Massachusetts Senate

For a list of previous senators, see List of Massachusetts Senate delegations.
Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts General Court
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
November 10, 2015
Leadership
Stanley Rosenberg (D)
Since January 7, 2015
President pro Tempore
Marc Pacheco (D)
Since January 21, 2015
Majority Leader
Harriette Chandler (D)
Since January 21, 2015
Minority Leader
Bruce Tarr (R)
Since January 5, 2011
Structure
Seats 40
Political groups
  Democratic: (34)
  Republican: (6)
Length of term
2 years
Authority Chapter 1, Massachusetts Constitution
Salary $58,237.15/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 4, 2014
(40 seats)
Next election
November 8, 2016
(40 seats)
Redistricting Legislative Control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Massachusetts State House
Boston, Massachusetts
Website
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.

The current session is the 189th General Court, which convened January 7, 2015. It consists of 34 Democrats and 6 Republicans. The President of the Senate is Stanley Rosenberg of Amherst. The Senate Minority Leader, from the Republican Party, is Bruce Tarr of Gloucester. The last state general election was on November 4, 2014.


Party control

Democrats hold a supermajority in the Senate.

Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Vacant
Start of 189th General Court 34 6 40 0
June 25, 2016[2] 33 39 1
November 10, 2015[3] 34 40 0
January 4, 2016[4] 5 39 1
January 21, 2016[5] 33 38 2
May 18, 2016[6] 34 6 40 0
Latest voting share 85% 15%
Composition by municipality in the 187th General Court.
Composition by municipality in the 189th General Court.

Leadership

Position Name Party Residence District
President Stanley Rosenberg Democratic Amherst Hampshire, Franklin & Worcester
Minority Leader Bruce Tarr Republican Gloucester 1st Essex and Middlesex

Members

Current members of the Senate, sorted by district name:

Senator Party District Home Town/City Assumed office
Downing, BenjaminBenjamin Downing   Dem BeHsFHdBerkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Pittsfield 2007
Timilty, JamesJames Timilty   Dem BrNBristol and Norfolk Walpole 2005
Rodrigues, MichaelMichael Rodrigues   Dem BrP11st Bristol and Plymouth Westport 2011
Montigny, MarkMark Montigny   Dem BrP22nd Bristol and Plymouth New Bedford 1993
Wolf, DanDan Wolf   Dem CICape and Islands Harwich 2011
Ives, Kathleen O'ConnorKathleen O'Connor Ives   Dem E11st Essex Newburyport 2013
Lovely, JoanJoan Lovely   Demo E22nd Essex Salem 2013
McGee, Thomas M.Thomas M. McGee   Dem E33rd Essex Lynn 2002*
Tarr, BruceBruce Tarr   Rep EM11st Essex and Middlesex Gloucester 1995
L'Italien, BarbaraBarbara L'Italien   Dem EM22nd Essex and Middlesex Andover 2015
Welch, James T.James T. Welch   Dem HdHampden West Springfield 2011
Lesser, EricEric Lesser   Dem HdHs11st Hampden and Hampshire Longmeadow 2015
Humason, Jr., DonaldDonald Humason, Jr.   Rep HdHs22nd Hampden and Hampshire Westfield 2013*
Rosenberg, StanleyStanley Rosenberg   Dem HsFWHampshire and Franklin and Worcester Amherst 1991*
Donoghue, EileenEileen Donoghue   Dem M11st Middlesex Lowell 2011
Jehlen, Patricia D.Patricia D. Jehlen   Dem M22nd Middlesex Somerville 2005*
Barrett, Michael J.Michael J. Barrett   Dem M33rd Middlesex Lexington 2013
Donnelly, KenKen Donnelly   Dem M44th Middlesex Arlington 2009
Lewis, JasonJason Lewis   Dem M55th Middlesex Winchester 2014*
Creem, Cynthia StoneCynthia Stone Creem   Dem MN11st Middlesex and Norfolk Newton 1999
Spilka, KarenKaren Spilka   Dem MN22nd Middlesex and Norfolk Ashland 2005
DiDomenico, SalSal DiDomenico   Dem MSMiddlesex and Suffolk Everett 2010*
Eldridge, James B.James B. Eldridge   Dem MWMiddlesex and Worcester Acton 2009
Ross, RichardRichard Ross   Rep NBrMNorfolk, Bristol and Middlesex Wrentham 2010*
Joyce, BrianBrian Joyce   Dem NBrPNorfolk, Bristol and Plymouth Milton 1998*
Keenan, JohnJohn Keenan   Dem NPNorfolk and Plymouth Quincy 2011
Rush, Michael F.Michael F. Rush   Dem NSNorfolk and Suffolk Boston 2011
deMacedo, VinnyVinny deMacedo   Rep PBaPlymouth and Barnstable Plymouth 2015
Pacheco, MarcMarc Pacheco   Dem PBr11st Plymouth and Bristol Taunton 1993
Brady, MichaelMichael Brady   Dem PBr22nd Plymouth and Bristol Brockton 2015*
O'Connor, PatrickPatrick O'Connor   Rep PNPlymouth and Norfolk 2016*
Forry, Linda DorcenaLinda Dorcena Forry   Dem S11st Suffolk Boston 2013*
Chang-Diaz, SoniaSonia Chang-Diaz   Dem S22nd Suffolk Boston 2009
Boncore, Joseph A.Joseph A. Boncore   Dem SM11st Suffolk and Middlesex 2016*
Will Brownsberger   Dem SM22nd Suffolk and Middlesex Belmont 2012*
Chandler, HarrietteHarriette Chandler   Dem W11st Worcester Worcester 2001
Moore, Michael O.Michael O. Moore   Dem W22nd Worcester Millbury 2009
Gobi, AnneAnne Gobi   Dem WHdHsMWorcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex Spencer 2015
Flanagan, JenniferJennifer Flanagan   Dem WMWorcester and Middlesex Leominster 2009
Fattman, RyanRyan Fattman   Rep WNWorcester and Norfolk Webster 2015
  • *Originally elected in a special election

Notes

    See also

    References

    1. Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Article LXXXII.
    2. Democrat Thomas P. Kennedy (2nd Plymouth and Bristol) died.
    3. Democrat Michael Brady sworn in to succeed Kennedy.
    4. Republican Robert L. Hedlund (Plymouth and Norfolk) resigned after being elected Mayor of Weymouth.
    5. Democrat Anthony Petruccelli (1st Suffolk and Middlesex) resigned after accepting a job in the private sector.
    6. Republican Patrick O' Connor and Democrat Joseph Boncore sworn in to succeed Hedlund and Petruccelli, respectively.

    Further reading

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