Massachusetts Senate

The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state. All but one of the districts are named for the counties in which they are located (the "Cape and Islands" district covers Dukes, Nantucket, and parts of Barnstable counties). Senators serve two-year terms, without term limits.[1] The Senate convenes in the Massachusetts State House, in Boston.

Massachusetts Senate
2021–2022 Massachusetts legislature
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 6, 2021
Leadership
President
Karen Spilka (D)
since July 26, 2018
President pro tempore
Will Brownsberger (D)
since March 20, 2019
Majority Leader
Cynthia Stone Creem (D)
since February 28, 2018
Minority Leader
Bruce Tarr (R)
since January 5, 2011
Structure
Seats40
Political groups
Majority
  Democratic (37)

Minority

  Republican (3)
Length of term
2 years
AuthorityChapter 1, Massachusetts Constitution
Salary$62,500/year; set to increase every two years equal to the increase in the median salary of Massachusetts. Additional stipends are given to leaders of the majority and minority party.
Elections
Last election
November 3, 2020
(40 seats)
Next election
November 8, 2022
(40 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Massachusetts State House
Boston, Massachusetts
Website
Massachusetts Senate

The current session is the 192nd General Court, which convened January 6, 2021. It consists of 37 Democrats and 3 Republicans. The President of the Senate is Karen E. Spilka of Ashland. The Senate Minority Leader, from the Republican Party, is Bruce Tarr of Gloucester. The last state general election was on November 3, 2020.

Qualifications

The following are the qualifications to be elected to the Massachusetts Senate:[2]

  • Be 18 years of age
  • Be a registered voter in Massachusetts
  • Be an inhabitant of Massachusetts for five years
  • Be a resident of the district when elected
  • Receive a least 300 signatures on nomination papers

Recent party control

Democrats hold a supermajority in the Senate.

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
189th General Court 34 6 40 0
190th General Court
191st General Court
192nd General Court 37 3
September 9, 2021[3] 36 39 1
January 20, 2022[4] 37 40 0
Latest voting share 93% 8%

Current leadership

[5]

Position Leader Portrait District Party
President of the Senate Karen E. Spilka Second Middlesex and Norfolk Democratic
Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem First Middlesex and Norfolk
President pro tempore William N. Brownsberger Second Suffolk and Middlesex
Senate President Emerita Harriette L. Chandler First Worcester
Assistant Majority Leader Joan B. Lovely Second Essex
Michael J. Barrett Third Middlesex
Sal N. DiDomenico Middlesex and Suffolk
Senate Majority Whip Michael F. Rush Norfolk and Suffolk
Assistant Majority Whip Julian Cyr Cape and Islands
Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael J. Rodrigues First Bristol and Plymouth
Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr First Essex and Middlesex Republican
Assistant Minority Leader Ryan C. Fattman Worcester and Norfolk
Patrick M. O'Connor Plymouth and Norfolk

Committees

The current standing committees of the Massachusetts Senate are as follows:

Committee Chair Vice Chair Ranking Minority
Bills in the Third Reading Sal N. DiDomenico Joan B. Lovely Bruce E. Tarr
Ethics Eric P. Lesser Cynthia Stone Creem Patrick M. O'Connor
Global Warming and Climate Change Cynthia Stone Creem Michael J. Barrett Patrick M. O'Connor
Intergovernmental Affairs Michael F. Rush Adam G. Hinds Patrick M. O'Connor
Personnel and Administration Brendan P. Crighton Patrick M. O'Connor
Post Audit and Oversight Michael O. Moore James B. Eldridge Ryan C. Fattman
Reimagining Massachusetts Post-Pandemic Resiliency Adam G. Hinds Jason M. Lewis Patrick M. O'Connor
Redistricting William N. Brownsberger Anne M. Gobi Bruce E. Tarr
Rules Joan B. Lovely Ryan C. Fattman
Steering and Policy Mark C. Montigny Michael J. Rodrigues Bruce E. Tarr
Ways and Means Michael J. Rodrigues Cindy F. Friedman
Jason M. Lewis (Assistant Vice Chair)		 Patrick M. O'Connor

Past composition of the Senate
Composition by municipality in the 187th and 188th General Courts.
Composition by municipality in the 189th General Court and at the opening of 190th General Court.
Composition by municipality in the 190th General Court beginning on December 5, 2017.
Composition by municipality at the beginning of the 191st General Court.

See also
  • 2021–2022 Massachusetts legislature
  • Massachusetts Senate Delegations
  • List of former districts of the Massachusetts Senate
  • Massachusetts House of Representatives
  • Massachusetts Senate elections, 2004, Massachusetts Senate elections, 2006, Massachusetts Senate elections, 2008, Massachusetts Senate elections, 2010

References
  1. Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Article LXXXII.
  2. https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Candidates-Guide-generic.pdf
  3. "Senate Members". The 192nd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. September 24, 2021. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  4. "Senate Members". The 192nd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  5. "Senate Leadership". The 192nd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.

Further reading
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