The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted in 1968, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The Senate is composed of 40 members, each elected from a single-member district with a population of approximately 540,000 residents. The Senate Chamber is located in the State Capitol building.
The Republicans hold a supermajority in the chamber with 26 seats; Democrats are in the minority with 12 seats. One seat is held by an independent, and one seat is vacant.
Terms Article III of the Florida Constitution defines the terms for state legislators. The Constitution requires state senators from odd-numbered districts to be elected in the years that end in numbers that are multiples of four. Senators from even-numbered districts must be elected in even-numbered years, the numbers of which are not multiples of four.
To reflect the results of the U.S. census and the redrawing of district boundaries, all seats are up for election in redistricting years, with some terms truncated as a result. Thus, senators in odd-numbered districts were elected to two-year terms in 2022 (following the 2020 census), and senators in even-numbered districts will be elected to two-year terms in 2032 (following the 2030 census).
Term limits Candidates for re-election to the Florida Senate cannot appear on the ballot after serving for eight consecutive years. This was established by Amendment No. 9 (1992) affecting Article 6, Section 4 of the state Constitution.
Qualifications Florida legislators must be at least twenty-one years old, an elector and resident of their district, and must have resided in Florida for at least two years prior to election.
Legislative session
Each year during which the Legislature meets constitutes a new legislative session.
Regular legislative session
The Florida Legislature meets in a 60-day regular legislative session each year. Regular sessions in odd-numbered years must begin on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. Under the State Constitution, the Legislature can begin even-numbered year regular sessions at a time of its choosing.
Special session Special legislative sessions may be called by the governor, by a joint proclamation of the Senate president and House speaker, or by a three-fifths vote of all legislators. During a special session, the Legislature may only address legislative business that is within the purpose or purposes stated in the proclamation calling the session.
Powers and process The Florida Statutes are the codified statutory laws of the state.
Leadership The Senate is headed by the Senate President, who controls the agenda along with the Speaker of the House and Governor. President: Ben Albritton (R) President Pro Tempore: Jason Brodeur (R) Majority Leader: Jim Boyd (R) Minority Leader: Lori Berman (D)
Composition AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantRepublicanDemocraticIndependentEnd of 2020–22 legislature23160391Start of previous (2022–24) legislature28120400End of previous legislatureStart of current (2024–26) legislature28 120 40 0February 13, 2025 11 39 1March 31, 2025 27 38 2April 24, 2025 10 1June 10, 202528391July 21, 202527382August 12, 202526373September 2, 202511382December 9, 202527391March 24, 202612400August 25, 202626391Latest voting share
Members, 2024–2026 DistrictNamePartyResidenceCountiesStartNext election1RepCrestviewEscambia, Santa Rosa, part of Okaloosa202420282RepPanama CityBay, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, Walton, Washington, part of Okaloosa202220263RepTallahasseeDixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, Wakulla202220284RepJacksonvilleNassau, part of Duval202220265DemJacksonvillePart of Duval202220286RepFleming IslandBaker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Gilchrist, Union, part of Alachua202020267RepOrmond BeachFlagler, Putnam, St. Johns, part of Volusia202420288RepNew Smyrna BeachParts of Brevard and Volusia201820269RepSummerfieldMarion, parts of Alachua and Levy2024202810RepSanfordSeminole, part of Orange2020202611RepLecantoCitrus, Hernando, Sumter, part of Pasco2025202812RepLakelandPart of Polk2022202613RepTavaresLake, part of Orange2024202814DemTampaPart of Hillsborough2026202615DemOcoeePart of Orange2025202816DemSt. PetersburgParts of Hillsborough and Pinellas2016202617DemOrlandoPart of Orange2024202818RepIndian Rocks BeachPart of Pinellas2022202619RepIndialanticPart of Brevard2025202820RepBradentonParts of Hillsborough and Manatee2020202621RepClearwaterParts of Pasco and Pinellas2018202822RepSarasotaSarasota, part of Manatee2018202623RepZephyrhillsParts of Hillsborough and Pasco2020202824DemWest Palm BeachPart of Palm Beach2024202625DemOrlandoOsceola, part of Orange2024202826DemLantanaPart of Palm Beach2018202627RepWauchulaCharlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, parts of Lee and Polk2018202828RepNaplesCollier, Hendry, part of Lee2016202629RepVero BeachGlades, Highlands, Indian River, Okeechobee, part of St. Lucie2022202830DemBoca RatonParts of Broward and Palm Beach2020202631RepStuartMartin, parts of Palm Beach and St. Lucie2018202832DemFort LauderdalePart of Broward2022202633RepFort MyersPart of Lee2022202834DemWest ParkPart of Miami-Dade2020202635DemPlantationPart of Broward2024202836RepMiamiPart of Miami-Dade2020202637IndNorth Miami BeachParts of Broward and Miami-Dade2018202838RepMiamiPart of Miami-Dade2022202639VacantPart of Miami-Dade40RepDoralMonroe, part of Miami-Dade20202026
District map
Past composition of the Senate
See also Florida State Capitol Florida Senate Majority Office Government of Florida List of presidents of the Florida Senate List of Florida state legislatures
References
External links