State Senate President Pro Tempore

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Leadership Positions in State Legislatures
President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House

The Senate president pro tempore ("for the time being"), or pro tem, is the second-highest-ranking leadership position in the U.S. Senate and most state Senate chambers. The president pro tem presides over the Senate body in the absence of the Senate president. In most cases, the president pro tem is a senior-ranking member of the majority party. Specific duties and privileges of the president pro tem vary according to federal and state legislative rules.

At the federal level, the senate president pro tem is third in the line of succession to the presidency, following the vice president and the speaker of the House. The positions of state Senate presidents pro tem vary with respect to the line of gubernatorial succession.[1]

HIGHLIGHTS
  • The Senate president pro tem is the second-highest ranking leadership position in the Senate.
  • The president pro tem presides over Senate sessions in the absence of the senate president.
  • The Senate president pro tem mainly presides over the Senate chamber in a supervisory role and ensures that members follow the body's rules and procedures.
  • Depending on the state, the Senate president pro tem may assume additional leadership responsibilities.

    • Overview

    What is a state legislative leadership position?

    Leadership at the state legislative level refers to a range of different positions, including senate presidents and presidents pro tempore, house and assembly speakers, and minority and majority leaders. There are also middle- and lower-level leadership positions, such as whips, deputies, and floor leaders. Voters typically have little direct say in who holds these positions. Instead, the legislators themselves usually select their leaders. While the power and authority—and even the names—of leadership positions vary from chamber-to-chamber and state-to-state, leaders in state legislatures generally play influential roles in four, often interconnected, areas: the legislative process, elections, management, and career advancement. Read more about state legislative leadership positions here.

    See also: President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate

    The Senate president pro tem is a common leadership role in state Senate chambers across the country. The president pro tem ranks as the second-highest member of the Senate and presides over Senate sessions in the absence of the Senate president. Generally, the president pro tem is a senior-ranking member of the majority party, though they often ask junior members of the Senate to preside over legislative sessions in their stead. This custom gives new senators a hands-on opportunity to learn the rules and procedures of the chamber.[2][3]

    History

    The position of Senate president pro tem originated in the U.S. Senate as a temporary position to preside over the chamber in the absence of the vice president. At the time, the president pro tem only served through the duration of the vice president's absence. The Senate modified the procedure in 1890 in order to allow the president pro tem to occupy the position continuously, regardless of the vice president's absence.

    The president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate is frequently the senator of the majority party with the longest tenure in office. The senator often remains in the position for as long as their party maintains a majority. The president pro tem ranks third in the line of succession to the presidency, immediately following the vice president and the speaker of the House.[4][5][6]

    Thirty-nine state legislatures operate with Senate presidents pro tem. Depending on the state, these positions may narrowly focus on procedural oversight or may include broader leadership duties. In states where the lieutenant governor also serves as the Senate president, the president pro tem often assumes additional responsibilities. Specific rules of gubernatorial succession also vary by state.[1][7][8]

    Responsibilities

    The senate president pro tem primarily supervises adherence to the chamber's rules and procedures in the absence of the Senate president. Though some states assign additional responsibilities to the position, most Senate presidents pro tem assume any or all of the following procedural duties:[4][7]

    • Presides over the senate sessions and joint sessions of the house and senate in the absence of the senate president
    • Recognizes speakers, introduces bills, and puts forth amendments and motions for debate
    • Decides questions of order, subject to appeal
    • Appoints senators to conference committees and special committees, usually on the recommendation of the senate leaders or committee chairmen
    • Enforces procedure and decorum in the chamber
    • Administers oaths of office

    At the federal level, the president pro tem primarily functions in a supervisory, rather than a leadership, role to ensure that senators abide by the chamber's rules. They may also sign legislation in the absence of the vice president. Under a Republican administration, the senate president pro tem is also an ex officio member of the party's policy committee. Under a Democratic administration, the senate president pro tem is an ex officio member of the party's policy committee, steering committee, and caucus.[2][4]

    At the state level, Senate presidents pro tem may primarily function in supervisory roles, but may also assume broader leadership responsibilities, depending on the state. For example, the president pro tem of the California State Senate also functions as the de-facto leader of the majority party. The president pro tem chairs the Rule Committee and directs the policy agenda through the assignment of bills, the appointment of committee members, and the confirmation of gubernatorial appointees. In the Oklahoma State Senate, the president pro tem assumes similar leadership responsibilities, such as leading the majority caucus, establishing the policy agenda, and appointing senators to floor leadership positions.[9][10]

    Votes

    Since the Senate president pro tem represents the constituency of his or her district, they can vote on all questions before the chamber.[11]

    Tenure

    Selection

    At the federal level, the president pro tem of the U.S. Senate is elected by the members of the Senate body and occupies the position continuously until their party loses majority status or until another senator is elected to the position. The president pro tem is frequently the senator of the majority party with the longest tenure in office.[4]

    At the state level, the senate president pro tem is generally elected by the senators at the beginning of each legislative session. Depending on state rules and precedents, senators may campaign amongst themselves for election to the position.[12]

    Term limits

    See also: State legislatures with term limits

    U.S. Senators are not subject to term limits. State senators are subject to any applicable term limits on elected offices in their respective states.

    In New York, the Senate president pro tem is limited to an eight-year term.[13]

    About state leadership positions

    State legislative leadership refers to a range of different positions, including senate presidents and presidents pro tempore, house and assembly speakers, and minority and majority leaders. These positions are typically elected by the full membership of the chamber instead of by the public at large. Although the power and titles of leadership positions vary between states, these leaders all play a role in the legislative process.


    See also

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Lieutenant Governors Association, "States' Lines of Succession and Gubernatorial Powers," accessed January 31, 2017
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 United States Senate, "President Pro Tempore," accessed January 23, 2017
    3. ↑ Heritage Foundation, "The Heritage Guide to the Constitution—President Pro Tempore," accessed January 23, 2017
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Congressional Research Service, "The President Pro Tempore of the Senate: History and Authority of the Office," accessed January 23, 2017
    5. ↑ Louisiana Senate, "Chapter 3—Officers," accessed January 23, 2017
    6. ↑ Hartford Courant, "Fasano Elected Senate GOP Leader; Looney As Senate President Pro Tem," November 6, 2014
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 National Conference of State Legislatures, "Roles and Responsibilities of Selected Leadership Positions," accessed January 26, 2017
    8. ↑ South Carolina did a way with its Senate president pro tem position in 2018. The State, "One of the most powerful jobs in SC government is going away," December 14, 2018
    9. ↑ California State Legislature, "Leadership," accessed January 23, 2017
    10. ↑ Oklahoma State Senate, "Oklahoma Senate Republicans’ Designate Senator Mike Schulz as Next Pro Tempore," April 27, 2016
    11. ↑ Seattle Times, "Sen. Tim Sheldon picked as president pro-tem of GOP-controlled state Senate," January 6, 2017
    12. ↑ Seven Days, "Campbell to Retire as President Pro Tem; Senators Vie to Replace Him," April 4, 2016
    13. ↑ The New York State Senate, "Senate Passes Term Limits for State Legislative Leadership," January 12, 2016
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