President of the Louisiana State Senate

Last updated
President of the Louisiana State Senate
Incumbent
Cameron Henry
since January 8, 2024
Appointer Louisiana State Senate
Term length Four years
Inaugural holder Julien Poydras
Formation1812
Succession5th

The president of the Louisiana State Senate is the highest-ranking member of the Louisiana State Senate. The president convenes the session and calls members to order, and can designate another state senator as the presiding officer.

Contents

The Louisiana state senate president is fifth in gubernatorial line of succession in Louisiana. [1] The president's counterpart in the lower house of the Louisiana Legislature is the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, currently Republican Phillip DeVillier.

History

The Louisiana Constitution of 1812 did not provide for a lieutenant governor to preside over the state senate and allowed the president of the state senate to succeed the governor. The first senate president to succeed to the governorship was Henry S. Thibodaux, who succeeded to the position in 1824 after the resignation of Governor Thomas B. Robertson. In 1829, Governor Pierre Derbigny died in a carriage accident, allowing for Armand Beauvais to become acting governor. Beauvais resigned after only three months in 1830 to run in the special election to fill the post. The new senate president, Jacques Dupré, became the new acting governor until he resigned in 1831 and was replaced by governor-elect André B. Roman.

In the Louisiana Constitution of 1846, the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana assumed the functions of the state senate presidency. During the Civil War there were two lieutenant governors, one union, and one confederate, as there were two separate state governments. The lieutenant governor presided over the Louisiana State Senate from 1853 until the adoption of the Louisiana constitution of 1974. In past years, the president of the state Senate was selected by the governor from among the state senators and was confirmed by their vote. Since 2016, legislators have exerted independence from the governor and chosen their own leaders.

Powers and duties

Although the president is not the only state senator that can serve as a presiding officer, he holds the power to assign the presiding officer in his absence. [2] During session, the presiding officer controls the flow of debate on the Senate floor, and decides questions of order. [2]

The president controls the state senate offices and chamber, determines the physical arrangement and security of the chamber and committee rooms. [3]

As a state senator, the president is entitled to participate in debate and to vote. [2]

According to Article 4, Section 14, of the Louisiana Constitution, the president is fifth in the gubernatorial line of succession. [1]

List of presidents since 1812

#PresidentPartyStart of serviceEnd of service
1 Julien Poydras Democratic-Republican 18121813
2 Fulwar Skipwith Democratic-Republican 18141815
3 Nathaniel Meriam Democratic-Republican 18161819
4 Julien Poydras Democratic-Republican 18201821
5 Bernard de Marigny Democratic-Republican 18221822
6 Henry S. Thibodaux National Republican 18231826
7 Armand Beauvais National Republican 18271829
8 Jacques Dupré Whig 18301830
9 Isaac A. Smith Whig 18301831
10 Charles Derbigny Whig 18321837
11 Joseph E. Johnston Whig 18381838
12 Jacques Dupré Whig 18381838
13 Felix Garcia Whig 18391845
14 Trasimond Landry Democratic 18461850
15 Jean Baptiste Plauché Democratic 18501853
16 W. W. Farmer Democratic 18531854
17 Robert C. Wickliffe Democratic 18541856
18 Charles H. Mouton Democratic 18561856
19 William F. Griffin Democratic 18561860
20 Henry M. Hyams Democratic 18601864
21 Benjamin W. Pearce Democratic 18641865
22 J. Madison Wells Republican 18641864
23 Charles Smith Republican 18641864
24 Charles W. Boyce Republican 18641864
25 Louis Gastinel Republican 18641865
26 Victor Burthe Democratic 18651865
27 Albert Voorhies Democratic 18661867
28 Oscar J. Dunn Republican 18681871
29 P. B. S. Pinchback Republican 18711872
30 A. B. Harris Republican 18721873
31 C. C. Antoine Republican 18731877
32 Louis A. Wiltz Democratic 18771880
33 Samuel Douglas McEnery Democratic 18801881
34 W. A. Robertson Democratic 18811881
35 George L. Walton Democratic 18811884
36 Clay Knobloch Democratic 18841888
37 James Jeffries Democratic 18881892
38 Charles Parlange Democratic 18921893
39 Hiram R. Lott Democratic 18931896
40 Robert H. Snyder Democratic 18961900
41 Albert Estopinal Democratic 19001904
42 Jared Y. Sanders, Sr. Democratic 19041908
43 Paul M. Lambremont Democratic 19081912
44 Thomas C. Barret Democratic 19121916
45 Fernand Mouton Democratic 19161920
46 Hewitt Bouanchaud Democratic 19201924
47 Delos R. Johnson Democratic 19241924
48 Oramel H. Simpson Democratic 19241926
49 Philip H. Gilbert Democratic 19261928
50 Paul N. Cyr Democratic 19321931
51 Alvin Olin King Democratic 19311932
52 John B. Fournet Democratic 19321935
53 Thomas C. Wingate Democratic 19351935
54 James A. Noe Democratic 19351936
55 Earl K. Long Democratic 19361939
56 Coleman Lindsey Democratic 19391940
57 Marc M. Mouton Democratic 19401944
58 J. Emile Verret Democratic 19441948
59 William J. Dodd Democratic 19481952
60 C. E. "Cap" Barham Democratic 19521956
61 Lether Frazar Democratic 19561960
62 C. C. "Taddy" Aycock Democratic 19601972
63 James E. Fitzmorris, Jr. Democratic 19721976
64 Michael H. O'Keefe Democratic 19761983
65 Samuel B. Nunez, Jr. Democratic 19831988
66 Allen Bares Democratic 19881990
67 Samuel B. Nunez, Jr. Democratic 19901996
68 Randy L. Ewing Democratic 19962000
69 John J. Hainkel, Jr. Republican 20002004
70 Donald E. Hines, M.D. Democratic 20042008
71 Joel T. Chaisson, II Democratic 20082012
72 John A. Alario, Jr. Republican 20122020
73 Patrick Page Cortez Republican 20202024
74 Cameron Henry Republican 2024Incumbent

President pro tempore

The President pro tempore is appointed in the same way as the president. The President pro tempore acts as presiding officer in the absence of the president. If the chair is ever permanently vacated the President pro tempore acts as the temporary presiding officer until the Senate elects a new president. The President pro tempore, though not vested with much power, is usually a senior and influence senator. The position has existed since the foundation of the Senate in 1812, but it did not become a permanent position until 1880.

List of presidents pro tempore since 1880

#President pro temporePartyStart of serviceEnd of service
1 W. A. Robertson Democratic 18801881
2 George L. Walton Democratic 18811884
3 Robert C. Davey Democratic 18841888
4 Murphy J. Foster Democratic 18881892
5 Hiram R. Lott Democratic 18921896
6 Albert Estopinal Democratic 18961900
7 Hugh C. Cage Democratic 19001904
8 Paul M. Lambremont Democratic 19041908
9 Thomas C. Barret Democratic 19081912
10 Joseph Voegtle Democratic 19121913
11 A. K. Amacker Democratic 19131916
12 E. M. Stafford Democratic 19161920
13 Delos R. Johnson Democratic 19201924
14 Philip H. Gilbert Democratic 19241928
15 Alvin Olin King Democratic 19281932
16 Thomas C. Wingate Democratic 19321935
17 James A. Noe Democratic 19351936
18 Coleman Lindsey Democratic 19361940
19 Frank B. Ellis Democratic 19401944
20 Grove Stafford Democratic 19441948
21 Dudley J. LeBlanc Democratic 19481952
22 Robert A. Ainsworth Jr. Democratic 19521956
23 W. J. Cleveland Democratic 19561960
24 Robert A. Ainsworth Jr. Democratic 19601961
25 Sylvan Friedman Democratic 19611964
26 E. W. Gravolet, Jr. Democratic 19641968
27 Jamar W. Adcock Democratic 19681972
28 Michael H. O’Keefe Democratic 19721976
29 Edgar G. Mouton Democratic 19761980
30 Samuel B. Nunez, Jr. Democratic 19801983
31 Theodore M. Hickey Democratic 19831984
32 Thomas H. Hudson Democratic 19841988
33 Samuel B. Nunez, Jr. Democratic 19881990
34 Leonard J. Chabert Democratic 19901992
35 Dennis R. Bagneris, Sr. Democratic 19921999
36 Ronald Clarence Bean Republican 19992000
37 Louis J. Lambert Democratic 20002004
38 Diana E. Bajoie Democratic 20042008
39 Sharon Weston Broome Democratic 20082016
40 Gerald Long Republican 20162020
41 Beth Mizell Republican 20202024
42 Regina Barrow Democratic 2024Incumbent

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Louisiana Constitution, Article 4, Section 14 (accessed August 15, 2013)
  2. 1 2 3 Rules of Order, Chapter 3: Officers, Louisiana Legislature. (accessed August 15, 2013)
  3. Rules of Order, CHAPTER 1. SENATE CHAMBER, FLOOR AND OTHER PHYSICAL FACILITIES, Oklahoma Legislature. (accessed August 15, 2013)