33°26′53″N 112°5′45″W / 33.44806°N 112.09583°W / 33.44806; -112.09583
47-540: Minority The Arizona State Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature , the state legislature of the US state of Arizona . The Senate consists of 30 members each representing an average of 219,859 constituents (2009 figures). Members serve two-year terms with term limits that limit Senators to a maximum four consecutive terms (eight years) before requiring a one-term respite prior to running again. Members of
94-426: A bill draft to the sponsor or requester and if directed, will prepare the bill for introduction. Bills undergo three or four readings during the legislative process. After the first reading, they are assigned to committee. Committees can amend measures or hold legislation and prevent it from advancing. Once committee action is completed, the bill undergoes a second hearing and a third hearing, which happens just before
141-563: A dozen. As one of the final attempts at compromise to avoid the Civil War , in December 1860, a U.S. House of Representatives committee proposed to admit New Mexico as a slave state immediately. Although the measure was approved by the committee on December 29, 1860, Southern representatives did not take up this offer. Many had already left Congress due to the imminent declarations of secession by their states. On February 24, 1863, during
188-514: A more easily constructed route for a future southern transcontinental railroad line (second of the routes) for the future Southern Pacific Railroad , constructed later in 1881/1883. The Colorado Territory was established by the " Colorado Organic Act " on February 28, 1861, with the same boundaries that would ultimately constitute the State of Colorado . This Act removed the Colorado lands from
235-409: A piece of legislation approved by both houses is forwarded to the governor, it may either be signed or vetoed. If it is signed, it takes effect on the effective date of the legislation. If it is vetoed, lawmakers may override the veto with a vote by a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Alternatively, instead of presenting the measure to the governor, the legislature may order that it be submitted to
282-460: A provision to recall judges that caused an initial veto by President Taft. A few months later, illustrating Arizona's independent streak, voters reinstated the provision permitting the recall of judges. Arizona's first legislature had 19 state senators and 35 state representatives and convened March 18, 1912. The legislature met on a biennial basis until 1950, when a constitutional amendment provided for annual sessions . The Arizona Legislature
329-652: A seat in the other house. Republicans have narrow two-seat majorities in the House and Senate, and all 90 seats of the Legislature are up for re-election on November 5, 2024. Congress formed the New Mexico Territory in 1850, consisting of the land that is now Arizona north of the Gila River , along with what is now New Mexico , parts of Colorado and Nevada . In 1853, the territory expanded under
376-517: A single constituency is known as nesting and is found in only seven U.S. state legislatures: Arizona, Idaho , Maryland , New Jersey , North Dakota , South Dakota , and Washington . To run for either the House or Senate within the Arizona State Legislature, you must be at least 25 years of age, a district resident for a minimum of one year, a U.S. citizen, and an Arizona resident for at least three years. Additionally, it
423-608: A state constitution that prohibited slavery . The request was approved at the same time that the Utah Territory was created to the north. The proposed state boundaries were to extend as far east as the 100th meridian West and as far north as the Arkansas River , thus encompassing the present-day Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and parts of present-day Kansas , Colorado , Utah , and Arizona , as well as most of present-day New Mexico . The state of Texas (admitted to
470-405: Is required to file several documents to qualify on the ballot, including a Statement of Interest, Nomination Paper, Financial Disclosure Statement, and Nomination Petitions. As of January 2, 2024, candidates seeking office without a designated political party affiliation must get a minimum of one half of 1% of all qualified Arizona voters' signatures, while those with no party affiliation must collect
517-582: Is responsible for calling members to order, maintaining order and decorum, appointing the Speaker Pro Tempore, signing writs, warrants, subpoenas, resolutions, and more. Arizona House of Representatives leadership: There are 30 legislative districts in Arizona, each of which is a multi-member constituency. Each district elects a state senator and two state representatives for a two-year term. The combining of upper and lower house districts into
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#1732776616439564-450: Is responsible for making laws in the state of Arizona . The first step in the legislative process is bill drafting. First, legislators must submit a bill request to the legislative council staff. Additionally, a legislator-elect may submit a bill request or private citizens can obtain authorization from a legislator to use the legislator's name before giving instructions to the legislative council staff. The legislative council staff delivers
611-609: The Confederate States in 1861 as the newly organized Confederate Territory of Arizona , with a representative delegate to the Confederate Congress in the capital of Richmond . This territory consisted of the southern half of the earlier Federal New Mexico Territory of 1851 and was in contrast to the later Federal Arizona Territory established by the Union in 1863, which was the western half split off from
658-772: The Federals with their Union Army . However, the government and leadership of Confederate Arizona persisted until the end of the Civil War in June 1865 with the surrender of the Trans-Mississippi Department , living in exile in El Paso, Texas with its delegate still in Richmond. A coat of arms of New Mexico was adopted by the territorial legislature in 1887, formalizing an earlier design, introduced in
705-988: The Gadsden Purchase agreement by nearly 30,000 square miles of land south of the Gila River in Arizona, forming the state’s boundary with Mexico . In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Arizona Organic Act creating the Territory of Arizona . In 1864, the First Territorial Legislature convened in Prescott , the territory’s first capital . The capital moved from Prescott to Tucson and back to Prescott before being permanently established in Phoenix in 1889. On June 20, 1910, President William Howard Taft signed
752-582: The Republican Party are currently the majority in the Senate. There are currently 16 women serving in the Senate after Raquel Terán was appointed, making it the first time a majority of the body was composed of female members. As with the Arizona House of Representatives , members to the Senate are elected from the same legislative districts as House members; however, one senator represents
799-691: The Senate . Composed of 90 legislators, the state legislature meets in the Capitol Complex in the state capital of Phoenix . Created by the Arizona Constitution upon statehood in 1912, the Arizona State Legislature met biennially until 1950. Since then they meet annually. The state is divided into 30 legislative districts, each of which elects one senator and two representatives. Legislators are term-limited to eight consecutive years in office, but can run again after two years, or run for
846-401: The president of the Senate , who presides over the body, appoints members to all of the Senate's committees and to joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. The Senate president also appoints a president pro tempore , who serves for the duration of a session of the legislature, to preside in their absence, and may appoint a temporary president pro tempore in
893-481: The "Venta de La Mesilla" or the "Sale of La Mesilla"), arranged by the then-American ambassador to Mexico, James Gadsden . This added today's southern strip of Arizona and a smaller area in today's southwestern New Mexico to the New Mexico Territory, bringing its land area to the maximum size achieved in its history as an organized territory. The land of 29,640 square miles (76,800 km ) provided
940-515: The Arizona Senate are as follows: Arizona Legislature 33°26′53″N 112°5′47″W / 33.44806°N 112.09639°W / 33.44806; -112.09639 The Arizona State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona . It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house , the House of Representatives , and an upper house ,
987-550: The Civil War, Congress passed the " Arizona Organic Act ", which split off the western portion of the 12-year-old New Mexico Territory, establishing the new Arizona Territory , where it abolished slavery. As in New Mexico, slavery was already extremely limited, due to earlier Mexican traditions, laws, and patterns of settlement. The northwestern corner of New Mexico Territory was included in Arizona Territory until it
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#17327766164391034-561: The Enabling Act, allowing the Arizona Territory to hold a constitutional convention . Elected Arizona delegates convened in Phoenix at the territorial capitol on October 10, 1910, to draft the Arizona Constitution . Although constitutional provisions for prohibition and women’s suffrage were rejected, voters added both within three years of statehood. The new constitution was ratified by voters on February 9, 1911, and Arizona statehood took place on February 14, 1912, after eliminating
1081-537: The New Mexico Territory were Catholic . In the 1910 United States census , 26 counties in the New Mexico Territory reported the following population counts (after 7 reported the following counts in the 1850 United States census ): As the route to California , New Mexico Territory was disputed territory during the American Civil War . Settlers in the southern part of the Territory willingly joined
1128-590: The New Mexico Territory with boundaries identical to the eventual State of New Mexico for a half-century until admitted to the Union in 1912 as the 47th state (followed just under six weeks later by the Arizona Territory / State of Arizona , which became the 48th state, finally filling out the coast-to-coast continental expanse of the United States). In 1850, all 73 churches with regular services in
1175-493: The New Mexico Territory. The creation of the Union Arizona Territory (two years after the ill-fated Confederate Arizona Territory ) by the " Arizona Organic Act " on February 24, 1863, removed all the land west of the 109th meridian from the New Mexico Territory, i.e. the entire present-day State of Arizona plus the land that would become the southern part of the State of Nevada in 1864. This Act left
1222-551: The US in 1845) strongly criticized this plan, as it claimed much of the same territory, although it did not control these lands. In addition, slaveholders worried about not being able to expand slavery to the west of their current slave states. The Compromise of 1850 put an end to the push for immediate New Mexico statehood. Approved by the United States Congress in September 1850, the legislation provided for
1269-488: The absence of the president and president pro tempore. The current president of the Senate is Republican Warren Petersen of district 14, the Senate Majority Leader is Sonny Borrelli of district 30. The current minority leader is Mitzi Epstein of district 12 with Juan Mendez of district 8 as the assistant minority leader. † Member was originally appointed. The current standing committees of
1316-624: The body of the Arizona Senate. Duties include, but are not limited to: calling legislative sessions to order, controlling the Senate Chamber, appointing all standing committees, maintaining order and decorum, signing all acts, writs, subpoenas, resolutions, and more. Arizona Senate leadership: The body of the Arizona House of Representatives is led by the Speaker, who the members of the House elect from their membership. The Speaker
1363-484: The constituency, while for the House there are two Representatives per district. This districting system is similar to those of the Idaho and Washington State Senate . In political science, this type of legislative district is called a multi-member district . Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal United States Senate , the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to
1410-624: The contiguous United States. In 1846, during the Mexican–American War , the United States established a provisional government of New Mexico . Territorial boundaries were somewhat ambiguous. After the Mexican Republic formally ceded the region to the United States in 1848, this temporary wartime/military government operated until September 9, 1850. Earlier in 1850, organizers proposing New Mexico for statehood had drafted
1457-420: The eagles, and above that, on a scroll, the motto: Crescit Eundo . That the great seal of the territory have the coat of arms thereon, being the same seal now used by the secretary of the territory, and that the same be adopted and established as the official seal and coat of arms of the territory of New Mexico. The "American" bald eagle 's outstretched wings over the smaller "Mexican" harpy eagle represents
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1504-603: The early 1860s, already used in the territory's great seal . The legislation, titled "An Act adopting and establishing the coat of arms and great seal of the territory", was approved by Governor Edmund G. Ross on February 1: The coat of arms of the territory of New Mexico shall be the Mexican Eagle grasping a serpent in its beak, the cactus in its talons, shielded by the American eagle with outspread wings, and grasping arrows in its talons. The date MDCCCL [1850], under
1551-450: The eastern corners of NM southern bootheel ( Hidalgo County ) at 31°47′02″N 108°12′31″W / 31.78378°N 108.20854°W / 31.78378; -108.20854 , and the west bank of Rio Grande at 31°47′02″N 106°31′43″W / 31.78377°N 106.52864°W / 31.78377; -106.52864 . The boundaries of the New Mexico Territory at the time of establishment (September 9, 1850) contained most of
1598-484: The establishment of New Mexico Territory and Utah Territory . It also defined the disputed western boundary of Texas . During the territorial period, the status of slavery provoked considerable debate. Congress was sharply divided on the slavery issue, with Southern representatives determined to protect their options for expansion of slavery in the West. Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois and others maintained that
1645-400: The floor vote on it. The bill is then sent to the opposite legislative house for consideration. If approved, without amendment, it is sent to the governor. If there is amendment, however, the first legislative house may either reconsider the bill with amendments or ask for the establishment of a conference committee to work out differences in the versions of the bill passed by each chamber. Once
1692-426: The limit, former members are re-eligible for election after a 2-year respite. Members who are term-limited in one house frequently seek election to other positions within the state. Party division of the legislature since the 1996 elections: New Mexico Territory The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It
1739-506: The original U.S. New Mexico Territory. The short-lived Confederate Arizona Territory was the first American territorial entity to be called "Arizona". The Battle of Glorieta Pass in May 1862, following the retreat of Texan Confederate forces back south to El Paso , placed the area of the Rio Grande valley and eastern New Mexico Territory with the capital of Santa Fe under the control of
1786-458: The other hand, lawmakers living outside of Maricopa County receive a $ 238 per diem for their first 120 days, which is then cut in half to $ 119 per day. On November 3, 1992, Arizona voters overwhelmingly approved Arizona Proposition 107, which subject U.S. senators and representatives, state executive officials, and state legislators to term limits . Members may only serve four consecutive terms (or eight years) in each house; however, once serving
1833-554: The parallel of 31° 20' north latitude; thence along the said parallel of 31° 20' to the 111th meridian of longitude west of Greenwich 31°20′N 111°0′W / 31.333°N 111.000°W / 31.333; -111.000 ; thence in a straight line to a point on the Colorado River twenty English miles below the junction of the Gila and Colorado rivers; thence up the middle of the said river Colorado until it intersects
1880-487: The people. If the measure is approved by the people, the Governor has no power to veto it, and the legislature may not repeal it, and may not amend it unless the amending legislation furthers the purposes of such measure and at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature, by a roll call of ayes and nays, vote to amend such measure. The President of the Senate, chosen from Senate membership, chairs
1927-709: The present line between the United States and Mexico." The new border included a few miles of the Colorado River at the western end; the remaining land portion consisted of line segments between points, including 32°29′38″N 114°48′47″W / 32.49399°N 114.813043°W / 32.49399; -114.813043 at the Colorado River, west of Nogales at 31°19′56″N 111°04′27″W / 31.33214°N 111.07423°W / 31.33214; -111.07423 , near AZ-NM-Mexico tripoint at 31°19′56″N 109°03′02″W / 31.332099°N 109.05047°W / 31.332099; -109.05047 ,
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1974-503: The present-day State of New Mexico , more than half of the present-day State of Arizona , and portions of the present-day states of Colorado and Nevada . Although this area was smaller than what had been included in the failed statehood proposal of early 1850, the boundary disputes with Texas had been dispelled by the Compromise of 1850 . The Gadsden Purchase was acquired by the United States from Mexico in 1853/1854 (known as
2021-614: The signatures of at least 3% of registered voters who also have no party affiliation. The annual base salary for all members of the Arizona State Legislature is $ 24,000. They have not received a raise since 1998. Members receive additional compensation for business expenses related to traveling and staying in the Arizona state capital of Phoenix located in Maricopa County. Lawmakers living in Maricopa County receive $ 35 per day in subsistence and mileage payments for their first 120 days in office, dropping to $ 10 per day subsequently. On
2068-663: The state cabinet, commissions and boards. The Senate convenes in the adjacent legislative chambers at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix . Arizona , along with Oregon , Maine , New Hampshire and Wyoming , is one of the five U.S. states to have abolished the Office of the Lieutenant Governor , the nominal senate president in many states. As a result, the Senate elects its own presiding officer,
2115-518: The territory could not restrict slavery, as under the earlier Missouri Compromise . Others, including Abraham Lincoln , insisted that older Mexican Republic legal traditions of the territory, which abolished black slavery in 1834, took precedence and should be continued. (Indian slavery had been abolished in Spanish colonies in 1769.) Regardless of the official status, slavery was rare in antebellum New Mexico. Black slaves never numbered more than about
2162-502: Was added to the southernmost part of the newly admitted State of Nevada in 1864. Eventually, Arizona Territory was admitted in 1912 as the State of Arizona . The Purchase treaty defined the new border as "up the middle of that river (the Rio Grande ) to the point where the parallel of 31° 47' north latitude crosses the same 31°47′0″N 106°31′41.5″W / 31.78333°N 106.528194°W / 31.78333; -106.528194 ; thence due west one hundred miles; thence south to
2209-541: Was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico , as a result of Nuevo México becoming part of the American frontier after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . It existed with varying boundaries until the territory was admitted to the Union as the U.S. state of New Mexico in 1912. This jurisdiction was an organized, incorporated territory of the US for nearly 62 years, the longest period of any territory in
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