| State Senators |
Missouri's 34 state senators hail from a variety of diverse backgrounds including business, law, education, and agriculture. Many lawmakers in the Senate started their legislative careers in the Missouri House of Representatives. Currently, 26 senators previously served in the House.
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The average age of those currently serving in the Missouri Senate is approximately 49. The youngest is 36 years old and the oldest senator is 65.
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| Senator Michael Kinney was the oldest to serve in the Missouri Senate. Elected in 1912 and retiring in 1968 at the age of 93, Sen. Kinney also served the longest time in the Missouri Senate. |
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| Senator Michael Kinney |
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Senator Michael Kinney |
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| Senator Theodore McNeal |
Senator
Mary Gant |
Senator
Gwen Giles
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| Elected in 1960, Senator Theodore McNeal was Missouri's first African-American state senator. Three African-Americans (all women) currently serve in the Missouri Senate. |
Missouri's first woman state senator, Mary Gant, served from 1972 until 1980. Six women currently serve in the Missouri Senate. |
Elected in 1977, Senator Gwen Giles was Missouri's first African-American woman state senator. |
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Senator J.O. Morrison (no photo available) and Sen. James L. Mathewson (right) were the longest-serving state Senate President Pro Tems in Missouri history. They each served for eight years.
The President Pro Tem (President Pro Tempore) is a member of the Senate who is elected by the entire body to manage procedural functions and rule on parliamentary matters. |
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At least 47 state senators have attained higher statewide office or become a U.S. senator or congressman for Missouri.
Missouri state senators earn an annual salary of about $35,915.
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| More than half of Missouri's state senators reside in one of the state's three largest metropolitan areas — Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield. |
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In 2001, the Republican party won the Missouri Senate majority for the first time since 1948. Current party split is 23 Republicans and nine Democrats. |
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The geographic size of Missouri's 34 state senatorial districts ranges from a few square miles in some urban areas to 15 counties in some rural areas. Each state senator represents a district comprised of approximately 174,000 Missourians.
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The Missouri Senate meets each year from early January to mid-May for the regular legislative session. In the weeks during this time, the Missouri Senate typically meets from mid-afternoon Mondays to mid-afternoon Thursdays. The same holds true for the Missouri House of Representatives.
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There are currently 18 standing committees in the Missouri Senate. With rare exception, all Missouri Senate chamber proceedings, committee meetings and committee hearings are open to the public and the media.
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| The shortest bill introduced in the Missouri Senate was one line long. One of the longest bills ever introduced was Senate Bill 491 in 2014. At more than 1,100 pages, the bill was filed to make comprehensive changes to Missouri's criminal laws. |
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Taxes, education, health care and crime are some of the most debated subjects in the Senate. Major legislative topics for 2013 focused on job creation and the state's budget. Lawmakers considered more than 1,500 measures in 2013. |
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