Table 3.6

Senate Leadership Positions: Methods of Selection


FIPS State or other
jurisdiction
President President pro tem Majority leader Assistant majority leader Majority floor leader Assistant majority floor leader Majority whip Majority caucus chair Minority leader Assistant minority leader Minority floor leader Assistant minority floor leader Minority whip Minority caucus chair
01Alabama (b)*(a)ES(b). . .

. . .

. . .AL. . .(b). . .. . .. . .AL. . .
02AlaskaES. . .EC. . .

. . .

. . .ECECEC. . .. . .. . .ECEC
04ArizonaESAPEC. . .

. . .

. . .EC. . .ECEC. . .. . .EC. . .
05Arkansas(oo)ESEC. . .

. . .

. . .EC. . .EC. . .. . .. . .EC. . .
06California(a)ESECEC

. . .

. . .ECECEC. . .. . .. . .ECEC
08ColoradoESESECEC

. . .

. . .ECECECEC. . .. . .ECEC
09Connecticut (ss) (uu)(a)ESECAT (pp)

. . .

. . .. . .. . .EC (qq)AL (rr). . .. . .. . .. . .
10Delaware(a)ESEC. . .

. . .

. . .EC. . .EC. . .. . .. . .EC. . .
12Florida (uu)ESESAPAL

. . .

. . .. . .. . .ECEC. . .. . .ALAL(tt)
13Georgia*(a)ESEC. . .

. . .

. . .ECECEC. . .. . .. . .ECEC
15HawaiiESES (vv)EC. . .

EC

ECEC. . .EC. . .EC. . .. . .. . .
16Idaho(a)ESECEC

. . .

. . .. . .ECECEC. . .. . .. . .EC
17Illinois(a)APAPAP

. . .

. . .APAPECAL. . .. . .ALAL
18Indiana(a)ES. . .. . .

AT

ATATECEC. . .EC(ww)(ww)EC
19IowaESESECEC

. . .

. . .EC. . .ECEC. . .. . .EC. . .
20KansasESESEC. . .

. . .

. . .ECECECEC. . .. . .ECEC
21Kentucky* (i)(a)ES. . .. . .

EC

. . .ECEC. . .. . .EC. . .EC. . .
22Louisiana*(a)ES. . .. . .

. . .

. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
23MaineESAPECEC

. . .

. . .. . .. . .ECEC. . .. . .. . .. . .
24Maryland*(a)ESAP (n)AP (n)

AP (n)

(n)APAPEC (o). . .(o). . .EC. . .
25MassachusettsES. . .APAP

. . .

. . .. . .(xx)EC. . .. . .. . .. . .(xx)
26Michigan(a)ESECEC

EC

ECECECECECECECECEC
27MinnesotaESESECEC

. . .

. . .AL. . .ECEC. . .. . .EC. . .
28Mississippi*(a)ES. . .. . .

. . .

. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
29Missouri* (d)(a)ES. . .. . .

EC

ECECEC. . .. . .ECECECEC
30Montana*(a)ESEC. . .

EC (j)

. . .EC. . .EC. . .EC (l). . .EC. . .
31Nebraska (U) (g)(a)ES (yy). . .. . .

. . .

. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
32Nevada (s)(a)ES. . .. . .

EC

ECEC (s). . .. . .. . .ECECEC. . .
33New HampshireESAPAPAP (rr)

. . .

. . .AP. . .EC (ss)AL (tt). . .. . .. . .. . .
34New Jersey(a)ESMAMA

MA

MAMAMAMIMIMIMIMIMI
35New Mexico(a)ESEC (t). . .

EC (t)

. . .ECECEC (t). . .EC (t). . .ECEC
36New York (u)(a)ES(v)AT (v)

AT (v)

. . .ATAT (v)EC (v)AL (v)AL (v)AL (v)AL (v)AL (v)
37North Carolina (uu)(a)ESEC. . .

. . .

. . .ECECEC. . .. . .. . .ECEC
38North Dakota(a)ESECEC

. . .

. . .EC. . .ECEC. . .ECEC. . .
39Ohio (w) (x)(a)ES. . .. . .

ES

. . .ES. . .ES (x)ES. . .. . .ES. . .
40Oklahoma(a)ESECEC

EC

ECECECECECECECECEC
41Oregon(a)ESECEC

. . .

. . .EC. . .ECEC. . .. . .EC. . .
42Pennsylvania(a)ESECEC

EC

ECECECECECECECECEC
44Rhode Island (y)(a)ESECAL

. . .

. . .AL. . .ECAL. . .. . .AL. . .
45South Carolina(a)ESEC. . .

. . .

. . .. . .. . .EC. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
46South Dakota(a)ESECEC

. . .

. . .EC. . .ECEC. . .. . .EC. . .
47Tennessee(a)APEC. . .

EC

EC. . .ECEC. . .EC. . .. . .EC
48Texas(a)ES. . .. . .

. . .

. . .. . .EC (k). . .. . .. . .. . .. . .EC (k)
49Utah (z)(a)ALEC. . .

. . .

. . .EC. . .EC. . .. . .. . .EC. . .
50Vermont(a)ESECEC

EC (aa)

EC (aa)EC (aa)EC (aa)ECECEC (aa)EC (aa)EC (aa)EC (aa)
51Virginia(a)ESEC (bb). . .

EC (bb)

. . .. . .ECEC. . .EC. . .. . .EC
53Washington (cc)(a)ESECEC

EC

ECECECECECECECECEC
54West Virginia(a)APAP. . .

. . .

. . .AP. . .EC. . .. . .. . .AL. . .
55Wisconsin(a)ESECEC

. . .

. . .. . .ECECEC. . .. . .. . .EC
56Wyoming(a)ES (e). . .. . .

EC

. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .EC. . .ECEC
11Dist. of Columbia* (U)(a)(ff). . .. . .

. . .

. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
60American Samoa*(a)ES. . .. . .

. . .

. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
66Guam* (U) (gg)(a)ES (e)ECEC

EC

ECEC. . .ECECECECEC. . .
69CNMI* **(a). . .(hh). . .

ES (ii)

. . .. . .. . .EC. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .
72Puerto Rico*(a)ECEC. . .

EC (jj)

. . .. . .(kk)EC (p). . .EC (jj). . .. . .(p)
78U.S. Virgin Islands* (U)(a). . .ES. . .

. . .

. . .. . .ESES. . .. . .. . .. . .ES

Source:

The Council of State Governments' survey of state legislative service agencies, 2023.

Notes:

In some states, the leadership positions in the Senate are not empowered by the law or by the rules of the chamber, but rather by the party members themselves.

Key:

* Responses carried forward due to state nonresponse.
** Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.
ES Elected or confirmed by all members of the Senate.
EC Elected by party caucus.
AP Appointed by president.
AT Appointed by president pro tempore.
AL Appointed by party leader.
MA Elected by majority party.
MI Elected by minority party.
(U) Unicameral legislative body.
. . . Position does not exist or is not selected on a regular basis.

Footnotes:

(a)

Lieutenant governor is president of the Senate by virtue of the office. Idaho – (Idaho Const. art.IV, § 13, Senate Rule 1.)

(b)

Majority leader elected by the members of the majority party. Minority leader elected by members of the minority party. Additional leadership positions: deputy president pro tempore- appointed by Committee on Assignments and Dean of Senate- appointed by Committee on Assignments.

(c)

Authorization implied from constitution and statute as recognized by 63 ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. 583.

(d)

Implied from Constitution.

(e)

Constitution, statute, implied, case law, common law.

(f)

Executive clemency.

(g)

Only for EROs. When an ERO is submitted the legislature has 30 days to veto the ERO or it becomes law.

(h)

Can reorganize, but not create.

(i)

Executive Orders are filed in the Department of State.

(j)

To impound or freeze certain state matching funds.

(k)

To reduce state expenditures in revenue shortfall.

(l)

Inherent.

(m)

To control procedures for dealing with public.

(n)

Reorganization plans and agency creation.

(o)

Executive reorganizations not effective if rejected by both houses of legislature within 60 calendar days. Executive orders reducing appropriations not effective unless approved by appropriations committees of both houses of legislature.

(p)

To assign duties to lieutenant governor, issue writ of special election.

(r)

Governor is exempt from the Administrative Procedures Act and filing and administrative procedures Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-102 (1972).

(s)

Reorganization plans and agency creation and for meeting federal program requirements. To administer and govern the armed forces of the state.

(t)

In addition to filing and publication procedures – Executive Orders are countersigned by and filed with the Secretary of State and published.

(u)

To administer and govern the armed forces of the state.

(v)

Must submit to the Secretary of State who must compile, index and publish Executive Orders. Copies must also be sent to President of the Senate, Speaker of House and Principal Clerk of each chamber.

(w)

To suspend certain officials and/or other civil actions.

(x)

To designate game and wildlife areas or other public areas.

(y)

Appointive powers.

(z)

Executive authority implied by constitution except for emergencies which are established by statute.

(aa)

General power to issue executive orders to execute the authority of the Governor as provided in the Constitution and state statute.

(bb)

The governor has the authority, through state statute , to enact executive orders that: create agencies, boards and commissions; and reassigns agencies, boards and commissions to different cabinet secretaries. However, in order for the continued operation of any agency created by executive order the state legislature must approve legislation that allows the agency to continue to operate, if not, the agency cannot continue operation beyond sine die adjournment of the legislature for the session.

(cc)

Washington Senate also has the leadership position of vice-president pro tem.

(dd)

For fire emergencies.

(ee)

To transfer funds in an emergency.

(ff)

Subject to legislative approval when inconsistent with statute.

(gg)

Only if reorganization order is filed with the legislature.

(hh)

Some statutes set forward requirements for executive orders, but few established procedures.

(jj)

The governor has power to direct the Department of Administration to conduct investigations of any executive or administrative agency in order to determine feasibility of consolidating , creating or rearranging agencies for the purpose of affecting the elimination of unnecessary state functions, avoiding duplication, reducing the cost of administration and increasing efficiency. Wis. Stat. 16.004(3)(a). The governor has power to coordinate services of personnel across state agencies. Wis. Stat. 14.03.

(kk)

General authority unless explicitly authorized by statute.

(mm)

In 2021, the Kentucky General Assembly passed multiple laws to limit executives orders declaring a state of emergency to 30 days without the legislature’s approval or a local government’s approval, to limit the Governor’s authority to issue emergency orders related to certain entities, and to require the Attorney General’s written approval before issuing any emergency order that suspends a statute.

(nn)

l executive orders must be registered with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State attests to and keeps a registry of the Governor’s official acts.

(pp)

Official titles: chief deputy majority leader (1 individual); deputy majority leader (7 individuals).

(qq)

Official title: Republican Leader.

(rr)

Official Titles: Chief deputy Republican Leader (5 individuals); deputy Republican leader (4 individuals); assisstant Repulican leader (2 individuals).

(ss)

Additional Positions: Chief deputy president pro tem (1 individual); deputy president pro tem & federal relations liaison (1 individual); deputy president pro tem (12 individuals).

(tt)

Called a minority policy chair, as opposed to minority caucus chair.

(uu)

All positions other than President, President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader are party caucus designations.

(vv)

Member of the majority party having the longest tenure in the Senate.

(ww)

Appointed by minority leader.

(xx)

President and minority floor leader are also caucus chairs.

(yy)

Official title is speaker.