The Michigan state legislature is a bicameral institution.  It is comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives.  The Senate is the upper house and the House of Representatives is the lower house.  The role of the legislature is defined by the Michigan Constitution in Article 1. 

The Michigan Senate is comprised of 38 members called the Senators.  They are elected from various districts with approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents per district.  The election of Senators takes place at the same time as the election for the Governor.  State Senators serve the state for four years.  The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is the president of the Senate.  However, the President can cast a tie breaking vote if needed.

The House of Representatives consists of 110 members.  They are elected from various districts with approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents.  The members of the House of Representatives are elected for a period of two years.  A member of the house is eligible to serve for three terms.  Their election is held in even-numbered years.  The elected representatives take office on the first day of January following the election.

Michigan State Legislature Website: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/