List of presidents pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate
This article is about the leader of the defunct upper house of the old Nebraska bicameral legislature. For the leader of the current Nebraska unicameral legislature, which is sometimes still referred to as the "Nebraska Senate", see List of speakers of the Nebraska Legislature.
The president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate (previously the president of the Nebraska Territorial Council and the president of the Nebraska Senate) was an office in the Nebraska Legislature which existed from 1855 to 1936 when Nebraska had a bicameral legislature. This office was created when the Nebraska Territory was first established and remained after Nebraska became a state.[1] Under the Nebraska Constitution of 1866, this office was referred to as the president of the Senate since Nebraska had no office of lieutenant governor,[2] but after the constitution of 1875 was adopted, which provided for a lieutenant governor who was to be the president of the Senate,[3] this office became known as the president pro tempore (or "temporary president") of the Nebraska Senate.[4] When Nebraska voters adopted a unicameral legislature beginning in 1937, this office ceased to exist and was replaced by a single speaker of the Nebraska Legislature.
Presidents of the Nebraska Territorial Council
The upper house of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature was called the Nebraska Territorial Council, and its presiding officer was called a president.[5] Ten individuals served as president of the Nebraska Territorial Council during its twelve sessions[6] before Nebraska became a state.[1] The office was briefly split when a faction of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature broke off from the meeting at Omaha, Nebraska, and convened at Florence, Nebraska, in January 1858.[7]
Later served as the second president of the Nebraska Senate
Presidents of the Nebraska Senate
After Nebraska became a state in 1867, the upper house of the Nebraska Legislature was called the Nebraska Senate and became the successor to the Territorial Council. Since the Nebraska Constitution of 1866 did not provide for an office of lieutenant governor, it empowered the Nebraska Senate to choose its own presiding officer, called the president of the Senate.[2]
When the Nebraska Constitution of 1875 created the office of Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, it declared that "[t]he lieutenant governor shall be president of the senate."[3] The constitution of 1875 additionally provided that "the senate shall choose a temporary president, to preside when the Lieutenant
Governor shall not attend as president, or shall act as Governor,"[4] thus transforming this office into the office of president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate.[1] This office was abolished after 1936 when Nebraska adopted a unicameral legislature.
Served during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor, meaning Steele was considered the acting lieutenant governor by virtue of his being president pro tempore of the Senate
Served during a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor, meaning Morehead was considered the acting lieutenant governor by virtue of his being president pro tempore of the Senate; later served as Governor of Nebraska
^The Nebraska Blue Book considers this office in continuity with the office of president of the Senate under the previous constitution, and thus the numbering continues from that office.[1]
^Andreas, A. T. (1882). "The Florence Secession". History of the State of Nebraska. The Western Historical Company. Mr. Reeves moved that the Council adjourn to meet at Florence.... President George L. Miller decided that he could not entertain the motion.... Mr. Reeves appealed from this ruling, and, by a vote of 8 nays to 4 ayes, the ruling was not sustained. The President still refused to submit to the dictation of those who were clearly acting in violation of parliamentary practice, as well as law.
^Andreas, A. T. (1882). "The Florence Secession". History of the State of Nebraska. The Western Historical Company. The seceding branch met at Florence, from which place they addressed a resolution to Acting Gov. Cuming ... [with] the signatures of 'J. H. Decker, Speaker of the House of Representatives,' and 'Leavitt L. Bowen, President of the Council' ...
^State of Nebraska (1936). The Nebraska Blue Book 1936(PDF). p. 167. From 1877 to date, both houses have been republican, except in 1891, 1893, and 1907 [sic, this should have said 1897], when the populist and democratic parties controlled both houses; in 1909, 1911 , 1915, 1917, 1933 and 1935 when both houses were controlled by the democratic party; and in 1913 when the House was democratic and the Senate republican