Q:
What are the methods of selection for leadership positions in the state Legislatures of the Southern Legislative Conference?


A:
House
State
Speaker
Speaker pro tem
Majority leader
Assistant majority leader
Majority floor leader
Assistant majority floor leader
Majority whip
Majority caucus chair
Minority leader
Assistant minority leader
Minority floor leader
Assistant minority floor leader
Minority whip
Minority caucus chair
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alabama
EH
EH
EC
…
…
…
…
…
EC
…
…
…
…
…
Arkansas
EH
AS
EC
…
…
…
EC
…
EC
…
…
…
EC
…
Florida
EH
EH
AS
AS
AS
AS
AS
AS
EC
EC
AL
AL
AL
AL
Georgia
EH
EH
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
Kentucky (f)
EH
EH
…
…
EC
…
EC
EC
…
…
EC
…
EC
EC
Louisiana
EH
EH
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Maryland
EH
EH (i)
AS (j)
AS (j)
(j)
AS
AS
(k)
ES (l)
…
…
…
ES (l)
(k)
Mississippi
EH
EH
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Missouri
EH
EH
…
…
EC
EC
EC
EC
…
…
EC
EC
EC
EC
North Carolina
EH
EH
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
Oklahoma
EH
EH
AS
AS
AS
AS
AS
AS
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
South Carolina
EH
EH
EC
…
…
…
…
…
EC
…
…
…
…
…
Tennessee
EH
EH
EC
EC
EC
…
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
Texas
EH
AS
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Virginia (t)
EH
…
EC (m)
…
(u)
…
EC
EC
…
…
…
…
AL
EC
West Virginia
EH
AS
AS
AS
…
…
AS
AS
EC
…
…
…
…
…
Key
AL - Appointed by party leader.
AS - Appointed by the speaker.
EC - Elected by party caucus.
EH - Elected or Confirmed by all members of the House.
… - Position does not exist or is not selected on a regular basis.
(f) In each chamber, the membership elects Chief Clerk; Assistant Clerk; Enrolling Clerk; Sergeant at Arms; Doorkeeper; Janitor; Cloakroom Keeper; and Pages.
(i) There is also a deputy speaker pro tem.
(j) Majority leader also serves as majority floor leader. Official title of assistant majority leader is deputy majority leader. There are also an assistant majority whip; chief deputy majority whips, and deputy majority whips.
(k) Speaker and minority leader are also caucus chairs.
(l) Minority leader also serves as the minority floor leader. There are also an assistant minority leader, a chief deputy minority whip, an assistant minority whip, and several deputy minority whips.
(m) Majority leader also serves as majority floor leader; minority leader also serves as minority floor leader.
(t) The majority caucus also has a secretary, who is appointed by the speaker; the minority caucus has two vice-chairs, one vice-chair/treasurer, and an interim sergeant at arms.
(u) Selected by the minority leader with the approval of the Speaker.

Senate

State
President
President pro tem
Majority leader
Assistant majority leader
Majority floor leader
Assistant majority floor leader
Majority whip
Majority caucus chair
Minority leader
Assistant minority leader
Minority floor leader
Assistant minority floor leader
Minority whip
Minority caucus chair
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alabama
(a)
ES
AT
…
(b)
…
…
…
EC
…
(b)
…
…
…
Arkansas
(a)
ES
EC
…
 
…
EC
…
EC
…
…
…
EC
…
Florida
EC/ES
AP
AP
…
AP or AL
AP or AL
AP or AL
AP or AL
EC
AL
AL
AL
AL
AL
Georgia
(a)
ES
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
Kentucky (g)
ES
ES
…
…
EC
…
EC
EC
…
…
EC
…
EC
…
Louisiana
ES
ES
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Maryland
ES
ES
AP (l)
AP (l)
(l)
(l)
AP or AL
…
EC (m)
…
(m)
…
EC
…
Mississippi
(a)
ES
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Missouri
(a)
ES
…
…
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
…
…
…
…
EC
North Carolina
(a)
ES
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
EC
…
…
…
EC
EC
Oklahoma
(a)
ES
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
EC
South Carolina
(a)
ES
EC
…
…
…
…
…
EC
…
…
…
…
…
Tennessee
ES
AP
EC
…
EC
EC
…
EC
EC
…
EC
…
…
EC
Texas
(a)
ES
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
Virginia
(a)
ES
EC (y)
…
EC (y)
…
…
EC
EC
…
EC
…
…
EC
West Virginia
ES
AP
AP
…
…
…
AP
…
EC
…
…
…
AL
…
Key
AL - Appointed by party leader.
AP - Appointed by president.
AT - Appointed by president pro tempore.
EC - Elected by party caucus.
ES - Elected of confirmed by all member of the Senate.
… - Position does not exist or is not selected on a regular basis.
(a) Lieutenant governor is president of the Senate by virtue of the office.
(b) Majority leader also serves as majority floor leader. Minority leader also serves as minority floor leader.
(g) In each chamber, the membership elects Chief Clerk; Assistant Clerk; Enrolling Clerk; Sergeant at Arms; Doorkeeper; Janitor; Cloakroom Keeper; and Pages.
(l) Majority leader also serves as majority floor leader; deputy majority leader is official title and serves as assistant majority floor leader. There is also an assistant deputy majority leader; there is also a deputy majority whip and assistant deupty majority whips; minority leader also serves as minority floor leader.
(m) Minority leader also serves as minority floor leader.
(y) Minority party in Senate elects caucus officers (vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer). The majority leader is also chair of the caucus. The majority floor leader is also vice-chair of the caucus.

Source: CSG Book of the States, 2007