  | Auburn | 2022  | Lee, Russell, Tallapoosa
28 | Billy Beasley | Democratic  | Clayton | 2010  | Barbour, Bullock, Henry, Houston, Macon, Russell
29 | Donnie Chesteen | Republican  | Geneva | 2018  | Dale, Geneva, Houston
30 | Clyde Chambliss | Republican  | Prattville | 2014  | Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa
31 | Josh Carnley | Republican  | Ino | 2022  | Coffee, Covington, Dale, Pike
32 | Chris Elliott | Republican  | Spanish Fort | 2018  | Baldwin
33 | Vivian Davis Figures | Democratic  | Mobile | 1997  | Mobile
34 | Jack W. Williams | Republican  | Wilmer | 2018  | Mobile
35 | David Sessions | Republican  | Grand Bay | 2018  | Mobile

## Past composition of the senate

[edit]

Throughout most of the state's history, the Democratic Party controlled the Alabama State Senate from the time of admission to the Union in 1819 with a few brief exceptions. The Whig Party had a majority in the State Senate in 1837 and again from 1850 to 1851. Following the Civil War and the state's readmission to the Union, the chamber had a Republican majority during the Reconstruction period from 1868 to 1874. This was followed by 136 consecutive years of Democratic majorities. Beginning with the 2010 election Republicans captured a substantial majority in the chamber and have held it in the two elections since in 2014 and 2018.

The first African-American to serve in the Alabama State Senate was Benjamin F. Royal, a Republican from Bullock County, who served from 1868 to 1875.[2] The election of 1983 produced the first female senators in Alabama history as Republican Ann Bedsole (1983-1995) and Democrat Frances "Sister" Strong (1983-1986) won office.

Main article: Elections in Alabama § Summary of elections

## Leadership of the senate

[edit]

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.

The president of the senate is the lieutenant governor, which is currently Will Ainsworth. The president pro tempore is Greg Reed. The majority leader is Republican Steve Livingston and the minority leader is Democrat Bobby Singleton.

### Committees

[edit]

Current committees include:[3]

* Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
* Banking and Insurance
* Business and Labor
* Children, Youth Affairs, and Human Resources
* Commerce, Transportation, and Utilities
* Confirmations
* Constitution, Campaign Finance, Ethics, and Elections
* Economic Expansion and Trade
* Education
* Energy and Natural Resources
* Finance and Taxation Education
* Finance and Taxation General Fund

* Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability
* Governmental Affairs
* Health
* Industrial Development and Recruitment
* Judiciary
* Local Legislation No. 1
* Local Legislation No. 2
* Local Legislation No. 3
* Rules
* Small Business and Economic Development
* Tourism and Marketing
* Veterans and Military Affairs

|

## Senate seal

[edit]

The Senate Seal features an open book and torch, accompanied by the Latin phrase Libertas Per Lege, meaning "Liberty Through Law". The official Seal of the Senate was adopted by Senate Resolution, August 19, 1965, and was created by a special committee consisting of then Senators John Tyson (Mobile), Vaughan Hill Robison (Montgomery), Bill Nichols (Talladega), Lieutenant Governor Jim Allen and Secretary of the Senate McDowell Lee.

## See also

[edit]

* Government of Alabama
* Impeachment in Alabama

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Budget Fact Book" (PDF). The Alabama Legislature. January 4, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
2. ^ Bailey, Neither Carpetbaggers nor Scalawags (1991)
3. ^ "Alabama State Senate Committees". Open States. Sunlight Foundation. April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Alabama State Senate official government website
* Project Vote Smart – State Senate of Alabama

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Alabama State Senate

President of the Senate
Will Ainsworth (R)
President pro tempore
Greg Reed (R)
Majority Leader
Steve Livingston (R)
Minority Leader
Bobby Singleton (D)

1. ▌Tim Melson (R)
2. ▌Tom Butler (R)
3. ▌Arthur Orr (R)
4. ▌Garlan Gudger (R)
5. ▌Greg Reed (R)
6. ▌Larry Stutts (R)
7. ▌Sam Givhan (R)
8. ▌Steve Livingston (R)
9. ▌Wes Kitchens (R)
10. ▌Andrew Jones (R)
11. ▌Lance Bell (R)
12. ▌Keith Kelley (R)
13. ▌Randy Price (R)
14. ▌April Weaver (R)
15. ▌Dan Roberts (R)
16. ▌J. T. Waggoner (R)
17. ▌Shay Shelnutt (R)
18. ▌Rodger Smitherman (D)
19. ▌Merika Coleman (D)
20. ▌Linda Coleman-Madison (D)
21. ▌Gerald Allen (R)
22. ▌Greg Albritton (R)
23. ▌Robert Stewart (D)
24. ▌Bobby Singleton (D)
25. ▌Will Barfoot (R)
26. ▌Kirk Hatcher (D)
27. ▌Jay Hovey (R)
28. ▌Billy Beasley (D)
29. ▌Donnie Chesteen (R)
30. ▌Clyde Chambliss (R)
31. ▌Josh Carnley (R)
32. ▌Chris Elliott (R)
33. ▌Vivian Davis Figures (D)
34. ▌Jack W. Williams (R)
35. ▌David Sessions (R)

* ▌Republican (27)
* ▌Democratic (8)

* Alabama Legislature
* House
* Senate
* List of past legislatures

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