annual raises in 2015 such that, at the start of the 2018 General Assembly Session, they will be earning $50,330 per year, an increase of about 16 percent over four years. The salaries of the Presiding Officers will be increased to $65,371 annually. The increase is being phased in the amounts of approximately $1,707 per year for rank-and-file legislators and $2,218 per year for the Presiding Officers. Senators can also seek reimbursement for expenses related to meals and lodging during the legislative session, and for certain travel expenses related to their duties at any point during the year. They also have access to benefits received by state employees, including health and life insurance as well as retirement savings plans. Maryland has a voluntary legislator pension plan to which both senators and delegates have access. Besides receiving their own benefits, Senators can award up to $138,000 each year in scholarships to students of their choosing if those students meet requirements set by Senate rules. Current makeup As of January 2019, a majority of seats in the Maryland Senate are held by members of the Democratic Party, with 32 Democrats and 15 Republicans, greater than a two-thirds majority. This dominance is nothing new, as Democrats have had strong majorities in the chamber for decades. Democrats tend to control seats in the large population centers such as Baltimore City, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County, while Republicans control most seats on the Eastern Shore and in western Maryland. The chamber has also had significant numbers of women and African-Americans serve, with women averaging around 30% of the seats and African-Americans around 25%. Leadership On January 8, 2020, Democratic senator Bill Ferguson, from the 46th district, was elected to the position of Senate president following the retirement of the longest-serving Senate president in both Maryland and American history, Thomas V. Mike Miller. Melony G. Griffith, from the 25th District in Prince George's County, is the President Pro Tempore. The Democratic caucus is led by Majority Leader Nancy J. King of the 39th District in Montgomery County. Stephen S. Hershey Jr. of the 36th District, which covers Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's counties, was elected as the minority leader by the Senate's Republican Caucus in 2022. Rules and procedures Many rules and procedures in the Maryland Senate are set by the state constitution. Beyond the constitutional mandates, rules in the Senate are developed by