- See Chap’s State Senate Website
- View the Virginia State Senate
- Petersen Senate Sentinel Newsletter Archive
The Virginia State Senate has forty members. It is the companion to the House of Delegates which has 100 members.
The two bodies form a bicameral legislature which is derived from the original Virginia House of Burgesses formed in 1619. We are the oldest democracy in the New World.
The Senate sits in the State Capitol for sixty days during a biennial budget year and forty-five days during an “off” year. It can also be called into special session by the Governor. Members of the State Senate also serve on standing committees and legislative subcommittees which meet throughout the year.
Serving in the State Senate pays $18,000 a year in salary. Therefore, many members hold full-time employment outside their legislative work.
Petersen Senate Sentinel Newsletter Archive
- Mar. 12, 2012 – Senate Adjourns, Prepares to Come Back
- Mar. 23, 2011 – It’s the End of the World As We Know It
- Feb. 28, 2011 – The Curtain Comes Down on 2011 Session
- Feb. 21, 2011 – Assembly Faces its Own Mortality
- Feb. 7, 2011 – An Issue of Presidential Importance
- Jan. 25, 2011 – The Work Continues
- Jan. 11, 2011 – The Team Takes the Field
- Dec. 29, 2010 – This One Goes to Eleven (2011)
- Nov. 27, 2010 – Living in a Subprime World
- Oct. 18, 2010 – It’s A Marathon
- Sep. 7, 2010 – Summertime in Virginia
- Jun. 28, 2010 – How Life Imitates the World Cup
- May 27, 2010 – Young Lawyers
- Apr. 27, 2010 – Civics in the Blue Ridge
- Mar. 15, 2010 – Assembly Adjourns
- Mar. 5, 2010 – The End Times Are Near
- Feb. 26, 2010 – Your State Tax Dollar At Work
- Feb. 19, 2010 – Senate Crosses Over
- Feb. 11, 2010 – Old Man Winter Rages On
- Feb. 5, 2010 – A Day In The Life
- Jan. 29, 2010 – Virginia, Mother of SOTU Responders
- Jan. 22, 2010 – Battling the LCI Freeze (and other Chilling Tales)
- Jan. 15, 2010 – The Session Begins
- Dec. 31, 2009 – The Zeroes — What a Decade!
- Nov. 25, 2009 – Giving Thanks in Virginia
- Sep. 28, 2009 – The Coming Tax Increase
- Sep. 1, 2009 – Virginia’s Energy Frontier
- Jul. 29, 2009 – Something for Nothing Land
- Jun. 27, 2009 – Welcome to My Cool Commonwealth
- May 10, 2009 – Celebrating Mothers Day
- Apr. 9, 2009 – Senate Halts Expansion of Death Penalty
- Mar. 2, 2009 – The Escape
- Feb. 20, 2009 – The Circus is in Town
- Feb. 13, 2009 – Legislative Update
- Feb. 6, 2009 – Living Bills
- Jan. 29, 2009 – Cross-Over Coming
- Jan. 14, 2009 – The Gavel Falls at Noon
- Dec. 17, 2008 – You Can Applaud Now
- Nov. 24, 2008 – It’s The Economy
- Oct. 25, 2008 – Election Day Energy
- Sep. 26, 2008 – It’s The Economy
- Aug. 22, 2008 – Virginia State Parks
- Jul. 24, 2008 – Dog Days of Summer
- Jun. 30, 2008 – Transportation in the Senate
- Jun. 24, 2008 – Back In Session
- Apr. 24, 2008 – Reconvened
- Mar. 25, 2008 – Student Bill of Rights
- Mar. 10, 2008 – Legislative Update
- Feb. 22, 2008 – Legislative Update
- Feb. 10, 2008 – Legislative Update
- Feb. 1, 2008 – Legislative Update
- Jan. 25, 2008 – Legislative Update
- Jan. 11, 2008 – In Richmond
