The Senate Republican Caucus recently elected its new leadership team, who immediately went to work on assigning committee leadership and membership. I'm honored that the Senate Leadership has again appointed me as Judiciary Committee Chairman. The committee has shown leadership on critical issues, most recently on juvenile justice legislation that is now a national model for reform. I look forward to continuing that work over the next two years. I'm glad to announce that I'll be joined by Senator-Elect Will Schroder as Vice Chair.
Be sure to follow this blog or follow me on Twitter or Facebook to stay up to date on our work throughout the session!
KENTUCKY SENATE LEADERSHIP MAKES
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR 2015 SESSION;
CHAIRS, VICE-CHAIRS NAMED AS WELL
Frankfort – Kentucky State Senate Majority Caucus Chair Dan Suem (R-Fairdale) announced today the assignments of its members to the Kentucky State Senate Standing Committees for the upcoming 2015 General Assembly session, including the selection by Majority Leadership of the chair and vice-chairs for each of the committees. The Appropriations and Revenue, Health and Welfare, and Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection committees all have new chairs and vice chairs.
Senator Seum said new assignments to the committees were necessary following the election in November 2014 of six (6) new senators, all Republicans, which increased the number of the majority caucus to twenty-six (26), the largest number in the caucus’ history. Two (2) new members in the majority caucus’ leadership team also contributed to changes being made, Senator Seum said, as members in leadership traditionally do not serve as committee chairs or vice-chairs, due to time constraints.
Senator Chris McDaniel (R-Taylor Mill) will serve as chair of Appropriations and Revenue, and Senator Stan Humphries (R-Cadiz) has been selected as the vice-chair. Senator McDaniel replaces retiring Senator Bob Leeper (I-Paducah), while Senator Humphries will fill the spot previously held by Senator David P. Givens, who is now the majority caucus’ nominee for Senate President Pro Tem.
Senator-Elect Julie Raque Adams (R- Louisville), who voters elected to replace retiring Senator Julie Denton (R-Louisville), was also selected by her caucus’ leadership to replace Senator Denton as the chair of the Health and Welfare Committee. Vice-Chair of the Health and Welfare Committee will be Senator-Elect Ralph Alvarado (R-Winchester), who is also a medical doctor.
The Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection Committee will be chaired by Senator Albert Robinson (R-London); his vice-chair will be Senator-Elect C.B. Embry. VMAP was previously chaired by Senator Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon), who is now serving in Senate Leadership as the Majority Caucus Whip.
Other senators selected as chairs and vice-chairs of Senate Standing Committees are as follows:
Agriculture Committee:
Chair, Senator Paul Hornback
Vice-Chair, Senator Carroll Gibson.
Banking and Insurance:
Chair, Senator Tom Buford
Vice-Chair, Senator Jared Carpenter
Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee:
Senator Alice Forgy Kerr, Chair
Senator Chris Girdler, Vice-Chair
Education Committee:
Mike Wilson, Chair,
Senator-Elect Max Wise, Vice-Chair
Judiciary Committee:
Senator Whitney Westerfield, Chair,
Senator-Elect Wil Schroder, Vice-Chair
Licensing, Occupations and Welfare Committee:
Senator John Schickel, Chair
Senator Paul Hornback, Vice-Chair
Natural Resources & Energy:
Senator Jared Carpenter, Chair,
Senator Brandon Smith, Vice-Chair
State and Local Government Committee:
Senator Joe Bowen, Chair
Senator Stan Humphries, Vice-Chair
Transportation Committee:
Senator Ernie Harris, Chair
Senator Brandon Smith, Vice-Chair
All of the Senate Standing Committees are listed below, with a complete listing of the appointments of majority caucus members by the Senate Majority Leadership members:
Agriculture
Paul Hornback, Chair
Carroll Gibson, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
C.B. Embry
Chris Girder
David P. Givens
Stan Humphries
Damon Thayer
Whitney Westerfield
Appropriations & Revenue
Chris McDaniel, Chair
Stan Humphries, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Ralph Alvarado
Danny Carroll
Carroll Gibson
Chris Girdler
David P. Givens
Wil Schroder
Brandon Smith
Max Wise
Banking & Insurance
Tom Buford, Chair
Jared Carpenter, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Julie Raque Adams
Chris Girdler
Chris McDaniel
Albert Robinson
John Schickel
Dan “Malano” Seum
Economic Development & Labor
Alice Forgy Kerr, Chair
Chris Girdler, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Carroll Gibson
Ernie Harris
Jimmy Higdon
Wil Schroder
Mike Wilson
Max Wise
Education
Mike Wilson, Chair
Max Wise, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Julie Raque Adams
Jared Carpenter
Danny Carroll
Carroll Gibson
David P. Givens
Jimmy Higdon
Alice Forgy Kerr
Health & Welfare
Julie Raque Adams, Chair
Ralph Alvarado, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Tom Buford
Danny Carroll
David P. Givens
Jimmy Higdon
Alice Forgy Kerr
Max Wise
Judiciary
Whitney Westerfield, Chair
Wil Schroder, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Danny Carroll
Carroll Gibson
Alice Forgy Kerr
John Schickel
Dan “Malano” Seum
Robert Stivers
Licensing & Occupations
John Schickel, Chair
Paul Hornback, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Joe Bowen
Tom Buford
Jimmy Higdon
Chris McDaniel
Dan “Malano” Seum
Damon Thayer
Natural Resources & Energy
Jared Carpenter, Chair
Brandon Smith, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
C.B. Embry
Chris Girdler
Ernie Harris
Paul Hornback
John Schickel
Whitney Westerfield
State & Local Government
Joe Bowen, Chair
Stan Humphries, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Julie Raque Adams
Ralph Alvarodo
Chris McDaniel
Albert Robinson
Dan “Maleno” Seum
Damon Thayer
Transportation
Ernie Harris, Chair
Brandon Smith, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Joe Bowen
Jared Carpenter
C.B. Embry
Jimmy Higdon
Albert Robinson
Whitney Westerfield
Mike Wilson
Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection
Albert Robinson, Chair
C. B. Embry, Vice-Chair
Majority Senate Members:
Carroll Gibson
Ernie Harris
Stan Humphries
Chris McDaniel
Dan “Malano” Seum
Whitney Westerfield
Mike Wilson
Max Wise