North Carolina Senate
The Senate of North Carolina ( North Carolina Senate ) is one of two chambers of the Parliament of North Carolina ( North Carolina General Assembly). Its functions and powers are those of the second chamber, the House of Representatives from North Carolina, comparable. The members of the Senate represent larger constituencies than the members of the House of Representatives.
The meeting room of the Senate is located together with the House of Representatives in North Carolina State Capitol in the capital Raleigh.
Vice governor and president pro tempore
The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor (Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina), as the sole prerogative of deciding his vote in polls undecided. Meetings of the Senate by a chairman (speaker ) were conducted prior to the establishment of the office of lieutenant governor in 1868.
After James Carson Gardner was elected as the first Republican after Reconstruction for Lieutenant Governor in 1988, the majority faction of the Democrats in the Senate made sure that went over most of the powers of the Lieutenant Governor to Senator elected as President pro tempore. The President appoints pro Tempore deputies to the standing committees of the Senate and oversees the legislative process.
In the election period 2011/2012, the Senate after the election in November 2010, a majority of 31 to 19 Republican -Democratic deputies. Thus, the ratio over the previous legislature has reversed.
Choice conditions
The choice of conditions for a Senator are laid down in the Constitution of the State. Each Senator must be at the time of his election at least 25 years of age, the right to vote in the state must have at least two years and be registered in the state, of which immediately before the election at least one year in the constituency for which he takes. (English: Each Senator, at the time of his election, Shall be not less than 25 years of age, Shall be a qualified voter of the State, and Shall have resided in the State as a citizen for two years and in the district for Which he is chosen for one year immediately Preceding his election. )
Impeachment
According to the Constitution of North Carolina, the Senate is also the entity that negotiates and decides impeachment. The House of Representatives has the right to demand for public servants impeachment for abuse of office ( impeachment ), then the Senate decides on the federal system. If the Governor or the Deputy Governor should be the victims of such a process chaired by the Chairman ( Chief Justice ) of the Supreme Court of North Carolina at the meeting.