Kentucky Senate Republicans named their committee chairs on Monday, a little more than a month before the General Assembly convenes for its 2025 regular session.
Republicans hold a supermajority in both the Senate and House, giving them the coveted power to chair committees. A few chair positions were open in the chamber following the impending retirements of some longtime senators, including Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Whitney Westerfield, of Fruit Hill. Westerfield will be succeeded by Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London.
According to a Senate GOP press release, vice chairs of the Senate standing committees and Senate co-chairs of the statutory committees were also announced. The committee assignments will go into effect starting with the 2025 General Assembly on Jan. 7.
Republican Senate President Robert Stivers, of Manchester said in a statement that the Senate has “a wide variety of legislative needs with ample leadership opportunities.”
“I am confident in each of these individuals and in the deep bench we already have,” said Stivers. “Our caucus continues to mature and adapt to the needs of Kentucky residents and I’m excited about the changes we’ll see with our new administration taking this country in a thoughtful, deliberate direction.”
Republicans in both the Senate and House elected their leadership members last month ahead of the 2025 session, which begins in January.
Here’s the list of Senate committee chairs and vice chairs:
- Agriculture – Chair: Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray; Vice Chair – Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro
- Appropriations & Revenue – Chair: Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights; Vice Chair – Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington.
- Banking & Insurance – Chair: Sen. Jared Carpenter, R-Berea; Vice Chair – Sen. Rick Girdler, R-Somerset
- Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor – Chair: Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville; Vice Chair – Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria
- Education – Chair: Sen. Steve West, R-Paris; Vice Chair – Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield
- Families and Children – Chair: Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah; Vice Chair – Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington
- Health Services – Chair: Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield; Vice Chair – Sen. Elect Craig Richardson, R-Hopkinsville
- Judiciary – Chair: Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London; Vice Chair – Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville
- Licensing and Occupations – Chair: Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville; Vice Chair – Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray
- Natural Resources and Energy – Chair: Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard; Vice Chair – Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona
- State and Local Government – Chair: Sen. Michael J. Nemes, R-Shepherdsville; Vice Chair – Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester
- Transportation – Chair: Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon; Vice Chair – Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville
- Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection – Chair: Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown; Vice Chair – Senator-elect Aaron Reed, R-Shelbyville.
Here are the Senate’s co-chairs for statutory committees. Those meet year-round and are co-chaired by a member of the House and Senate:
- Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee – Co-Chair Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris.
- Capital Planning Advisory Board – Co-Chair Sen. Gary Boswell, R-Owensboro.
- Capital Projects and Bond Oversight – Co-Chair Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria
- Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity – Co-Chair Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington
- Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee – Co-Chair Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown
- Government Contract Review Committee – Co-Chair Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville
- Investments in IT Improvement and Modernization Projects Oversight Board – Co-Chair Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona
- Juvenile Justice Oversight Council – Co-Chair Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London
- Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee – Co-Chair Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester; Vice Chair – Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray
- Public Pension Oversight Board – Co-Chair Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon
- Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee – Co-Chair Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray
--30--
Written by McKenna Horsley. Cross-posted from the Kentucky Lantern.
Comments
