The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered every two years, such that half of the seats are contested at each election. Even- and odd-numbered district seats are contested in separate election years. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg, and has been meeting since 1791.
The president of the Senate is the lieutenant governor, who has no vote except to break a tie. The president pro tempore becomes the lieutenant governor in the event of the sitting lieutenant governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the president pro tempore and lieutenant governor would be the same person.
Qualifications
Senators must be at least 25 years of age. They must be a United States citizen and a Pennsylvania resident for four years, and a resident of that district one year prior to their election and must reside in that district during their term.
Leadership
Officers
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Position
! Officer
|-
| President
| |Austin Davis
|-
| President pro tempore
| |Kim Ward
|-
| Secretary & Parliamentarian
| Michael Gerdes
|-
| Chief Clerk
| Donetta D’Innocenzo
|}
Caucus leadership
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| Majority party (R)
| style="width:300px; text-align:center;"| Leadership position
| Minority party (D)
|-
| | Joe Pittman
| style="text-align:center;" | Floor Leader
| | Jay Costa
|-
| | Wayne Langerholc
| style="text-align:center;" | Whip
| | Christine Tartaglione
|-
| | Kristin Phillips-Hill
| style="text-align:center;" | Caucus Chairperson
| | Maria Collett
|-
| | Camera Bartolotta
| style="text-align:center;" | Caucus Secretary
| | Steve Santarsiero
|-
| | Scott Martin
| style="text-align:center;" | Appropriations Committee Chairperson
| | Vincent Hughes
|-
| | Lisa Baker
| style="text-align:center;" | Caucus Administrator
| | Judy Schwank
|-
| | Dave Argall
| style="text-align:center;" | Policy Committee Chairperson
| | Nick Miller
|-
|}
Composition
Historical sessions
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:center"
|- style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!rowspan=3|Affiliation
! colspan="3" |Party <div style="font-size:80%">(shading indicates majority caucus)</div>
!rowspan=3|Total
!
|- style="height:5px"
| style="background-color:" |
| style="background-color:" |
| style="background-color:" |
| style="background: black" |
|-
!Republican
!Ind
!Democratic
!Vacant
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|1995–1996 session
||29
| rowspan="14" |0
|21
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|1997–1998 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|1999–2000 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2001–2002 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2003–2004 session
||29
|21
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2005–2006 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2007–2008 session
||29
|21
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2009–2010 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2011–2012 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2013–2014 session
||27
|23
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2015–2016 session
||30
|20
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2016–2017 session
||31
|19
!50
|0
|-
! nowrap="" style="font-size:80%" |2017–2018 session
| |34
|16
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2018–2019 session
||28
|22
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2019–2020 session
||29
| |1
|21
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2021–2022 session
| |28
| |1
|21
!50
|0
|-
!nowrap style="font-size:80%"|2023–2024 session
||28
|0
|22
!50
|0
|}
Current session
As of May 5, 2025:
{| style="width:50%; text-align:center"
|+ ↓
|- style="color:white"
| style="background:; width:46%" | 23
<!--| style="background:; width:0%" | 0-->
| style="background:; width:54%" | 27
|-
| style="color:" | Democratic
<!--| style="color:" | Don't show Independent here. It messes up the width and impresses upon the reader that they have more seats in the House than what they actually have. -->
| style="color:" |Republican
|}
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:center"
|- style="vertical-align:bottom;"
!rowspan=3|Affiliation
!colspan=3|Party <div style="font-size:80%">(shading indicates majority caucus)</div>
!rowspan=3|Total
!
|- style="height:5px"
| style="background-color:" |
| style="background-color:" |
| style="background-color:" |
| style="background: black"|
|-
!Republican
!Ind
!Democratic
!Vacant
|-
! nowrap="" style="font-size:80%" |End of previous legislature
| |28
|0
|22
!50
|0
|-
| colspan="6" |
|-
!<small>January 7, 2025</small>
| rowspan=2 |27
|rowspan=2|0
|22
!49
|1
|-
!<small>May 5, 2025</small>
|23
!50
|0
|-
!Latest voting share
! |
! colspan=2|
! colspan="2" |
|}
Membership
The State Senate comprises 50 senators who are elected by district. In 2012, a State Senate district had an average population of 254,047 residents.
List of current senators
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!District
!Name
!Party
!Residence
!Counties
!Start
!Next Election
|-
|1
|
| |Democratic
|Philadelphia
|Philadelphia
|2020
|2028
|-
|2
|
| |Democratic
|Philadelphia
|Philadelphia
|1994
|2026
|-
|3
|
| |Democratic
|Philadelphia
|Philadelphia
|2016
|2028
|-
|4
|
| |Democratic
|Philadelphia
|Montgomery, Philadelphia
|2014
|2026
|-
|5
|
| |Republican
|Philadelphia
|Philadelphia
|2024
|2028
|-
|6
|
| |Republican
|Langhorne Borough
|Bucks
|2022
|2026
|-
|7
|
| |Democratic
|Philadelphia
|Montgomery, Philadelphia
|1994
|2028
|-
|8
|
| |Democratic
|Philadelphia
|Delaware, Philadelphia
|1998
|2026
|-
|9
|
| |Democratic
|Birmingham
|Chester, Delaware
|2020
|2028
|-
|10
|
| |Democratic
|Lower Makefield Township
|Bucks
|2018
|2026
|-
|11
|
| |Democratic
|Fleetwood
|Berks
|2011
|2028
|-
|12
|
| |Democratic
|Lower Gwynedd Township
|Montgomery
|2018
|2026
|-
|13
|
| |Republican
|West Lampeter Township
|Berks, Lancaster
|2016
|2028
|-
|14
|
| |Democratic
|Allentown
|Lehigh, Northampton
|2022
|2026
|-
|15
|
| |Democratic
|Harrisburg
|Dauphin
|2024
|2028
|-
|16
|
| |Republican
|Upper Macungie Township
|Bucks, Lehigh
|2022
|2026
|-
|17
|
| |Democratic
|East Norriton Township
|Delaware, Montgomery
|2020
|2028
|-
|18
|
| |Democratic
|Bethlehem Township
|Lehigh, Northampton
|1998
|2026
|-
|19
|
| |Democratic
|West Chester
|Chester
|2020
|2028
|-
|20
|
| |Republican
|Lehman Township
|Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming
|2006
|2026
|-
|21
|
| |Republican
|Oil City
|Butler, Clarion, Forest, Venango, Warren
|2012
|2028
|-
|22
|
| |Democratic
|Scranton
|Lackawanna, Luzerne
|2021
|2026
|-
|23
|
| |Republican
|Loyalsock Township
|Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga, Union
|2008
|2028
|-
|24
|
| |Republican
|Harleysville
|Berks, Montgomery
|2022
|2026
|-
|25
|
| |Republican
|Pine Creek Township
|Cameron, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter
|2020
|2028
|-
|26
|
| |Democratic
|Swarthmore
|Delaware
|2018
|2026
|-
|27
|
| |Republican
|Sunbury
|Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder
|2023
|2028
|-
|28
|
| |Republican
|York Township
|York
|2018
|2026
|-
|29
|
| |Republican
|Rush Township
|Carbon, Luzerne, Schuylkill
|2009
|2028
|-
|30
|
| |Republican
|Hollidaysburg
|Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin
|2018
|2026
|-
|31
|
| |Republican
|Dillsburg
|Cumberland, York
|2024
|2028
|-
|32
|
| |Republican
|Bullskin Township
|Bedford, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland
|2014
|2026
|-
|33
|
| |Republican
|Greene Township
|Adams, Franklin
|2019
|2028
|-
|34
|
| |Republican
|Silver Spring Township
|Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry
|2022
|2026
|-
|35
|
| |Republican
|Johnstown
|Cambria County, Centre, Clearfield
|2016
|2028
|-
|36
|
| |Democratic
|East Petersburg
|Lancaster
|2025
|2026
|-
|37
|
| |Republican
|Bridgeville
|Allegheny
|2020
|2028
|-
|38
|
| |Democratic
|West View
|Allegheny
|2018
|2026
|-
|39
|
| |Republican
|Hempfield Township
|Westmoreland
|2008
|2028
|-
|40
|
| |Republican
|East Stroudsburg
|Lackawanna, Monroe, Wayne
|2022
|2026
|-
|41
|
| |Republican
|Indiana
|Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson, Westmoreland
|2019
|2028
|-
|42
|
| |Democratic
|Pittsburgh
|Allegheny
|2005
|2026
|-
|43
|
| |Democratic
|Forest Hills
|Allegheny
|1996
|2028
|-
|44
|
| |Democratic
|East Vincent Township
|Berks, Chester, Montgomery
|2018
|2026
|-
|45
|
| |Democratic
|West Mifflin
|Allegheny
|2024
|2028
|-
|46
|
| |Republican
|Monongahela
|Beaver, Greene, Washington
|2014
|2026
|-
|47
|
| |Republican
|New Sewickley Township
|Beaver, Butler, Lawrence
|2008
|2028
|-
|48
|
| |Republican
|North Cornwall Township
|Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon
|2021
|2026
|-
|49
|
| |Republican
|Millcreek Township
|Erie
|2016
|2028
|-
|50
|
| |Republican
|Jamestown
|Crawford, Lawrence, Mercer
|2014
|2026
|}
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" /><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha">
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Committee Name
! Majority chair (R)
! Minority chair (D)
! Vice chair (R)
|-
| Aging & Youth
| |Wayne Langerholc
| |Maria Collett
| |Judy Ward
|-
| Agriculture & Rural Affairs
| |Elder Vogel
| |Judy Schwank
| |Michele Brooks
|-
| Appropriations
| |Scott Martin
| |Vincent Hughes
| |Elder Vogel
|-
| Banking & Insurance
| |Chris Gebhard
| |Sharif Street
| |Lisa Baker
|-
| Communications & Technology
| |Tracy Pennycuick
| |Nick Miller
| |Kristin Phillips-Hill
|-
| Community, Economic & Recreational Development
| |Rosemary Brown
| |Anthony H. Williams
| |Chris Gebhard
|-
| Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure
| |Patrick J. Stefano
| |Lisa Boscola
| |Frank Farry
|-
| Education
| |Lynda Schlegel Culver
| |Lindsey Williams
| |Doug Mastriano
|-
| Environmental Resources & Energy
| |Gene Yaw
| |Carolyn Comitta
| |Scott Hutchinson
|-
| Finance
| |Scott Hutchinson
| |Nick Pisciottano
| |Jarrett Coleman
|-
| Game & Fisheries
| |Greg Rothman
| |Lisa Boscola
| |Dan Laughlin
|-
| Health & Human Services
| |Michele Brooks
| |Art Haywood
| |Lynda Schlegel Culver
|-
| Institutional Sustainability & Innovation
| |Frank Farry
| |Tim Kearney
| |Dave Argall
|-
| Intergovernmental Operations
| |Jarrett Coleman
| |Christine Tartaglione
| |Cris Dush
|-
| Judiciary
| |Lisa Baker
| |Amanda Cappelletti
| |Gene Yaw
|-
| Labor & Industry
| |Devlin Robinson
| |John I. Kane
| |Camera Bartolotta
|-
| Law & Justice
| |Dan Laughlin
| |Wayne D. Fontana
| |Joe Picozzi
|-
| Local Government
| |Dawn Keefer
| |Patty Kim
| |Rosemary Brown
|-
| Rules & Executive Nominations
| |Joe Pittman
| |Jay Costa
| |Wayne Langerholc
|-
| State Government
| |Cris Dush
| |Steve Santarsiero
| |Patrick J. Stefano
|-
| Transportation
| |Judy Ward
| |Marty Flynn
| |Devlin Robinson
|-
| Urban Affairs & Housing
| |Joe Picozzi
| |Nikil Saval
| |Dawn Keefer
|-
| Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparednesss
| |Doug Mastriano
| |Katie Muth
| |Tracy Pennycuick
|}
Past composition of the Senate
See also
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- List of Pennsylvania state legislatures