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Mississippi State Senate

Coordinates: 32°18′14″N 90°10′56″W / 32.30389°N 90.18222°W / 32.30389; -90.18222
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For the Mississippi Legislature in session, see 2024⁠–2028 Mississippi Legislature.
Mississippi State Senate
Mississippi Legislature
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 2, 2024
Leadership
Delbert Hosemann (R)
since January 14, 2020
President pro tempore
Dean Kirby (R)
since January 7, 2020
Minority Leader
Derrick Simmons (D)
since July 31, 2017
Structure
Seats52
Political groups
  •   Republican (36)
  •   Democratic (16)
Length of term
4 years
AuthorityArticle IV, Mississippi Constitution
Salary$10,000/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 7, 2023
(52 seats)
Next election
November 2, 2027
(52 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Mississippi State Capitol
Jackson, Mississippi
Website
Mississippi State Senate
Rules
Senate Rules

The Mississippi State Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson. The Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi serves as President of the Senate.

The Senate is composed of 52 senators representing an equal number of constituent districts, with 56,947 people per district (2020 census). In the current legislative session, the Republican Party holds 36 seats while the Democratic Party holds 16 seats, creating a Republican trifecta in the state government.

The Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions, and boards and can create and amend bills.

Membership, terms and elections

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According to the current Mississippi Constitution, the Senate is to be composed of no more than 52 members elected for four-year terms with no term limits.[1] Districts are reapportioned to reflect population changes, and per the 2020 census, each district has about 56,947 people.[2][3] To qualify for election, candidates must be at least 25 years old, a qualified elector of the state for the past four years, and be a resident of the district or county they are running to represent for the past two years.[4] All candidates must pay either a $250 fee to their state party executive committee or to the Mississippi Secretary of State if they are running as an independent. Independent candidates must collect 50 signatures to run.[4] Elections to the Senate are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November during the state general elections.[5]

If a vacancy occurs in the Senate before June 1, the governor must order an election within 30 days after the vacancy and give a 40-day notice to the appropriate counties where the seat is located. No special election occurs if the vacancy happens after June 1.[6]

Powers and process

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The state legislature is constitutionally-mandated to meet for 125 days every four years at the start of a new term and 90 days in other years.[2][7] The Senate reconvenes on a yearly basis on the Tuesday after the first Monday in January.[2] While the Mississippi House of Representatives can extend its sessions, the Senate cannot.[7]

The Senate has the authority to determine rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and expel a member with a two-thirds vote of its membership.[8] A majority in the Senate establishes a quorum, though less members can adjourn,[9] though not for more than 3 days without the House's consent.[10] Bills can originate in the Senate and must undergo three readings in each house, unless two-thirds of the house dispenses with the rules.[11] Amendments to bills must be approved by both houses.[12] The Senate, in conjunction with the Mississippi House of Representatives, draws and approves both congressional and district boundaries. The congressional boundaries can be vetoed by the governor, while the district boundaries, created by a joint resolution between both houses, cannot be vetoed by the governor.[13]

The governor has the power to veto legislation, but legislators can override the veto with a two-thirds decision.[14] The Senate tries all impeachments referred to it by the House of Representatives.[15] All gubernatorial appointments are subject to approval of the Senate.[16]

Leadership

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The President of the Senate is Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, who is Republican. The President pro tempore is Republican Dean Kirby.[17] The Minority Leader is Democrat Derrick Simmons.[18]

The Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi serves as the President of the Senate[19] and has the sole ability to appoint the chairmanships or vice chairmanships of various Senate committees, regardless of party size.[20] They can only cast a legislative vote if required to break a tie.[19] In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate.[21] The President Pro Tempore is elected by a majority of senators present, with following elections for the senate secretary, seargent-at-arms, and a doorkeeper.[22] The President Pro Tempore chairs the Senate Rules Committee, oversees the day-to-day operations of the Senate staff, and assumes the responsibilities of the president in their absence.[23]

Party composition

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Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
End of previous legislature (2023) 16 36 52 0
Start of current legislature (2024) 16 36 52 0
Latest voting share 30.8% 69.2%

Although the Democratic Party retained their majority in the Senate after the 2003 general election, a party switch by Democratic Senator James Shannon Walley of Leakesville in January 2007 threw control of the chamber to the Republicans.[24] Because the Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck was a Republican, this gave Republicans control of the Senate for the first time since Reconstruction and a de facto majority only on a tie vote.[25] In the November 6, 2007 statewide elections, Democrats won back control of the chamber,[26] however party switches from Senators Nolan Mettetal in February 2008 and Cindy Hyde-Smith in December 2010 gave the Republicans a de facto majority, with Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant holding the tiebreaker vote.[27][28] After another party switch in February 2011, the Republicans expanded their majority to 27–24, with one vacancy.[29]

As of 2024, the Mississippi Senate has 36 Republican members and 16 Democratic members.[30]

Members of the Mississippi Senate (2024–2028)

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District Name Party Assumed Office Counties Represented Notes
1 Michael McLendon Rep 2020 DeSoto
2 David Parker Rep 2013 DeSoto
3 Kathy Chism Rep 2020 Benton, Marshall, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Union
4 Rita Potts Parks Rep 2012 Alcorn, Tippah
5 Daniel Sparks Rep 2020 Itawamba, Prentiss, Tishomingo
6 Chad McMahan Rep 2016 Lee
7 Hob Bryan Dem 1984 Itawamba, Lee, Monroe
8 Benjamin Suber Rep 2020 Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Pontotoc, Yalobusha
9 Nicole Akins Boyd Rep 2020 Lafayette, Panola
10 Neil Whaley Rep 2018 Lafayette, Marshall, Tate, Union
11 Reginald Jackson Dem 2024 Coahoma, DeSoto, Quitman, Tate, Tunica
12 Derrick Simmons Dem 2011 Bolivar, Coahoma, Washington
13 Sarita Simmons Dem 2020 Bolivar, Sunflower, Tallahatchie
14 Lydia Chassaniol Rep 2007 Attala, Carroll, Grenada, Leflore, Montgomery
15 Bart Williams Rep 2020 Choctaw, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Webster
16 Angela Turner-Ford Dem 2013 Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha
17 Charles Younger Rep 2014 Lowndes, Monroe, Oktibbeha
18 Jenifer Branning Rep 2016 Leake, Neshoba, Winston
19 Kevin Blackwell Rep 2016 DeSoto
20 Josh Harkins Rep 2012 Rankin
21 Bradford Blackmon Dem 2024 Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison
22 Joseph C. Thomas Dem 2020 Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Yazoo Previously served from 2004–2008
23 Briggs Hopson Rep 2008 Issaquena, Madison, Warren, Yazoo
24 David Lee Jordan Dem 1993 Leflore, Panola, Tallahatchie
25 J. Walter Michel Rep 2016 Hinds, Madison Previously served from 1999–2011
26 John Horhn Dem 1993 Hinds, Madison
27 Hillman Terome Frazier Dem 1993 Hinds
28 Sollie Norwood Dem 2013 Hinds
29 David Blount Dem 2008 Hinds
30 Dean Kirby Rep 1992 Rankin
31 Tyler McCaughn Rep 2020 Lauderdale, Newton, Rankin, Scott
32 Rod Hickman Dem 2021 Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee, Winston
33 Jeff Tate Rep 2020 Clarke, Lauderdale
34 Juan Barnett Dem 2016 Forrest, Jasper, Jones
35 Andy Berry Rep 2024 Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Simpson
36 Brian Rhodes Rep 2024 Rankin, Smith
37 Albert Butler Dem 2010 Adams, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Hinds, Jefferson Represented district 36 prior to 2024
38 Gary Brumfield Dem 2024 Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall, Wilkinson
39 Jason Barrett Rep 2020 Amite, Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, Pike
40 Angela Burks Hill Rep 2012 Pearl River, Stone
41 Joey Fillingane Rep 2007 Covington, Lamar, Marion, Walthall
42 Robin Robinson Rep 2024 Forrest, Greene, Jones, Wayne
43 Dennis DeBar Rep 2016 George, Greene, Wayne
44 John A. Polk Rep 2012 Lamar
45 Chris Johnson Rep 2020 Forrest, Perry
46 Philman Ladner Rep 2024 Hancock, Harrison
47 Mike Seymour Rep 2016 Harrison, Jackson, Stone
48 Mike Thompson Rep 2020 Hancock, Harrison
49 Joel Carter Rep 2018 Harrison
50 Scott DeLano Rep 2020 Harrison
51 Jeremy England Rep 2020 Jackson
52 Brice Wiggins Rep 2012 Jackson

Past composition of the Senate

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Main article: Mississippi Legislature § See also

List of presidents pro tempore

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Since 1833 the Senate has had 55 Presidents pro tempore:[31]

Name County/District Term of service
1 Charles Lynch 1833–1834
2 Parmenas Briscoe Claiborne 1834–1836
3 William Van Norman[32] Amite 1836–1837
4 Alexander McNutt 1837–1838
5 Adam Lewis Bingaman 1838–1840
6 George Baldwin Augustus Noxubee 1840–1842
7 Jesse Speight 1842–1843
8 George T. Swann 1846–1848
9 Dabney Lipscomb Lowndes 1848–1851
10 James Whitfield 1851–1854
11 John J. Pettus 1854–1858
12 James Drane 1858–1865
13 John M. Simonton 1865–1869
14 William M. Hancock 1870–1872
15 Joseph Bennett 1872
16 Finis H. Little 22nd 1872–1875
17 John Marshall Stone 1875–1876
18 William H. Sims Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay 1876–1878
19 Reuben O. Reynolds Monroe, Chickasaw 1878–1888
20 J. P. Walker 20th (Lauderdale) 1888–1890
21 Robert Aaron Dean 7th 1890–1896
22 James T. Harrison 25th 1896–1900
23 John R. Dinsmore 16th 1900
24 William Gwin Kiger[33] 12th 1902–1904
25 E. H. Moore 30th 1904–1908
26 John L. Hebron Jr. 29th 1908–1912
27 Albert C. Anderson 36th 1912–1916
28 Carroll Kendrick 37th 1916–1920
29 John Fatheree 3rd 1920–1922
30 Fred B. Smith[34] 36th 1922–1924
31 Mark Perrin Lowrey Love 42nd 1924–1928
32 Homer Casteel[35] 18th 1928–1932
33
W. C. Adams 37th 1932–1936
34 John Culkin 12th 1936–1940
35 W. B. Roberts 30th 1940
36 Oscar O. Wolfe Jr. 30th 1941–1952
37 James Orville Clark 37th 1952–1956
38 Earl Evans Jr. 18th 1956–1960
39 George Yarbrough 1960–1968
40 Merle F. Palmer 1968–1971
41 Marion Smith 30th 1971–1972
42 B. G. Perry 1972–1976
43 William B. Alexander 12th 1976–1984
44 Thomas Norman Brooks 1984–1985
45 Glen Deweese 33rd 1986–1992
46 Ollie Mohamed 21st 1992–1994
47 Pud Graham 1994–1996
48 Tommy Gollott 50th 1996–2000
49 Travis Little 2000–2008
50 Billy Hewes 2008–2012
51 Terry W. Brown 2012–2015
52 Giles Ward 18th 2015–2016
53 Terry C. Burton 31st 2016–2019
54 Gray Tollison 9th 2019–2020
55 Dean Kirby 30th 2020–Present

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Article 12, Section 254 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  2. ^ a b c Watson, Michael (2021). "Legislature" (PDF). Mississippi Blue Book 2020-2024. Mississippi Secretary of State.
  3. ^ "Mississippi's Population Declined 0.2%". Census.gov. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Watson, Michael (2021). "Elections" (PDF). 2020-2024 Mississippi Blue Book. Mississippi Secretary of State.
  5. ^ Article 4, Section 102 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  6. ^ MS Code § 23-15-851 (2013)
  7. ^ a b Article 4, Section 36 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  8. ^ Article 4, Section 55 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  9. ^ Article 4, Section 54 of the Constitution of Mississippi (Constitution)
  10. ^ Article 4, Section 57 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  11. ^ Article 4, Section 59 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  12. ^ Article 4, Section 60 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  13. ^ "Mississippi - All About Redistricting". All About Redistricting. Loyola Law School. June 18, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  14. ^ Article 4, Section 72 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  15. ^ Article 4, Section 49 of the Constitution of Mississippi (Constitution)
  16. ^ Mississippi Code § 7-1-35
  17. ^ "Dean Kirby elected Senate president pro tempore". WJTV. Jackson. January 7, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  18. ^ Criss, Jack (October 10, 2022). "Senator Derrick Simmons". Delta Business Journal. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Article 5, Section 129 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  20. ^ Harrison, Bobby (April 7, 2019). "Lieutenant governor's power derives from senators; lawmaker says chamber must take back its authority". Mississippi Today. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  21. ^ Article 4, Section 39 of the Constitution of Mississippi (1890)
  22. ^ MS Code § 5-1-15 (2013)
  23. ^ Harrison, Bobby (January 2, 2024). "Dean Kirby elected to second term as Senate's second-in-command". Mississippi Today. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  24. ^ "Leakesville state rep switches parties". WDAM. January 15, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  25. ^ Pender, Geoff (January 12, 2007). "State Senate numbers are equal: GOP, Dems even after Walley switch". The Sun Herald. p. 2.
  26. ^ Taggart, Andy; Nash, Jere (November 11, 2007). "The 2008 Mississippi Legislature: Is it 'back to the future?'". Clarion-Ledger. p. 59.
  27. ^ "State Sen. Mettetal joins Republican Party". The Natchez Democrat. January 30, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  28. ^ "Sen. Hyde-Smith joins Republicans". Daily Leader. December 29, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  29. ^ Farrell, David A. (February 25, 2011). "Lee switches parties". The Picayune Item. pp. 1, 3.
  30. ^ "Mississippi Election Results". The New York Times. November 7, 2023. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  31. ^ Watson, Michael (2021). "Historical and Statistical Information" (PDF). 2020-2024 Statistical Register. Mississippi Secretary of State.
  32. ^ Senate, Mississippi Legislature (1836). Journal. p. 10.
  33. ^ "Journal of the Senate of the State of Mississippi ... 1902". HathiTrust. pp. 55–56. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  34. ^ Rowland, Dunbar (1923). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi, 1920-24. Hederman bros. p. 102.
  35. ^ Mississippi. Legislature (January 1, 1928). "Hand book : biographical data of members of Senate and House, personnel of standing committees [1928]". Mississippi Legislature Hand Books.
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32°18′14″N 90°10′56″W / 32.30389°N 90.18222°W / 32.30389; -90.18222

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