Nevada Senate
Encyclopedia
The Nevada Senate is the upper house
of the Nevada Legislature
, the state legislature of U.S. state
of Nevada
. The Senate consists of 21 members from 19 districts, two of which are multimember. Each senator represented approximately 94,700 people as of the 2000 census
, although 2006 Census Bureau
estimates suggest an average population of 118,800 per senator. Senators serve four-year terms. Term limits
, limiting senators to three 4-year terms (12 years), took effect in 2010. Seven senators were termed out in 2010 and four will be termed out in 2012.
The Senate met at the Nevada State Capitol
in Carson City
until 1971, when a separate Legislative Building was constructed south of the Capitol. The Legislative Building was expanded in 1997 to its current appearance to accommodate the growing Legislature.
Following the 2008 election, Democrats took control of the Nevada Senate for the first time since 1993.
serves as Senate President. In their absence, the President Pro Tempore
presides and has the power to make commission and committee appointments. The President Pro Tempore is elected to the position by the majority party. The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority
and Minority
leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.
The President of the Senate
is Nevada Lieutenant Governor
Brian Krolicki
of the Republican Party.
The Secretary of the Senate is David Byerman
. The Secretary of the Senate serves as the Parliamentarian and Chief Administrative Officer of the Nevada Senate. The Secretary of the Senate is a non-member officer of the body, elected by the members.
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of the Nevada Legislature
Nevada Legislature
The Nevada Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Legislature is a bicameral body, consisting of the lower house Nevada Assembly, with 42 members, and the upper house Nevada Senate, with 21 members. All 63 members of the Legislature are elected from an equal amount of...
, the state legislature of U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The Senate consists of 21 members from 19 districts, two of which are multimember. Each senator represented approximately 94,700 people as of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, although 2006 Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
estimates suggest an average population of 118,800 per senator. Senators serve four-year terms. Term limits
Term limits in the United States
Term limits in the United States apply to many offices at both the federal and state level, and date back to the American Revolution.-Pre-constitution:...
, limiting senators to three 4-year terms (12 years), took effect in 2010. Seven senators were termed out in 2010 and four will be termed out in 2012.
The Senate met at the Nevada State Capitol
Nevada State Capitol
The Nevada State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of Nevada. It is located in the state capital of Carson City at 101 North Carson Street. The building was constructed in the Neoclassical Italianate style between 1869 and 1871. It is listed in the National Register of Historic...
in Carson City
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
until 1971, when a separate Legislative Building was constructed south of the Capitol. The Legislative Building was expanded in 1997 to its current appearance to accommodate the growing Legislature.
Composition
- 76th Legislature (2011-2012)
Following the 2008 election, Democrats took control of the Nevada Senate for the first time since 1993.
| Affiliation | Party | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Nevada Democratic Party The Nevada Democratic Party is the state affiliate of the United States Democratic Party in Nevada. Its chair is Roberta Lange, and its Executive Director is Zach Zaragoza .-History:... |
Republican Nevada Republican Party The Nevada Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Nevada. The Republican Party promotes the beliefs that individuals, not the government, make the best decisions. -History:... |
Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 11 | 10 | 21 | 0 |
| Begin | 11 | 10 | 21 | 0 |
| January 15, 2011 | 9 | 20 | 1 | |
| January 18, 2011 | 10 | 21 | 0 | |
| Latest voting share | 52.4% | 47.6% | ||
Leadership of the Senate
The President of the Senate is the body's highest officer, although they only vote in the case of a tie, and only on procedural matters. The Lieutenant Governor of NevadaLieutenant Governor of Nevada
The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is an elected office in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is based in Carson City, Nevada and elected for 4 year terms. The 33rd and current Lt. Governor for the 2007-2011 term is Brian Krolicki....
serves as Senate President. In their absence, the President Pro Tempore
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
presides and has the power to make commission and committee appointments. The President Pro Tempore is elected to the position by the majority party. The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
and Minority
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.
The President of the Senate
President of the Senate
The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate, and is the speaker of other assemblies.The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for example, the President of the Senate of Nigeria is second in line...
is Nevada Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is an elected office in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is based in Carson City, Nevada and elected for 4 year terms. The 33rd and current Lt. Governor for the 2007-2011 term is Brian Krolicki....
Brian Krolicki
Brian Krolicki
Brian K. Krolicki is an American politician. He is the 33rd and current Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, elected in 2006. As the Lieutenant Governor, he presides over the Nevada State Senate, chairs the Commission on Tourism, and serves on the State Board of Transportation and the Reno Tahoe Winter...
of the Republican Party.
The Secretary of the Senate is David Byerman
David Byerman
David Byerman is the 40th Secretary of the Senate for the Nevada Senate. He was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford on August 18, 2010 and was then unanimously elected by the full Nevada Senate on February 7, 2011.-Biography:...
. The Secretary of the Senate serves as the Parliamentarian and Chief Administrative Officer of the Nevada Senate. The Secretary of the Senate is a non-member officer of the body, elected by the members.
| Position | Name | Party | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| President of the Senate/Lieutenant Governor Lieutenant Governor of Nevada The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is an elected office in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Nevada Lieutenant Governor is based in Carson City, Nevada and elected for 4 year terms. The 33rd and current Lt. Governor for the 2007-2011 term is Brian Krolicki.... |
Brian Krolicki Brian Krolicki Brian K. Krolicki is an American politician. He is the 33rd and current Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, elected in 2006. As the Lieutenant Governor, he presides over the Nevada State Senate, chairs the Commission on Tourism, and serves on the State Board of Transportation and the Reno Tahoe Winter... |
Republican | |
| President pro tempore President pro tempore A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer... |
Michael A. Schneider | Democratic | Clark 11 |
| Majority Leader Majority leader In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the... |
Steven Horsford Steven Horsford Steven Horsford is a Democratic member and Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 4 since 2004 . He is Nevada's first African-American state senate Majority Leader.-Biography:... |
Democratic | Clark 4 |
| Assistant Majority Leader | Valerie Wiener Valerie Wiener Valerie Wiener is a Democratic member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 3 since 1996.-External links:* official government website* profile*Follow the Money - Valerie Wiener** campaign contributions... |
Democratic | Clark 3 |
| Majority Whip Whip (politics) A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy... |
John J. Lee | Democratic | Clark 1 |
| Minority Leader Minority leader In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position... |
Mike McGinness Mike McGinness Mike McGinness is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing the Central Nevada District since 1993. Previously he served in the Nevada Assembly from 1989 through 1991... |
Republican | Central Nevada |
| Assistant Minority Leader | Barbara Cegavske Barbara Cegavske Barbara K. Cegavske is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 8 since 2002. Previously she served in the Nevada Assembly from 1996 through 2001.-External links:* official government website* profile... |
Republican | Clark 8 |
| Minority Whip Whip (politics) A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy... |
James Settelmeyer James Settelmeyer James Settelmeyer is a Republican politician of the Nevada Assembly in the United States of America. He represents Douglas, Carson, and Washoe County District 39. Settelmeyer was born in Carson City, and now lives and works on his family ranch in Carson Valley. Assemblyman Settelmeyer is a third... |
Republican | Capital |
Members of the 76th Senate
| Name | Party | Residence | District | First Elected | Seat up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Settelmeyer James Settelmeyer James Settelmeyer is a Republican politician of the Nevada Assembly in the United States of America. He represents Douglas, Carson, and Washoe County District 39. Settelmeyer was born in Carson City, and now lives and works on his family ranch in Carson Valley. Assemblyman Settelmeyer is a third... |
Rep | Minden Minden, Nevada Minden is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. The population was 2,836 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Douglas County and is adjacent to the city of Gardnerville. It is named after the town of Minden, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It... |
Capital | 2010 | 2014 |
| Mike McGinness Mike McGinness Mike McGinness is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing the Central Nevada District since 1993. Previously he served in the Nevada Assembly from 1989 through 1991... |
Rep | Fallon Fallon, Nevada -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,536 people, 3,004 households, and 1,877 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,474.1 people per square mile . There were 3,336 housing units at an average density of 1,095.2 per square mile... |
Central Nevada | 1992 | 2012 |
| John Jay Lee John Jay Lee John Jay Lee is a Democratic candidate for United States Congress, and is a member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 1 since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Nevada Assembly from 1997 through 2001.- Early life :... |
Dem | North Las Vegas North Las Vegas, Nevada North Las Vegas is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, located in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city was incorporated on May 16, 1946.-Geography:... |
Clark 1 | 2004 | 2012 |
| Mo Denis Mo Denis Moises "Mo" Denis was a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly, representing Clark County District 28 from 2004 to 2010. He was elected to serve in the Nevada Senate in 2010 and is the incumbent.- External links :* official government website... |
Dem | Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... |
Clark 2 | 2010 | 2014 |
| Valerie Wiener Valerie Wiener Valerie Wiener is a Democratic member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 3 since 1996.-External links:* official government website* profile*Follow the Money - Valerie Wiener** campaign contributions... |
Dem | Las Vegas | Clark 3 | 1996 | 2012 |
| Steven Horsford Steven Horsford Steven Horsford is a Democratic member and Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 4 since 2004 . He is Nevada's first African-American state senate Majority Leader.-Biography:... |
Dem | North Las Vegas | Clark 4 | 2004 | 2012 |
| Shirley Breeden Shirley Breeden Shirley Breeden is a Democratic member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 5 since 2009. She won her first term in 2008, when she narrowly upset incumbent Republican Joe Heck.... |
Dem | Henderson Henderson, Nevada -Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile... |
Clark 5 (A) | 2008 | 2014 |
| Michael Roberson Michael Roberson Michael Roberson was elected to serve in the Nevada Senate in 2010 and is the incumbent.-External links:* profile*Follow the Money - Michael Roberson**... |
Rep | Las Vegas | Clark 5 (B) | 2010 | 2014 |
| Allison Copening Allison Copening Allison Copening is a Democratic member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 6 since 2008 defeating incumbent Bob Beers.-External links:* official government website* official campaign website* profile... |
Dem | Las Vegas | Clark 6 | 2008 | 2012 |
| David Parks | Dem | Las Vegas | Clark 7 (A) | 2008 | 2012 |
| Mark Manendo Mark Manendo Mark Manendo was a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly, representing Clark County District 18 from 1994 to 2010. He was elected to serve in the Nevada Senate in 2010 and is the incumbent.- External links :* official government website**... |
Dem | Las Vegas | Clark 7 (B) | 2010 | 2014 |
| Barbara Cegavske Barbara Cegavske Barbara K. Cegavske is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 8 since 2002. Previously she served in the Nevada Assembly from 1996 through 2001.-External links:* official government website* profile... |
Rep | Las Vegas | Clark 8 | 2002 | 2014 |
| Elizabeth Halseth Elizabeth Halseth Elizabeth Halseth is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 9, she was elected to serve in 2010 and is the incumbent... |
Rep | Las Vegas | Clark 9 | 2010 | 2014 |
| Ruben Kihuen | Dem | Las Vegas | Clark 10 | 2010 | 2014 |
| Michael Schneider | Dem | Las Vegas | Clark 11 | 1996 | 2012 |
| Joe Hardy Joe Hardy (politician) Dr. Joseph "Joe" Paul Hardy was a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly, representing Clark County District 20 from 2002 to 2010. He was elected to serve in the Nevada Senate in 2010 and is the incumbent.- External links :***... |
Rep | Boulder City Boulder City, Nevada Boulder City is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is approximately from the City of Las Vegas. As of the 2010 census the population of Boulder City was 15,023.Boulder City is one of only two cities in Nevada that prohibit gambling.... |
Clark 12 | 2010 | 2014 |
| Dean Rhoads Dean Rhoads Dean Rhoads is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing the Northern Nevada District since 1984. Previously he served in the Nevada Assembly from 1976 through 1982... |
Rep | Tuscarora Tuscarora, Nevada Tuscarora is an unincorporated community in Elko County, Nevada. It is home to two small schools provided by the Elko County School District. Tuscarora is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area.... |
Rural Nevada | 1984 | 2012 |
| Sheila Leslie Sheila Leslie Sheila Leslie is a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly, representing the Washoe County District 27 since 1998. Leslie was born in Carmel, California in 1955. She received her BA with distinction and honors from Sonoma State University in 1977 and her M.A... |
Dem | Reno Reno, Nevada Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area... |
Washoe 1 | 2010 | 2014 |
| Don Gustavson Don Gustavson Don Gustavson is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate, representing Washoe County District 2. He was elected to the current position in 2010, running for the seat previously heald by term-limited Senator Maurice Washington... |
Rep | Sparks Sparks, Nevada Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. Sparks is often referred to as half of a twin city .-Geography and Climate:... |
Washoe 2 | 2010 | 2014 |
| Greg Brower Greg Brower Greg Brower is an attorney in private practice, a Senator in the Nevada Senate, former United States Attorney in the state of Nevada and a former member of the Nevada Assembly. He is a member of the Republican Party.... |
Rep | Reno Reno, Nevada Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area... |
Washoe 3 | 2011 | 2012 |
| Ben Kieckhefer | Rep | Reno | Washoe 4 | 2010 | 2014 |
External links
- Nevada Senate official government website
- Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Nevada