Illinois Senate

Illinois Senate

The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from individual legislative districts determined by population. There is a movement to modify senatorial districts on a geographic basis in order to more accurately reflect the cultural, racial and political makeup of outstate and downstate. In order to avoid complete turnovers in Senate membership, under the Illinois Constitution of 1970, some senators are elected to two-year terms while others are elected to four-year terms. Senate districts are divided into three groups. One or two of these groups are elected every two years for either a two or four year term. In contrast, the Illinois House of Representatives is made of 118 members with its entire membership elected to two-year terms.

The Illinois Senate convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Its first official working day is the second Wednesday of January each year. Its primary duties are to pass bills into law, approve the state budget, confirm appointments to state departments and agencies, act on federal constitutional amendments and propose constitutional amendments for Illinois. It also has the power to override gubernatorial vetoes through a three-fifths majority vote. The Illinois Senate tries impeachments made by the House of Representatives, and can convict impeached officers by a two-thirds vote.

The Democratic Party of Illinois currently holds a veto-proof majority in the Illinois Senate.

Illinois State Senate - 95th General Assembly

Officers

President of the Senate: Emil Jones, Jr.
Majority Leader: Debbie Halvorson
Majority Caucus Chair: Terry Link
Minority Leader: Frank Watson
Minority Caucus Chair: Dale Righter

External links

Illinois General Assembly - Senate official government site
Illinois Senate Republicans official party site
Illinois Senate Democrats official party site
Project Vote Smart - Illinois State Senate voter information

Illinois General Assembly

Illinois General Assembly

The Illinois General Assembly is the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States, created by the first constitution adopted in 1818. It works beside the executive branch led by the state governor and the judicial branch led by the supreme court. The Illinois General Assembly comprises the Illinois House of Representatives which serves as the lower chamber and the Illinois Senate which serves as the upper chamber. The Illinois House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from individual legislative districts to two-year terms. The Illinois Senate is made of 59 senators. In order to avoid complete turnovers in Senate membership, not all districts elect senators simultaneously.

Furthermore, as the electoral boundaries for the General Assembly are changed following every decennial census, not all Senate terms are equal in size. Every Senate district elects its members to serve two four-year terms and one two-year term per decade. The placement of the two-year term in the decade varies from one district to another, with all districts’ terms defined as 2-4-4, 4-2-4, or 4-4-2.

The Illinois General Assembly convenes at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Its first official working day is the second Wednesday of January each year. Its primary duties are to pass bills into law, approve the state budget, confirm appointments to state departments and agencies, act on federal constitutional amendments, and propose constitutional amendments for Illinois. It also has the power to override gubernatorial vetoes through a three-fifths majority vote in each chamber.

External link

Illinois General Assembly