Virginia Senate

Senate of Virginia
Senate of Virginia
163rd Virginia General Assembly
	Coat of Arms of the Virginia Senate
	Seal of the Virginia Senate
Type
Type	Upper House
Term limits	None
History
New session started	January 10, 2024
Leadership
President	Winsome Sears (R) ; since January 15, 2022
President pro tempore	Louise Lucas (D) ; since January 8, 2020
Majority Leader	Scott Surovell (D) ; since January 10, 2024
Minority Leader	Ryan McDougle (R) ; since January 10, 2024
Structure
Seats	40
Political groups	Majority Democratic (21); Minority Republican (19);
Length of term	4 years
Authority	Article IV, Virginia Constitution
Salary	$18,000/year + per diem
Elections
Last election	November 7, 2023; (40 seats)
Next election	November 2, 2027; (40 seats)
Redistricting	Commission
Meeting place
	State Senate Chamber; Virginia State Capitol; Richmond, Virginia
Website
	Virginia General Assembly

37°32′20.3″N 77°26′1.7″W / 37.538972°N 77.433806°W / 37.538972; -77.433806

The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the lieutenant governor of Virginia. Prior to the American War of Independence, the upper house of the General Assembly was represented by the Virginia Governor's Council, consisting of up to 12 executive counselors appointed by the colonial royal governor as advisers and jurists.

The lieutenant governor presides daily over the Virginia Senate. In the lieutenant governor's absence, the president pro tempore presides, usually a powerful member of the majority party. The Senate is equal with the House of Delegates, the lower chamber of the legislature, except that taxation bills must originate in the House, similar to the federal U.S. Congress. The 40 senatorial districts in Virginia elect their representatives every four years on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. The last election took place in November 2023. There are no term limits for senators. The Senate also employs 36 pages (ages 13–14) to help with daily tasks during each general session in a full-time residential program of high regard.

History

The Senate of Virginia was created by the 1776 Constitution of Virginia, and originally consisted of twenty-four members.^[1] Along with the House of Delegates, the Senate comprised a new bicameral legislature designed to replace the colonial Virginia House of Burgesses, which formally dissolved on May 6, 1776.^[2] The Senate replaced the legislative functions of the appointed Virginia Council of State.

Pursuant to the original Virginia Constitution, the Senate was only permitted to file amendments, while the House of Delegates had the power to propose bills. Accordingly, the Senate had far less power than the House, until the revised Virginia constitution of 1851 allowed the Senate to propose new laws.^[3]

In the 2007 elections, the Democratic Party reclaimed the majority in the Senate for the first time since 1995, when the Republican Party gained a 20–20 split. The Republicans took control of the Senate for the first time in history after a January 1998 special election. The 2011 elections resulted in a 20–20 split between the parties, but as the tie breaker was Republican lieutenant governor Bill Bolling, the Republicans effectively regained control.^[4]

After the 2013 elections, Democratic state senator Ralph Northam became the lieutenant governor, but the Democrats did not regain control of the chamber until January 28, 2014, following a series of special elections including that of Northam's vacated 6th district seat. The Democratic majority would prove short-lived, however, as Senator Phil Puckett (D-38th) resigned, effective June 8, handing the GOP a majority of 20 to 19. The Republicans solidified their majority following a special election win on August 19, 2014, which increased their total number of seats to 21.^[5]

The Democratic Party regained control of Senate after the 2019 election and new members were sworn into office on January 8, 2020.^[6]^[7] As the legislative session opened, Louise Lucas was elected as the first female and African American President Pro Tempore.^[8]^[9]

Salary and qualifications

The annual salary for senators is $18,000 per year.^[10] To qualify for office, senators must be at least 21 years of age at the time of the election, residents of the district they represent, and qualified to vote for General Assembly legislators. The regular session of the General Assembly is 60 days long during even numbered years and 30 days long during odd numbered years, unless extended by a two-thirds vote of both houses.^[11]

Composition

Historical composition

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total

	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
1900–1904	38	2	40	0
1904–1916	35	5	40	0
1916–1920	36	4	40	0
1920–1924	34	6	40	0
1924–1928	39	1	40	0
1928–1944	38	2	40	0
1944–1948	37	3	40	0
1948–1952	38	2	40	0
1952–1960	37	3	40	0
1960–1964	38	2	40	0
1964–1968	37	3	40	0
1968–1970	34	6	40	0
1970–1974	33	7	40	0
1974–1976	34	6	40	0
1976–1978	35	5	40	0
1978–1980	34	6	40	0
1980–1984	31	9	40	0
1984–1988	32	8	40	0
1988–1992	30	10	40	0
1992–1996	22	18	40	0
1996–2000	20	20	40	0
2000–2004	19	21	40	0
2004–2008	17	23	40	0
2008–2012	22	18	40	0
2012–2016	20	20	40	0
2016–2020	19	21	40	0
2020–2024	22	18	40	0
2024–2028	21	19	40	0

Current session

↓
19	21
Republican	Democratic

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)			Total

	Democratic	AC^[12]^[a]	Republican		Vacant
2016-2020 legislative session	19	21		40	0
End	19	20		39	1

2020–2024 legislative session	21	1	18	40	0
End	22	1	16	39	1

Start of 2024–2028 legislative session	21	0	19	40	0
Latest voting share	52.5%	0%	47.5%

Leadership

Lieutenant Governor	Winsome Sears
President pro Tempore	Louise Lucas
Majority Leader	Scott Surovell
Minority Leader	Ryan McDougle

Committee chairs and ranking members

The Senate of Virginia has 10 Standing Committees and a Committee on Rules.^[13]

Committee	Chair	Ranking Minority Member
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources	Dave Marsden	Emmett Hanger
Commerce and Labor	Creigh Deeds	Tommy Norment
Courts of Justice	Scott Surovell	Tommy Norment
Education and Health	Ghazala Hashmi	Stephen Newman
Finance and Appropriations	Louise Lucas	Tommy Norment
General Laws and Technology	Adam Ebbin	Frank Ruff
Local Government	Jeremy McPike	Emmett Hanger
Privileges and Elections	Aaron Rouse	Jill Vogel
Rehabilitation and Social Services	Barbara Favola	Emmett Hanger
Rules	Mamie Locke	Tommy Norment
Transportation	Jennifer Boysko	Stephen Newman

Members

District	Name	Party	Areas represented		First election
District	Name	Party	Counties	Cities	First election
1	Timmy French	Republican	Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, Warren	Winchester	2023
2	Mark Obenshain	Republican	Augusta (part), Bath, Highland, Page, Rockingham	Harrisonburg	2003
3	Chris Head	Republican	Alleghany, Augusta (part), Bedford (part), Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke (part), Rockbridge	Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro	2023
4	Dave Suetterlein	Republican	Montgomery (part), Roanoke (part)	Roanoke, Salem	2015
5	Travis Hackworth	Republican	Bland, Giles, Montgomery (part), Pulaski, Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe (part)	Radford	2021
6	Todd Pillion	Republican	Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Washington, Wise	Bristol, Norton	2019
7	Bill Stanley	Republican	Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Grayson, Henry, Patrick, Wythe (part)	Martinsville, Galax	2011
8	Mark Peake	Republican	Bedford (part), Campbell	Lynchburg	2017
9	Tammy Brankley Mulchi	Republican	Charlotte, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward (part)	Danville	2024
10	John McGuire	Republican	Amelia, Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover (part), Henrico (part), Louisa (part), Powhatan, Prince Edward (part)		2023
11	Creigh Deeds	Democratic	Albemarle, Amherst, Louisa (part), Nelson	Charlottesville	2001
12	Glen Sturtevant	Republican	Chesterfield (part)	Colonial Heights	2015, 2023
13	Lashrecse Aird	Democratic	Charles City, Dinwiddie (part), Henrico (part), Prince George, Surry, Sussex	Hopewell, Petersburg	2023
14	Lamont Bagby	Democratic	Henrico (part)	Richmond (part)	2023
15	Ghazala Hashmi	Democratic	Chesterfield (part)	Danville (part)	2019
16	Schuyler VanValkenburg	Democratic	Henrico (part)		2023
17	Emily Jordan	Republican	Brunswick, Dinwiddie (part), Greensville, Isle of Wight, Southampton	Chesapeake (part), Emporia, Franklin, Portsmouth (part), Suffolk	2023
18	Louise Lucas	Democratic		Chesapeake (part), Portsmouth (part)	1991
19	Christie New Craig	Republican		Chesapeake (part), Virginia Beach (part)	2023
20	Bill DeSteph	Republican	Accomack, Northampton	Norfolk (part), Virginia Beach (part)	2015
21	Angelia Williams Graves	Democratic		Norfolk (part)	2023
22	Aaron Rouse	Democratic		Virginia Beach (part)	2023
23	Mamie Locke	Democratic		Hampton, Newport News (part)	2003
24	Danny Diggs	Republican	James City (part), York	Newport News (part), Poquoson, Williamsburg	2023
25	Richard Stuart	Republican	Caroline, Essex, King & Queen (part), King George, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania (part), Westmoreland		2007
26	Ryan McDougle	Republican	Gloucester, Hanover (part), James City (part), King & Queen (part), Mathews, New Kent		2006
27	Tara Durant	Republican	Spotsylvania (part), Stafford (part)	Fredericksburg	2023
28	Bryce Reeves	Republican	Culpeper, Fauquier (part), Greene, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania (part)		2011
29	Jeremy McPike	Democratic	Prince William (part), Stafford (part)		2015
30	Danica Roem	Democratic	Prince William (part)	Manassas, Manassas Park	2023
31	Russet Perry	Democratic	Fauquier (part), Loudoun (part)		2023
32	Suhas Subramanyam	Democratic	Loudoun (part)		2023
33	Jennifer Carroll Foy	Democratic	Fairfax (part), Prince William (part)		2023
34	Scott Surovell	Democratic	Fairfax (part)		2015
35	Dave Marsden	Democratic	Fairfax (part)		2010
36	Stella Pekarsky	Democratic	Fairfax (part)		2023
37	Saddam Azlan Salim	Democratic	Fairfax (part)	Fairfax, Falls Church	2023
38	Jennifer Boysko	Democratic	Fairfax (part)		2019
39	Adam Ebbin	Democratic	Arlington (part), Fairfax (part)	Alexandria	2011
40	Barbara Favola	Democratic	Arlington (part)		2011

District map

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of the Senate of Virginia
	Crest Issuant from a Wreath of Dogwood Flowers proper a Female Figure coupled below the shoulders also proper crined Or vested Gules garnished Gold on her head an Eastern Crown of the last Escutcheon Argent a Cross Gules between four Escuncheons each ensigned with a Royal Crown those in the first and fourth quarters emblazoned with the Arms of France (modern) quartering those of England the Escuncheon in the second quarter with the Arms of Scotland and that in the third quarter with the Arms of Ireland on the Cross an Ivory Gavel palewise proper Supporters Dexter a Cardinal Bird wings addorsed proper and sinister a Dragon wings addorsed Gules Motto "Floreat Senatus Virginiae" (Latin for "May the Senate of Virginia flourish"

The Senate of Virginia has its own coat of arms designed and granted by the College of Arms in England.^[14]^[15] The coat of arms also makes up the official seal of the Virginia Senate. It bears no resemblance to the Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia, which is the seal of the state as a whole, however the shield does resemble the Coat of Arms of the Commons Wealth of Virginia.

The coat of arms adopted January 22, 1981, was designed by the College of Arms and based on the coat of arms used by the London Company, the royally chartered English entrepreneurs who funded the European settlement of Virginia. This is not to be confused with the Seal of the London Company, for other than both devices displaying a quartered shield, there is little resemblance between them.

The Senate's arms have a shield in the center which is divided into four sections by a red cross. In each quarter are smaller shields representing the arms of four countries (England, France, Scotland, and Ireland) that contributed settlers to Virginia's early waves of European immigration.^[14]^[15]

The four coats of arms, a small crest of a crowned female head with unbound hair representing Queen Elizabeth (the Virgin Queen who named Virginia),^[16] and the dragon (part of the Elizabethan royal seal of England) represent Virginia's European heritage.^[14]^[15]

An ivory gavel emblazoned on the vertical arm of the red cross represents the Senate as a law making body. The cardinal and dogwood depicted are Virginia's official state bird and tree. The ribbon contains the Latin motto of the Senate, Floreat Senatus Virginiae, which means "May the Senate of Virginia flourish."^[14]^[15]

Past composition of the Senate

Notes

^ Amanda Chase is an enrolled Republican, and was elected in 2019 on the Republican line. On November 22, 2019, she announced that she would not caucus with the Republicans in the upcoming Senate session, although she still considers herself a Republican. (Chase also ran for the Republican nomination in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election.)