OKPOLICY.ORG
Another step toward the beginning of the 60th Legislature occurred last week when Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, named committee chairs and rounded out the remaining members of the Senate leadership team that had not been announced. Committee chairs control the destiny of bills assigned to their committees because they set the agenda for committee meetings, which carries the discretion to determine which bills will get a hearing.
Most of the major committees will retain the same chairs as last session. Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, has retained the powerful Appropriations Committee chairmanship after finishing out the last few weeks of last session when Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, was removed by then Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, will again chair the Education Committee and the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, will chair the Revenue and Taxation Committee (formerly the Senate Finance Committee). Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, will retain chairmanship of the Health and Human Service Committee, and Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus, will again chair the Judiciary Committee.
I call these major committees because their subject matter jurisdiction covers a major area of state government, touching nearly everyone and/or commands a major share of the state budget. All committees are important, but some are specialized with jurisdiction covering a particular segment of the economy or area of activity.
Other interesting appointments include Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, who, in her freshman term, will chair a new Economic Development, Workforce, and Tourism Committee where she will likely continue her work reforming the workings of the Department of Commerce and the Department of Tourism. Workforce development plays importantly into economic development. Sen. Thompson will also chair the Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.
Another freshman, Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, will chair a new Technology and Telecommunications Committee along with retaining vice chairmanship of the Education Committee and the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Freshman Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, will chair the newly created Local and County Government Committee signaling his interest in that area.
Freshman Sen. Grant Green, R-Wellston, will move up from vice chair to chair of the Energy Committee with jurisdiction over the important oil and gas industry legislation, replacing Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton who relinquished the committee when he was elected President Pro Tempore. Green will also chair the Office of Management and Enterprise Services Appropriations Subcommittee.
Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, a former Director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control, will chair the Public Safety Committee replacing Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, who will move to chair the Aerospace and Transportation Committee.
Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City will retain chairmanship of the former Business and Commerce Committee, now the Business and Insurance Committee, adding jurisdiction over insurance industry legislation to this already powerful committee. And finally, Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, who reportedly came within one vote of being elected President Pro Tempore, is the new chair of the Retirement and Government Resources Committee, minus jurisdiction over the insurance industry.
Newly appointed Assistant Majority Floor Leaders who will assist Majority Leader Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, in setting and managing the floor agenda are Sen. Rosino and Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville. These senators will determine whether a bill advances by determining whether it gets placed on the floor agenda for consideration by the full senate.
The new Majority Whip will be Sen. Coleman. He and newly appointed Assistant Majority Whips Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt; Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington; and Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, will conduct whip counts on leadership or controversial bills.
