The Indiana House of Representatives is the
lower house
A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, 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 co ...
of the
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate. ...
, the
state legislature of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without
term limits
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms an officeholder may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method of curbing the potenti ...
. According to the
2010 U.S. Census, each State House district contains an average of 64,838 people.
The House convenes at the
Indiana Statehouse
The Indiana Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Indiana. It houses the Indiana General Assembly, the office of the Governor of Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court, and other state officials. The Statehouse is located in ...
in
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
.
Terms and qualifications
In order to run for a seat for the Indiana House of Representatives one must be a citizen of the United States, has to be at least 21 years of age upon taking office, and should reside in the state of Indiana for 2 years and in the district to represent for at least 1 year at the time of the election.
Representatives serve terms of two years, and there is no limit on how many terms a representative may serve.
[
]
Composition of the House
Officers
Standing committees
.
Members of the Indiana House of Representatives
†Member was initially appointed to the seat.
History
The Indiana House of Representatives held its first session in the first statehouse in the original state capital of Corydon and the first speaker of the body was Isaac Blackford
Isaac Newton Blackford (November 6, 1786 – December 31, 1859) was the second Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, the court's longest serving Justice, and among the longest serving jurists in the history of the United States. He wrote ...
. Under the terms of the constitution of 1816, state representatives served one-year terms, meaning elections were held annually. In 1851, the constitution was replaced by the current constitution and terms were lengthened to two years, but sessions were held biennially. In 1897, it unanimously passed a bill determining the value of Pi to exactly 3.2. However, the bill was never voted upon in the State Senate. A 1972 constitutional amendment allowed for a short legislative session to be held in odd numbered years.
2012 Election
On November 6, 2012, the Republican Party in Indiana expanded their majority in the House of Representatives from 60 members in the 117th General Assembly to 69 members, a "quorum-proof" majority. The Republicans were able to take 69% of the seats, despite having only received approximately 54% of the votes for the state's House of Representatives.
Of the 3 newly elected members of the U.S. House elected to the 113th Congress from Indiana, two are former members of the Indiana House of Representatives. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (IN-02) represented Indiana's 21st district from 2005 to 2011 and Congressman Luke Messer (IN-06) represented Indiana's 57th district from 2003 to 2007. Congressman Marlin Stutzman (IN-03) was re-elected to a second term, he is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives where he served Indiana's 52nd district from 2003 to 2009.
Past composition of the House of Representatives
See also
* Speaker of the Indiana State House of Representatives
*Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year term ...
*Government of Indiana
The government of Indiana is established and regulated by the Constitution of Indiana. The state-level government consists of three branches: the judicial branch, the legislative branch, and the executive branch. The three branches share power and ...
* Politics of Indiana
References
External links
Indiana General Assembly
*
State House of Indiana
at Project Vote Smart
Vote Smart, formerly called Project Vote Smart, is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States. It covers candidates and elected officials in si ...
Indiana House Democrats
Indiana House Republicans
2015 Indiana Candidate Guide
- Qualifications
{{DEFAULTSORT:Indiana House Of Representatives
Indiana General Assembly
State lower houses in the United States
1816 establishments in Indiana