30-875: John Campbell McLaurin was an American soldier, lawyer, and politician from Mississippi. He served in the Mississippi Senate . McLaurin was born on September 2, 1926, in Brandon, Mississippi to Robert Sylvester and Mildred Hannah McLaurin. He attended University of Mississippi , then served in World War II . After leaving military service in 1946, he attended University of Mississippi School of Law , from which he graduated in 1948. He worked for Gulf Oil Company briefly before entering private law practice in 1955. He remained with his firm McLaurin & McLaurin until his retirement in 1991. He served as mayor of Brandon, Mississippi from 1956 to 1960. He represented
60-664: A doorkeeper. The President Pro Tempore chairs the Senate Rules Committee, oversees the day-to-day operations of the Senate staff, and assumes the responsibilities of the president in their absence. Although the Democratic Party retained their majority in the Senate after the 2003 general election, a party switch by Democratic Senator James Shannon Walley of Leakesville in January 2007 threw control of
90-471: A member with a two-thirds vote of its membership. A majority in the Senate establishes a quorum, though less members can adjourn, though not for more than 3 days without the House's consent. Bills can originate in the Senate and must undergo three readings in each house, unless two-thirds of the house dispenses with the rules. Amendments to bills must be approved by both houses. The Senate, in conjunction with
120-426: A result of their powers over committee composition and bill referrals, the official can wield wide authority over the progress of legislation in the Senate; historically, lieutenant governors have enjoyed the ability to pass most bills they favor through the Senate and block most they dislike. The constitution empowers the lieutenant governor to participate in legislative debates and to cast tie-breaking votes both in
150-468: A super-senator, vested with sufficient legislative authority to virtually dominate the entire Senate." Following a reduction in the powers of the speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives that year, a group of senators unsuccessfully attempted to strip the lieutenant governor of their power to appoint committees and refer bills to them. In 1992 the constitution was amended to limit
180-491: Is constitutionally-mandated to meet for 125 days every four years at the start of a new term and 90 days in other years. The Senate reconvenes on a yearly basis on the Tuesday after the first Monday in January. While the Mississippi House of Representatives can extend its sessions, the Senate cannot. The Senate has the authority to determine rules of its own proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and expel
210-675: Is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature , the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi . The Senate, along with the lower Mississippi House of Representatives , convenes at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson . The Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi serves as President of the Senate. The Senate is composed of 52 senators representing an equal number of constituent districts, with 56,947 people per district (2020 census). In
240-400: Is the second-highest ranking elected executive officer in the U.S. state of Mississippi , below the governor of Mississippi , and is the only official in the state to be a member of two branches of state government. The office of lieutenant governor was established when Mississippi became a state in 1817, abolished for a few decades in the first half of the 19th century, and restored later in
270-589: The 2020 census, each district has about 56,947 people. To qualify for election, candidates must be at least 25 years old, a qualified elector of the state for the past four years, and be a resident of the district or county they are running to represent for the past two years. All candidates must pay either a $ 250 fee to their state party executive committee or to the Mississippi Secretary of State if they are running as an independent. Independent candidates must collect 50 signatures to run. Elections to
300-562: The 5th district in the Mississippi State Senate from 1960 to 1964. In 1963, he ran for state attorney general, but lost. According to his campaign ads, he was a pro- segregration Democrat. McLaurin died on June 26, 2004, at his home in Brandon, Mississippi. This article about a Mississippi politician is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mississippi Senate The Mississippi State Senate
330-466: The House of Representatives. All gubernatorial appointments are subject to approval of the Senate. The President of the Senate is Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann , who is Republican . The President pro tempore is Republican Dean Kirby . The Minority Leader is Democrat Derrick Simmons . The Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi serves as the President of the Senate and has
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#1732797450676360-518: The Mississippi House of Representatives, draws and approves both congressional and district boundaries. The congressional boundaries can be vetoed by the governor, while the district boundaries, created by a joint resolution between both houses, cannot be vetoed by the governor. The governor has the power to veto legislation, but legislators can override the veto with a two-thirds decision. The Senate tries all impeachments referred to it by
390-756: The Republicans a de facto majority, with Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant holding the tiebreaker vote. After another party switch in February 2011, the Republicans expanded their majority to 27–24, with one vacancy. As of 2024, the Mississippi Senate has 36 Republican members and 16 Democratic members. Since 1833 the Senate has had 55 Presidents pro tempore: 32°18′14″N 90°10′56″W / 32.30389°N 90.18222°W / 32.30389; -90.18222 Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi The lieutenant governor of Mississippi
420-645: The Senate and in joint resolutions of both houses of the State Legislature. As presiding officer in the Senate, they rule on points of order, sign all passed bills, and are entitled to serve on the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. They are also empowered to appoint two of the members of the Mississippi Board of Education . In the event the incumbent governor of Mississippi dies, is incapacitated, or leaves
450-459: The Senate are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November during the state general elections. If a vacancy occurs in the Senate before June 1, the governor must order an election within 30 days after the vacancy and give a 40-day notice to the appropriate counties where the seat is located. No special election occurs if the vacancy happens after June 1. The state legislature
480-426: The body. They are empowered by Senate rules to determine the composition of its committees and refer bills to them. Lieutenant governors have used this power to exert wide influence over the progress of legislation. In the event of a temporary or permanent vacancy in the governorship, the lieutenant governor assumes the higher office's responsibilities as acting governor. The office of lieutenant governor of Mississippi
510-407: The century. The lieutenant governor serves a four-year term with a two consecutive term limit. The current lieutenant governor is Delbert Hosemann , a Republican , who has held the office since 2020. The lieutenant governor is constitutionally ex officio President of the Mississippi State Senate . As such, they rule on points of order, sign all passed bills , and can cast tie-breaking votes in
540-629: The chamber to the Republicans . Because the Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck was a Republican, this gave Republicans control of the Senate for the first time since Reconstruction and a de facto majority only on a tie vote. In the November 6, 2007 statewide elections, Democrats won back control of the chamber, however party switches from Senators Nolan Mettetal in February 2008 and Cindy Hyde-Smith in December 2010 gave
570-607: The current legislative session, the Republican Party holds 36 seats while the Democratic Party holds 16 seats, creating a Republican trifecta in the state government. The Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions, and boards and can create and amend bills. According to the current Mississippi Constitution , the Senate is to be composed of no more than 52 members elected for four-year terms with no term limits . Districts are reapportioned to reflect population changes, and per
600-493: The legality of his legislative prerogatives on the grounds that they violated the separation of powers language in the state constitution. The case escalated to the Mississippi Supreme Court , which ruled in 1987 that the Senate could award significant legislative powers to the official at its wish. One justice dissented, arguing that the ruling made the lieutenant governor "a powerful legislative creature,
630-423: The lieutenant governor collects the same pay as the governor. They maintain an office on the third floor of the Mississippi State Capitol . No party Democratic Republican Haley Barbour (Republican) Italics indicate next-in-line of succession for states and territories without a directly elected lieutenant governor or whose lieutenant governor office
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#1732797450676660-508: The lieutenant governor through its rules to determine the composition of its committees and refer bills to them. Historically, the lieutenant governor has determined the composition of all Senate committees except the Rules Committee, of which they are a member. As the Mississippi Senate has no seniority system, lieutenant governors are relatively unrestricted in appointing committees that suit their personal policy preferences. As
690-477: The most powerful such officers in the country. The lieutenant governor is the only official in Mississippi to be a member of two branches of state government, legislative and executive ; the Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled this state of affairs an exception to Mississippi's general separation of powers doctrine. They are constitutionally ex officio President of the Senate, while the Senate empowers
720-510: The office holder to serving two consecutive terms. Following the assumption of office of Republican Phil Bryant in 2007, several Democrats in the Senate considered restricting his position's powers, but ultimately did not follow through on their proposals. The incumbent lieutenant governor, Delbert Hosemann , was sworn-in to the office on January 9, 2020. Like the seats in the Mississippi State Legislature and
750-553: The other seven statewide-elected offices, the Mississippi lieutenant governor is popularly elected every four years in the November preceding a United States presidential election year. The lieutenant governor is elected independently of the governor and candidates' qualifications for the former office are the same as for the latter. They serve a four-year term and are limited to serving two consecutive terms in office, with no limits on nonconsecutive terms. Political scientists often describe Mississippi's lieutenant governor as one of
780-488: The sole ability to appoint the chairmanships or vice chairmanships of various Senate committees, regardless of party size. They can only cast a legislative vote if required to break a tie. In his or her absence, the President Pro Tempore presides over the Senate. The President Pro Tempore is elected by a majority of senators present, with following elections for the senate secretary, seargent-at-arms, and
810-504: The state and in the Southern United States . Brad Dye , who held the office over three terms from 1980 to 1992, was the state's longest-serving lieutenant governor. Unlike previous holders of the office, he used his appointment power in the Mississippi Senate to strategically place his allies on committees to advance his own political goals. In January 1986, two state senators sued the lieutenant governor, challenging
840-530: The state, the lieutenant governor assumes their responsibilities as acting governor. In the event the lieutenant governor is unavailable in the State Senate, the body's president pro tempore assumes their responsibilities there. The lieutenant governor is constitutionally required to collect the same compensation as the speaker of the House. Their salary is $ 60,000 per year but is set to increase to $ 85,000 annually in 2024. If serving as acting governor,
870-399: Was established by the state's 1817 constitution and it and the governorship were the only popularly elected statewide positions at the time, with both serving two-year terms. The first lieutenant governor was Duncan Stewart , who took office on October 7, 1817. The role was eliminated in the 1832 constitution and replaced with a President of the Senate chosen by the body's own members. It
900-475: Was reintroduced in the 1869 constitution and absorbed the responsibilities of presiding over the Senate, with the holder serving a term of four years. During the Reconstruction era in the early 1870s, Alexander Kelso Davis served as one of the first black lieutenant governors in the country. Evelyn Gandy , who served as lieutenant governor from 1976 to 1980, was the first woman to hold the office in
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