The Arkansas Senate is the upper branch of the Arkansas General Assembly. The Senate consists of 35 members, each representing a district with about 83,000 people. Service in the state legislature is part-time, and many state senators have full-time jobs during the rest of the year. During the current term, the Senate contains twenty-six Republicans, and nine Democrats.
History
The Arkansas Senate was created and re-created by five separate constitutions, the first of which was ratified on January 30, 1836, and the fifth and current of which was adopted in 1874. The reason for so many constitutions is in part because of the secession of Arkansas from the United States during the time of the American Civil War and the aftermath of the war. The constitution has also changed over time through numerous amendments. In 1947, the Arkansas Legislative Council committee was created to collect data for legislators and oversee the Bureau of Legislative Research, which is composed of professional, nonpartisan staff to aid in the legislative process. The committee consists of 36 legislators, 16 of which are state senators. In 1964, Dorathy M. Allen became the first woman elected to the Arkansas Senate. During her time in office, she was the only female in the Arkansas Senate.Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture/Modern Era"> Originally, legislators met biennially. A 2008 ballot proposal approved by voters created annual legislative sessions. In 1992, voters approved term limits, limiting state senators to two four-year terms. In 2014, term limits were extended to 16 years cumulative in either house.
Powers and process
Arkansas state senators are responsible for making and amending the laws of Arkansas in collaboration with the Arkansas House of Representatives and the governor. Senators begin the legislative process by submitting bill requests to the staff of the Bureau of Legislative Research that drafts a bill to conform to the author's intent. Bills are then filed with the Secretary of the Arkansas Senate or an assistant secretary of the Arkansas Senate. The legislative process during the legislative session mirrors that of other state legislatures in the United States. Bills are introduced on First Reading and assigned to a committee, vetted by the committee, undergo Second and Third Readings on the floor of the Senate, go to the opposite house of the legislature, and return or go directly to the governor. The governor has veto power, but two-thirds of the membership of both houses of the legislature can override that veto. State senators are also responsible for approving the governor's appointments and 16 members of the Arkansas Senate serve on the Arkansas Legislative Council and the Joint Auditing Committee. The Arkansas Legislative Council oversees the Bureau of Legislative Research, which provides professional support services for legislators. It also acts as an organizing committee and members on the council exert a greater degree of influence over the legislative process and outcome.
Terms and qualifications
The senators are usually elected for four-year terms. After the U.S. Census every ten years, all Senate districts are redrawn to ensure that they each have approximately the same number of constituents. After redistricting, every senate position appears on the ballot in the next election. Following this, senators draw lots, and 18 are allotted a two-year term while 17 receive a four-year term. This staggers elections so that only half the body is up for re-election every two years. Two-year terms drawn by a senator after reapportionment do not count against a senator's service under the term limits amendment, which limits Arkansas state senators to two terms of four years. A senator who draws a two-year term can serve for 10 or even 12 years, depending on when they were elected. They are also limited to serving no more than two four-year terms.
