Republican Senators Name New Committee Chairs

The Republican state Senate has completed it's shake-up, after announcing new committee chairs today. With multiple chairmen retiring and others promoted into leadership, the caucus had many roles to fill, including that of chairmen for Education, Judiciary, Agriculture and Natural Resources.

And in another move, the caucus named State Senator David Givens as c0-chair to the budget committee, with Senator Bob Leeper.

Incoming freshman Senator Whitney Westerfield is the new judiciary chairman. The full list of Republican chairs are below, with * by new chairs.

• Agriculture                                                                                                         *Sen. Paul  Hornback
• Appropriations & Revenue                                                              Sen. Bob Leeper/ *David Givens, vice chair
• Banking & Insurance                                                                                     Sen. Tom  Buford
• Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor                                          Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr
• Education                                                                                                           * Sen. David Wilson
• Health & Welfare                                                                                           Sen. Julie  Denton
• Judiciary                                                                                                            * Sen. Whitney  Westerfield
• Licensing, Occupations & Administrative Regulations                    Sen. John  Schickel
• Natural Resources & Energy                                                                      *  Sen. Jared Carpenter
• State & Local Government                                                                        *   Sen. Joe  Bowen
• Transportation                                                                                                 Sen. Ernie Harris
• Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection                                  *Sen. Jimmy  Higdon
• Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee                             Bowen
• Capital Planning Advisory Board                                                             * Sen. Stan  Humphries
• Capital Projects and Bond Oversight                                                        * Sen. Chris Girdler
• Education Assessment & Accountability Review                              Sen.  Wilson
• Government Contract Review                                                                  *Sen. Sara Beth Gregory
• Medicaid Oversight & Advisory                                                                Sen.  Givens
• Program Review & Investigations                                                            *Sen. Chris McDaniel
• Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight                              Sen. Hornback