Editing Indiana General Assembly (section)

==Structure==
The Indiana General Assembly is made up of [[bicameral legislature|two houses]], the House of Representatives and the Senate.<ref name = four-eight>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |title=Indiana Constitution Article 4, Section 8 |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801103208/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Indiana]] has a part-time legislature that does not meet year-round. The General Assembly convenes on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January. During [[odd number|odd-numbered]] years the legislature meets for 61&nbsp;days (not necessarily consecutively) and must be adjourned by April 30. During [[even number|even-numbered]] years the legislature meets for 30&nbsp;days (not necessarily consecutively) and must be adjourned by March 15. The General Assembly may not adjourn for more than three days without a resolution approving adjournment being passed in both houses.<ref name = four-nine>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |title=Indiana Constitution Article 4, Section 9 |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801103208/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The [[Governor of Indiana|governor]] has the authority to call on the General Assembly to convene a [[special session]] if legislators are unable to complete necessary work within the time allotted by the regular sessions.<ref name = four-nine/>{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=7}} Special sessions of the General Assembly were rarely called in the state's early history, but have become more commonplace in modern times.

The General Assembly delegates are elected from districts. Every ten years the districts are realigned by the General Assembly using information from the [[US Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]] to ensure that each district is roughly equal in population.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |title=Indiana Constitution Article 4, Section 5 |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801103208/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The districting is maintained to comply with the [[United States Supreme Court]] ruling in ''[[Reynolds v. Sims]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=377&invol=533| title=Reynolds v. Sims| publisher=CaseLaw.com|access-date=June 18, 2008}}</ref>

The Indiana Senate and House of Representatives each has several committees charged with overseeing certain areas of the state. Committees vary in size, from three to eleven members. The committees are [[chairman|chaired]] by [[seniority|senior]] members of the majority party. Senators and representatives can be members of multiple committees. Most legislation begins within the committees who have responsibility for the area that the bill will affect. Once approved by a committee, a bill can be entered into the agenda for debate and vote in the full chamber.<ref name = com>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?request=getCommitteeList| title=Standing Committees| publisher=IN.gov|access-date=June 9, 2008}}</ref> Although not common, bills can be voted on by the full house without going through the committee process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/session/houserules.pdf|title= House Operating Rules|pages=11|author=Indiana General Assembly|publisher=IN.gov|access-date=June 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/session/senate1.pdf| title= Senate Operating Rules|pages=16–17|publisher=IN.gov|author=Indiana General Assembly|access-date=June 18, 2008}}</ref>{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=11}}

<!-- As of 2025, -->Indiana legislators make a base annual salary of $33,032, plus $196 for each day in session or at a committee hearing and $62 in expense pay every other day.<ref name="Payraises">{{cite news|url=https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2024/09/24/pay-raises-incoming-for-indianas-highest-elected-officials/|title=Pay raises incoming for Indiana’s highest elected officials |last=Downard, Whitney |date=September 24, 2024 |publisher= Indiana Capital Chronicle|access-date=January 16, 2025 }}</ref>

===Terms and qualifications===
Article 4, Section 7, of the [[Constitution of Indiana|Indiana Constitution]] states the qualifications to become a Senator or Representative. The candidate must have been a [[United States Citizen|U.S. citizen]] for a minimum of two years prior to his candidacy and must have been resident of the district that he seeks to represent for one year. Senators must be at least twenty-five years of age and representatives must be twenty-one when sworn into office. The candidate cannot hold any other public office in the state or federal government during their term. The candidate must also be a registered voter within the district they seek to represent.<ref name = four/>{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=9}} Candidates are required to file papers stating their economic interests.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statements of Economic Interest |url=http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/session/economic_interest_statements/ |website=Indiana General Assembly |access-date=28 September 2022}}</ref>

Article 4, Section 3, of the state constitution places several limitations on the size and composition of the General Assembly. The Senate can contain no more than fifty members, and the senators serve for a term of four years. The House of Representatives can contain no more than one hundred members, and the representatives serve terms of two years. There is no limit to how many terms a state senator or representative may serve.<ref name = four/>{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=9}}

===Checks and balances===
There are several [[checks and balances]] built into the state constitution that limit the power of the General Assembly. Other clauses allow the General Assembly to balance and limit the authority of the other branches of the government.{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=17}} Among these checks and balances is the governor's authority to veto any bill passed by the General Assembly. The General Assembly may, in turn, override his veto by simple majority vote in both houses.<ref name = fivefourteen>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-5.html |title=Indiana Constitution Article 5, Section 14(2)(B) |access-date=April 13, 2015 |archive-date=March 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310200401/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-5.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bills passed by a supermajority automatically become law without requiring the signature of the governor. Once the bill is made law, it can be challenged in the state courts which may rule the law to be [[unconstitutional]], effectively repealing the law. The General Assembly could then override the court's decision by amending the state constitution to include the law.<ref name = four/>{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=17}} The General Assembly has historically been the most powerful branch of the state government, dominating a weak governor's office. Although the governor's office has gained more power since the 1970s, the General Assembly still retains the power to remove much of that authority.{{Sfn|Gugin|2006|p=1-3}}

===Powers===
The authority and powers of the Indiana General Assembly are established in the state constitution. The General Assembly has sole legislative power within the state government. Each house can initiate legislation, with the exception that the Senate is not permitted to initiate legislation that will affect revenue.<ref name = four-eight/> Bills are debated and passed separately in each house, but must be passed by both houses before they can submit to the governor.<ref name = four>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |title=Indiana Constitution Article 4 |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801103208/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Each law passed by the General Assembly must be applied uniformly to the entire state; the General Assembly has no authority to create legislation that targets only a particular community.{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=11}}<ref name = four/>

The General Assembly is empowered to regulate the state's [[judicial branch|judiciary system]] by setting the size of the courts and the bounds of their districts. The body also has the authority to monitor the activities of the [[executive branch]] of the state government, has limited power to regulate the county governments within the state, and has sole power to initiate the process to amend the state constitution.<ref name = four/>{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=14}}

Under Indiana law, legislators cannot be arrested while the General Assembly is in session unless the crime they commit is [[treason]], a [[felony]], or breach of the peace.{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=11}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |title=Indiana Constitution, Article 4, Section 8 |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801103208/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Indiana Senate===
{{Main|Indiana Senate}}
The Indiana Senate consists of 50 members elected to four-year terms. [[Micah Beckwith]], the [[Lieutenant Governor of Indiana]], presides over the Senate while it is in session and casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie.{{Sfn|ICC|2005|p=12}}<ref name = four-ten>{{Cite web |url=http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |title=Indiana Constitution Article 4, section 10 |access-date=June 18, 2008 |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801103208/http://www.law.indiana.edu/uslawdocs/inconst/art-4.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Senate [[President Pro Tempore]] is Senator [[Rodric Bray|Rodric D. Bray]] of [[Martinsville, Indiana|Martinsville]].<ref name = SR>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/leadership|title=Senate Republican Leadership |publisher=IN.gov |access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref> The 2025-26 Senate has a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] super-majority, with Republicans holding 40 out of 50 seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/legislators/senate_district.html| title=Legislators|publisher=IN.gov|access-date=June 18, 2008}}</ref><ref name = Ballotpedia>{{cite web|title=Indiana State Senate Partisan Composition|url=http://ballotpedia.org/Indiana_State_Senate#Partisan_composition|website=Ballotpedia|access-date=21 January 2015}}</ref> The Senate offices are located in the west wing of the second floor of the Indiana Statehouse, and the Senate chambers are on the west wing of the third floor.<ref name=statehouse>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/idoa/2571.htm |title=A Clear Arrangement |author=Indiana Historical Bureau |publisher=IN.gov |access-date=June 18, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619180409/http://www.in.gov/idoa/2571.htm |archive-date=June 19, 2008 }}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
! Position !! Name !! Party
|-
| [[President of the Senate|President]]/[[Lieutenant Governor of Indiana|Lieutenant Governor]] || [[Micah Beckwith]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]
|-
| [[President pro tempore|President Pro Tempore of the Senate]] || [[Rodric Bray]]<ref name = SR/> || {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]
|-
| [[Majority leader|Majority Leader]] || [[Chris Garten]]<ref name = SR/> || {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]
|-
| [[Whip (politics)|Majority Whip]] || [[Michael Crider]]<ref name = SR/> || {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]
|-
| [[Minority leader|Minority Leader]] || [[Shelli Yoder]]<ref name= SD>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianasenatedemocrats.org/senators/#tab-a241d205e69ac61be76 |title= Senate Democrat Leadership|publisher=IN.gov|access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref>|| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]]
|-
| [[Whip (politics)|Assistant Minority Leader]] || [[Andrea Hunley]]<ref name=SD/> || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]]
|}

===Indiana House of Representatives===
{{Main|Indiana House of Representatives}}
The Indiana House of Representatives consists of 100 members elected to two-year terms.<ref name = four-ten/> The current [[Speaker (politics)|Speaker of the House]] as of March 2020 is Representative [[Todd Huston]].<ref name=Ballotpedia2>{{cite web|title=Indiana House of Representatives|url=http://ballotpedia.org/Indiana_House_of_Representatives#Leadership|website=Ballotpedia|access-date=21 January 2015}}</ref> The House of Representatives has a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] majority of 70 seats, while the [[United States Democratic Party|Democrats]] have 30 seats.<ref name=Ballotpedia2 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/legislators/house_district.html| title=Legislators|publisher=IN.gov|access-date=February 15, 2009}}</ref> The House offices are located in the east wing of the second floor of the Indiana Statehouse and the House chambers are on the third floor.<ref name= statehouse/>

{| class=wikitable
! Position !! Name !! Party
|-
| [[Speaker (politics)|Speaker of the House]] || [[Todd Huston]] || {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]
|-
| [[Majority leader|Majority Leader]] || [[Matthew Lehman]]<ref name= HR>{{cite web|url=https://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/index.php?src=directory&view=members&srctype=Leadership_Members |title=House Republican Leadership |access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref> || {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]
|-
| [[Minority leader|Minority Leader]] || [[Phil GiaQuinta]]<ref name=HD>{{cite web|url=https://indianahousedemocrats.org/members/leadership/ |title=House Democratic Leadership |access-date=April 18, 2019}}</ref> || {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]]
|}