Pennsylvania State Senate
The Senate of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania State Senate ) is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
The chamber of parliament is composed of 50 Senators representing an electoral district respectively. Each of these units includes a fixed average rate of 245 621 inhabitants ( 2002). The senators are elected for four -year terms. Further, these terms are staggered so that always half of the senators are elected every two years. The meeting room of the Senate is located together with the House of Representatives in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the capital city Harrisburg.
Tasks of the Senate
The Senate of Pennsylvania in the fall as upper houses in other states and territories, as well as in the U.S. Senate compared to the House of Representatives special tasks that go beyond the law. So it is up to the Senate, nominations of the Governor in his cabinet to accept or reject other offices of the executive branch and commissions and authorities.
Structure of the chamber
President of the Senate is the acting vice governor, respectively. At votes he only participates to bring about a decision in stalemates. In the absence of the Vice- Governor of the respective President pro tempore stands in front of the plenary sessions. This is elected by the majority party of the Senate and later confirmed by the chamber. Current Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate is Republican Jim Cawley, president pro tempore of the Republican Joseph B. Scarnati from the 25th electoral district ( Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren ). Other important office holders are the Majority Leader ( Majority Leader ) and the leader of the opposition (minority leader), who are elected by the respective fractions. Majority Leader Dominic F. Pileggi is the Republicans as Minority leader of the Democrats acts Jay Costa.