The Louisiana State Legislature () is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is a bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana State Senate with 39 senators. Members of each house are elected from single-member districts of roughly equal populations. The Louisiana State Legislature meets in the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. Early history Jean Noel Destréhan and Allan Bowie Magruder was selected by the joint legislature to be Louisiana's first United States Senators on 3 September 1812. Destréhan resigned within a month and was replaced with Thomas Posey. Terms Members of both houses of the legislature serve a four-year term, with a term limit of three terms (twelve years). Term limits were passed by state voters in a constitutional referendum in 1995 and were subsequently added as Article III, §4, of the Louisiana Constitution. In 2007, some legislators had served their maximum terms and could not run again, being "termed out of office". The term limits are consecutive rather than lifetime. Officers The officers of each house of the legislature are elected at the beginning of each term to serve for four-year terms. The Louisiana House of Representatives elects from among its members a speaker and speaker pro tempore. Although the procedure is not mandated constitutionally, the speaker of the house is traditionally recommended by the governor of Louisiana to the body. The current speaker, Clay Schexnayder, a Republican, presides over the House. The house also elects its chief clerical officer, the clerk of the house, who is not an elected member. The Louisiana Senate elects its presiding officer, the president of the Senate, from among its membership; the position is also traditionally recommended by the governor. The current president is Page Cortez. Each house provides for the election of its officers. From 1853 until the adoption of the Louisiana constitution of 1974, the lieutenant governor was designated to preside over the Louisiana Senate. In the 21st century, the lieutenant governor exercises powers delegated to him by the governor as provided by law. He also serves as governor in the event of a vacancy in the office, if the governor is unable to act as governor, or is out of the state. Since the lieutenant governor no longer serves as president of the Senate, he has been made an ex-officio member of