Arizona Senate

Upper house of the Arizona State Legislature

33°26′53″N 112°5′45″W﻿ / ﻿33.44806°N 112.09583°W﻿ / 33.44806; -112.09583

Arizona Senate

56th Arizona Legislature
Type
Type|

Upper house

Term limits

| 4 terms (8 years)
History

New session started

| January 9, 2023
Leadership

President

Warren Petersen (R)
since January 9, 2023

President pro tempore

T. J. Shope (R)
since January 9, 2023

Majority Leader

Sonny Borrelli (R)
since January 9, 2023

Minority Leader

Mitzi Epstein (D)
since March 2, 2023

Structure
Seats| 30 senators

Political groups

| Majority

* Republican (16)

Minority

* Democratic (14)

Length of term

| 2 years
Authority| Article 4, Arizona Constitution
Salary| $24,000/year + per diem
Elections

Last election

| November 8, 2022
(30 seats)

Next election

| November 5, 2024
(30 seats)
Redistricting| Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Arizona State Capitol
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, Arizona • 85007
Website
Arizona State Senate
Rules
Senate Rules

The Arizona State Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Arizona. The Senate consists of 30 members each representing an average of 219,859 constituents (2009 figures). Members serve two-year terms with term limits that limit Senators to a maximum four consecutive terms (eight years) before requiring a one-term respite prior to running again. Members of the Republican Party are currently the majority in the Senate. There are currently 16 women serving in the Senate after Raquel Terán was appointed, making it the first time a majority of the body was composed of female members.

As with the Arizona House of Representatives, members to the Senate are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, however one Senator represents the constituency, while for the House there are two Representatives per district. This districting system is similar to those of the Idaho and Washington State Senate. In political science, this type of legislative district is called a multi-member district.

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

The Senate convenes in the adjacent legislative chambers at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

## Leadership

[edit]

Arizona, along with Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming, is one of the five U.S. states to have abolished the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the nominal senate president in many states. As a result, the Senate elects its own presiding officer, the President of the Senate, who presides over the body, appoints members to all of the Senate's committees and to joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. The Senate President also appoints a President pro tempore, who serves for the duration of a session of the legislature, to preside in their absence, and may appoint a temporary President pro tempore in the absence of the President and President pro tempore.[1]

The current President of the Senate is Republican Warren Petersen of district 14, the Senate Majority Leader is Sonny Borrelli of district 30. The current Minority Leader is Mitzi Epstein of district 12 with Juan Mendez of district 8 as the Assistant Minority Leader.[2]

### Leadership information

[edit]

Position | Name | Party | Residence | District

|
|
|
|

President of the Senate | Warren Petersen | Republican | Gilbert | District 14
President Pro Tempore | T. J. Shope | Republican | Coolidge | District 16
Majority Leader | Sonny Borrelli | Republican | Lake Havasu City | District 30
Majority Whip | Sine Kerr | Republican | Buckeye | District 25
Minority Caucus Chair | Lela Alston | Democratic | Phoenix | District 5
Minority Leader | Mitzi Epstein | Democratic | Chandler | District 12
Assistant Minority Leader | Juan Mendez | Democratic | Tempe | District 8
Minority Whip | Eva Burch | Democratic | Mesa | District 9

## Current composition

[edit]

↓  14 | 16

|

Democratic | Republican
Affiliation  | Party

(shading indicates majority caucus)

| Total  |

|
|
|

|  |
Republican | Democratic | Vacant
2011–12  | 21  | 9  | 29  | 1
2013–14  | 17  | 13  | 30  | 0
Begin 2015  | 17  | 13  | 30  | 0
End 2016  | 18  | 12
2017–18  | 17  | 13  | 30  | 0
2019–20  | 17  | 13  | 30  | 0
2021–22  | 16  | 14  | 30  | 0
Begin 2023  | 16  | 14  | 30  | 0
March 2, 2023[3] | 13  | 29  | 1
May 8, 2023[4] | 14  | 30  | 0
June 16, 2023[5] | 15  | 29  | 1
July 19, 2023[6] | 16  | 30  | 0
Latest voting share  | 53.3%  | 46.7%  |

## Current members, 2023–2025

[edit]

Main article: List of representatives and senators of Arizona Legislature by districts (2023–2033)

District | Image | Senator | Party | Residence | Assumed office on  | Elected

|
|
|
|
|
|

1 |  | Ken Bennett | Rep | Prescott | 2023  | 2022
2 |  | Shawnna Bolick | Rep | Phoenix | 2023  | 2023†
3 |  | John Kavanagh | Rep | Scottsdale | 2023  | 2022
4 |  | Christine Marsh | Dem | Phoenix | 2023  | 2020
5 |  | Lela Alston | Dem | Phoenix | 2023  | 2018
6 |  | Theresa Hatathlie | Dem | Coal Mine Mesa | 2023  | 2022
7 |  | Wendy Rogers | Rep | Tempe[7] | 2023  | 2020
8 |  | Juan Mendez | Dem | Tempe | 2023  | 2016
9 |  | Eva Burch | Dem | Mesa | 2023  | 2022
10 |  | Dave Farnsworth | Rep | Mesa | 2023  | 2022
11 |  | Catherine Miranda | Dem | Phoenix | 2023  | 2022
12 |  | Mitzi Epstein | Dem | Chandler | 2023  | 2022
13 |  | J. D. Mesnard | Rep | Chandler | 2023  | 2018
14 |  | Warren Petersen | Rep | Gilbert | 2023  | 2020
15 |  | Jake Hoffman | Rep | Queen Creek | 2023  | 2022
16 |  | T. J. Shope | Rep | Coolidge | 2023  | 2020
17 |  | Justine Wadsack | Rep | Tucson | 2023  | 2022
18 |  | Priya Sundareshan | Dem | Tucson | 2023  | 2022
19 |  | David Gowan | Rep | Sierra Vista | 2023  | 2018
20 |  | Sally Ann Gonzales | Dem | Tucson | 2023  | 2018
21 |  | Rosanna Gabaldón | Dem | Sahuarita | 2023  | 2022
22 |  | Eva Diaz | Dem | Tolleson | 2023  | 2022
23 |  | Brian Fernandez | Dem | Yuma | 2023  | 2022
24 |  | Anna Hernandez | Dem | Phoenix | 2023  | 2022
25 |  | Sine Kerr | Rep | Buckeye | 2023  | 2018†
26 |  | Flavio Bravo | Dem | Phoenix | 2023  | 2023†
27 |  | Anthony Kern | Rep | Glendale | 2023  | 2022
28 |  | Frank Carroll | Rep | Surprise | 2023  | 2022
29 |  | Janae Shamp | Rep | Surprise | 2023  | 2022
30 |  | Sonny Borrelli | Rep | Lake Havasu City | 2023  | 2016

† Member was originally appointed.

## Committees

[edit]

The current standing committees of the Arizona Senate are as follows:

Committee  | Chair  | Vice Chair

|
|

Appropriations  | John Kavanagh | Jake Hoffman
Commerce  | Steve Kaiser | Frank Carroll
Director Nominations  | Jake Hoffman | Sine Kerr
Education  | Ken Bennett | Justine Wadsack
Elections  | Wendy Rogers | Ken Bennett
Finance  | J. D. Mesnard | Steve Kaiser
Government  | Jake Hoffman | Wendy Rogers
Health & Human Services  | T. J. Shope | Janae Shamp
Judiciary  | Anthony Kern | John Kavanagh
Military Affairs, Public Safety & Border Security  | David Gowan | David Farnsworth
Natural Resources, Energy & Water  | Sine Kerr | T. J. Shope
Rules  | Warren Petersen | Sonny Borrelli
Transportation & Technology  | David Farnsworth | Frank Carroll

## Past composition of the Senate

[edit]

Main article: Political party strength in Arizona

## See also

[edit]

* Arizona portal
* Politics portal

* Arizona State Capitol
* Arizona Legislature
* Arizona House of Representatives
* List of representatives and senators of Arizona Legislature by districts (2023–2033)
* List of Arizona state legislatures
* List of state and territorial capitols in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Senate Rule 2: The President". Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
2. ^ "Member Roster". Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
3. ^ Democrat Raquel Terán (district 26) resigns [1]
4. ^ Democrat Flavio Bravo appointed to succeed Terán. [2]
5. ^ Republican Steve Kaiser (district 2) resigns [3]
6. ^ Republican Shawnna Bolick appointed to succeed Kaiser [4]
7. ^ "Open Letter Raises Questions About Wendy Rogers Candidacy – Arizona Daily Independent". May 25, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arizona Senate.

* Official Arizona State Senate website
* Arizona Senate at Ballotpedia
* Billhop – Arizona legislative wiki at the Wayback Machine (archived March 2, 2007)

* v
* t
* e

Arizona Senate

56th Legislature (2023-present)

President of the Senate
Warren Petersen (R)
President pro tempore
T. J. Shope (R)
Majority Leader
Sonny Borrelli (R)
Minority Leader
Mitzi Epstein (D)

1. ▌Ken Bennett (R)
2. ▌Shawnna Bolick (R)
3. ▌John Kavanagh (R)
4. ▌Christine Marsh (D)
5. ▌Lela Alston (D)
6. ▌Theresa Hatathlie (D)
7. ▌Wendy Rogers (R)
8. ▌Juan Mendez (D)
9. ▌Eva Burch (D)
10. ▌Dave Farnsworth (R)
11. ▌Catherine Miranda (D)
12. ▌Mitzi Epstein (D)
13. ▌J. D. Mesnard (R)
14. ▌Warren Petersen (R)
15. ▌Jake Hoffman (R)
16. ▌T. J. Shope (R)
17. ▌Justine Wadsack (R)
18. ▌Priya Sundareshan (D)
19. ▌David Gowan (R)
20. ▌Sally Ann Gonzales (D)
21. ▌Rosanna Gabaldón (D)
22. ▌Eva Diaz (D)
23. ▌Brian Fernandez (D)
24. ▌Anna Hernandez (D)
25. ▌Sine Kerr (R)
26. ▌Flavio Bravo (D)
27. ▌Anthony Kern (R)
28. ▌Frank Carroll (R)
29. ▌Janae Shamp (R)
30. ▌Sonny Borrelli (R)

* ▌Republican (16)
* ▌Democratic (14)

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