Final answer:
The leader of the state senate is usually the Lieutenant Governor or, when absent, the President Pro Tempore, who presides over the senate in a largely ceremonial role.
Step-by-step explanation:
The leader of the state senate is generally the Lieutenant Governor or the President Pro Tempore when the Lieutenant Governor is not available. The title of the leader of the state senate when the lieutenant governor is not present is President Pro Tempore. Their duties include presiding over the senate, but they generally hold a largely formal and ceremonial role since the real power lies in the hands of the majority and minority leaders of the senate. The majority leader in particular, while not having the same authority as the Speaker of the House, is the chief spokesperson for the majority party and works with the minority leader to get things done, particularly when it comes to garnering the sixty votes needed for cloture to overcome a filibuster and move legislation forward.