State legislatures becoming older, more diverse, study says

State legislatures around the country are becoming older and more diverse, a recent study by the National Conference of State Legislatures has found.

The average age of a state lawmaker is 56, and nearly half of those serving in state legislatures are between 50 and 64, according to the study, which charted the age, gender, ethnicity and occupation of the 7,382 men and women who serve in all 50 states.

There also have been significant gains by women and minorities in representation in state legislatures over the past 40 years. According to the study, the number of women has increased from several hundred in 1969 to 1,789 today, roughly 24 percent of all seats.

Similarly, the number of black members has increased from 169 in 1970 to 628 today. Hispanics represent 3 percent of all lawmakers today, according to NCSL.

The 140-member Virginia General Assembly is somewhat less diverse—87 percent white and 13 percent black, the study showed. Men represent 83 percent of the combined state Senate and House of Delegates.

Virginia is also older than the national average. According to NCSL, 62 percent of Virginia lawmakers are over 50 years old and 28 percent are older than 65.

“More retired individuals are being elected to the nation’s statehouses,“ said William T. Pound, NCSL’s executive director.

Pound said retirees make up the third-largest occupational group among legislators nationwide; right behind lawyers and those representatives whose primary occupation is serving in their state’s legislature.

In Virginia, lawyers still outnumber all occupations among legislators, accounting for 30 percent of the assembly. Businessmen account for nearly 18 percent of seats, while retirees occupy more than 9 percent of seats.

Virginia’s lawmakers are part time. State senators are elected every four years; delegates are elected every two years. The entire 100-member House of Delegates is up for election this fall.

The study was produced by NCSL with the help of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the Joint Center for Economic Studies, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators and the Women’s Legislative Network.

Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or .