State Senate Leaders Announce Committee Assignments

With the beginning of the 2007 session approaching, State Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan and Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee Friday announced committee assignments for the 51st Oklahoma Legislature.

As a result of the November 7 elections, the Senate is now tied with 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans. As part of a power-sharing agreement announced by the leaders last week, each committee will be headed by co-chairsone from each partyand every committee will have an equal number of Republican and Democratic members.

Completing these committee assignments has heightened my anticipation of the coming session. The Senate is full of bright and talented individuals and I believe that through these appointments each and every member of the Senate will be able to effectively serve the people of our state, said Morgan, D-Stillwater.

Every one of our members brings unique insights and experiences to this body. It is that diversity that enables us to represent all of Oklahoma, said Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. Our goal was to match up those experiences and talents in a way that benefits each committee, and ultimately, the entire state. I believe weve accomplished that.

The Senate committee assignments for the 51st Legislature are:

Agriculture: Co-chairs are Ron Justice, R-Chickasha, and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland. Members are Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; Tom Ivester, D-Elk City; Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo; Mike Schulz, R-Altus; Anthony Sykes, R-Moore; and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

Business and Labor: Co-chairs are Harry Coates, R-Seminole, and Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City. Members are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; David Myers, R-Ponca City; and Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City.

Education: Co-chairs are Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa, and Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City. Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; Susan Paddack, D-Ada; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City; Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa; John Sparks, D-Norman; and James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa.

General Government: Co-chairs are Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City, and Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska. Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; and Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.

Finance: Co-chairs are Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa, and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah. Members are Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; Tom Ivester, D-Elk City; Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; Susan Paddack, D-Ada; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City; John Sparks, D-Norman; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City.

Judiciary: Co-chairs are Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne, and James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa. Members are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; and Anthony Sykes, R-Moore.

Transportation: Co-chairs are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City, and Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo. Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; David Myers, R-Ponca City; Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City; Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa; and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

Public Safety and Homeland Security: Co-chairs are Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee, and Don Barrington, R-Lawton. Members are Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Mike Schulz, R-Altus; and Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska.

Appropriations: Co-chairs are Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore, and Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher. Co-vice chairs are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa and David Myers, R-Ponca City. Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Charles Laster, D-Shawnee; Owen Laughlin, R-Woodward; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; Susan Paddack, D-Ada; and Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa.

Rules: Co-chairs are Sean Burrage, D-Claremore, and Mike Schulz, R-Altus. Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa; and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

Veterans and Military Affairs: Co-chairs are Tom Ivester, D-Elk City, and Jim Reynolds, R- Oklahoma City. Members are Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo and John Sparks, D-Norman.

Criminal Jurisprudence: Co-chairs are Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, and Anthony Sykes, R-Moore. Members are Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City; Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

Energy: Co-chairs are Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, and Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant. Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso; Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore; Mary Easley, D-Tulsa; Tom Ivester, D-Elk City; Mike Johnson, R-Kingfisher; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman; David Myers, R-Ponca City; Susan Paddack, D-Ada and James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa.

Health and Human Resources: Co-chairs are Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, and Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City. Members are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid; Brian Crain, R-Tulsa; Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

Tourism and Wildlife: Co-chairs are John Ford, R-Bartlesville, and Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee. Members are Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City; Mike Schulz, R-Altus; Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

Retirement and Insurance: Co-chairs are Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow, and John Sparks, D-Norman. Members are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa; Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Randy Bass, D-Lawton; Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau; Clark Jolley, R-Edmond; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa and Anthony Sykes, R-Moore.

Sub-Committee on Education: Co-chairs are Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, and Susan Paddack, D-Ada. Members are Cliff Aldridge, R-Midwest City; Earl Garrison, D-Muskogee; Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant; John Sparks, D-Norman; Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City; and James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa.

Sub-Committee on Health and Social Services: Co-chairs are Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, and Brian Crain, R-Tulsa. Members are Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow; Sean Burrage, D-Claremore; Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa; and Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah.

Sub-Committee on Human Services: Co-chairs are Patrick Anderson, R-Enid, and Nancy Riley, D-Tulsa. Members are Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa; and John Ford, R-Bartlesville.

Sub-Committee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services: Co-chairs are Randy Bass, D-Lawton, and David Myers, R-Ponca City. Members are Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; Ron Justice, R-Chickasha; Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City; Joe Sweeden, D-Pawhuska; Anthony Sykes, R-Moore and Charles Wyrick, D-Fairland.

Sub-Committee on General Government and Transportation: Co-chairs are Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, and Mary Easley, D-Tulsa. Members are Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee; Don Barrington, R-Lawton; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Tom Ivester, D-Elk City and Constance N. Johnson, D-Oklahoma City.

Sub-Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary: Co-chairs are Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, and Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman. Members are Todd Lamb, R-Edmond; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne; Jeff Rabon, D-Hugo; Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City and Mike Schulz, R-Altus.

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