Iowa General Assembly
Encyclopedia
The Iowa General Assembly (IGA) is the legislative branch of the state government
of Iowa
. Like the federal United States Congress
, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house
Iowa Senate
and the lower
Iowa House of Representatives
respectively. There are no term limits for either chamber.
The General Assembly convenes within the Iowa State Capitol
in Des Moines
.
and 80th IGA. The IGA convenes annually on the second Monday in January. http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Central/Guides/gaguide.pdf
As of 2011, the Senate of the IGA is controlled by Democrats
, and the House of Representatives and the Governor's office are both controlled by Republicans.
Prior to the 2006 elections, Iowa had one of the most evenly divided state legislatures in the country, with a 25-25 split in the Senate and the House composed of 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats.
Leaders in the Senate are President Jack Kibbie
, D-Emmetsburg
, and President Pro Tempore Jeff Danielson
, D-Cedar Falls
. Partisan Senate leadership includes Majority Leader Michael Gronstal
, D-Council Bluffs
, and Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton
.
In the House, the Speaker is Kraig Paulsen
, R-Hiawatha
, and the Speaker Pro Tempore Jeff Kaufmann
, R-Wilton
. Partisan House leadership includes Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer
, R-Mason City
, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
, D-Des Moines
.
State government
A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Like the federal United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 members of the Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 59,500 per constituency. Each Senate district is composed of two House districts...
and the lower
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
respectively. There are no term limits for either chamber.
The General Assembly convenes within the Iowa State Capitol
Iowa State Capitol
The Iowa State Capitol is located in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines, and houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, the Office of the Governor, and the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State...
in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
.
Composition
The IGA consists of 50 senators and 100 representatives. Each senator represents about 59,500 people and each representative about 29,750 people. The last redistricting was enacted on June 22, 2001 for the 2002 elections of the 108th U.S. CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and 80th IGA. The IGA convenes annually on the second Monday in January. http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Central/Guides/gaguide.pdf
As of 2011, the Senate of the IGA is controlled by Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and the House of Representatives and the Governor's office are both controlled by Republicans.
Prior to the 2006 elections, Iowa had one of the most evenly divided state legislatures in the country, with a 25-25 split in the Senate and the House composed of 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats.
Leaders in the Senate are President Jack Kibbie
Jack Kibbie
John Patrick "Jack" Kibbie is the Iowa State Senator from the 4th District and President of the Iowa Senate. A Democrat, he has served in the Iowa Senate since 1988, and now serves as Iowa Senate President....
, D-Emmetsburg
Emmetsburg, Iowa
Emmetsburg is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,958 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Palo Alto County. Emmetsburg is home to a campus of Iowa Lakes Community College...
, and President Pro Tempore Jeff Danielson
Jeff Danielson
Jeff Danielson is the Iowa State Senator from the 10th District. A Democrat, he is the President Pro Tempore of the Iowa Senate, where he has served since 2005....
, D-Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
. Partisan Senate leadership includes Majority Leader Michael Gronstal
Michael Gronstal
Michael E. Gronstal is the Iowa State Senator representing the 50th District in the Iowa Senate. He has served since 1985 and is currently the majority leader and chairman of the Rules and Administration committee...
, D-Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
, and Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton
Chariton, Iowa
Chariton is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,573 at the 2000 census. It is the primary distribution center for, and former corporate seat of, the Hy-Vee supermarket chain.-History:...
.
In the House, the Speaker is Kraig Paulsen
Kraig Paulsen
Kraig Paulsen is the Iowa State Representative from the 35th District.He has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2002.He received his BBA from Iowa State University, his MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and his JD from the University of Iowa College of Law.-Electoral...
, R-Hiawatha
Hiawatha, Iowa
Hiawatha is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb located north of Cedar Rapids and is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and the Speaker Pro Tempore Jeff Kaufmann
Jeff Kaufmann
Jeff A. Kaufmann is the Iowa State Representative from the 79th District. He has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2005 and is currently the assistant minority leader...
, R-Wilton
Wilton, Iowa
Wilton is a city in Cedar and Muscatine Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 2,839 at the 2010 census. The Muscatine County portion of Wilton is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. Partisan House leadership includes Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer
Linda Upmeyer
Linda L. Upmeyer is the Iowa State Representative from the 12th District. She has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2003 and is the Iowa House majority leader for the 84th General Assembly...
, R-Mason City
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy (Iowa politician)
Kevin McCarthy is the Iowa State Representative from the 67th District and is currently the Minority Leader. He has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 2003...
, D-Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
.
| Affiliation (House) | Members |
|
| Democratic Party | 40 | |
| Republican Party | 60 | |
| Total |
100 | |
| Republican Majority |
20 | |
| Affiliation (Senate) | Members |
|
| Democratic Party | 26 | |
| Republican Party | 24 | |
| Total |
50 | |
| Democratic Majority |
2 | |
External links
- Iowa Legislature official government website
- Iowa General Assembly official website
- Iowa Code
- Iowa Constitution