Committees

I’m proud to have been appointed to the following legislative committees: Finance, Revenue and Bonding (Ranking Member), Program Review and Invenstigations, Regulations Review and Planning and Development. Here is a bit of information about the types of matters each committee handles and Web links to more information about their daily affiars. I’ve also provided links to Web sites for the rest of the legislature’s committees. Don’t hesitate to call me if you have questions.

FINANCE, REVENUE & BONDING  The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to finance, revenue, capital bonding, fees and taxation. The committee also has cognizance over employer contributions for unemployment compensation and all matters relating to the Department of Revenue Services and the revenue aspects of the Division of Special Revenue. Visit the committee’s Web site here.

PROGRAM REVIEW & INVESTIGATIONS   Legislative Program Review and Investigations serves as the General Assembly’s “watchdog” over the executive branch of the State government.   The committee is a bipartisan statutory group consisting of twelve members.   The President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and Senate and House Minority Leaders each appoint three members to the committee.  By law, the committee is charged with the duty of examining “… State government programs and their administration to ascertain whether such programs are effective, continue to serve their intended purposes, are conducted in an efficient and effective manner, or require modification or elimination.” The committee is further mandated by statute to report to the General Assembly and to make administrative and legislative recommendations or procedures, inaccuracies, waste, extravagance, unauthorized or unintended activities or programs or other deficiencies … ” existing in any agency or program investigated by the committee.” In addition, the committee is authorized to conduct investigations on “any matter” when requested by a joint resolution of the General Assembly or when the legislature is not in session, by a joint standing committee, or at its own initiative, subject to the approval of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management.The Executive Reorganization Act of 1977 expanded the committee’s mandate even further to include performance reviews of nearly 100 boards, councils, committees and commissions scheduled for termination under the “Sunset” provisions of the Act.   The first complete cycle of “Sunset” was completed in 1984. Visit the committee’s Web site here.

REGULATIONS REVIEW  While the Legislative Regulation Review Committee has been in existence since 1972, it was a November 24, 1982 amendment to the State’s Constitution which provided the authority for the General Assembly to adopt the current structure of the committee.  It is the responsibility of the Legislative Regulation Review Committee to review regulations proposed by state agencies and approve them before regulations are implemented. This position was adopted since all regulation have the force of law, and it is important that regulations do not contravene the legislative intent, or conflict with current state or federal laws, or state or federal constitutions. Visit the committe’s Web site here.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT  The Planning and Development Committee has cognizance of all matters relating to local governments, housing, urban renewal, fire, sewer and metropolitan districts, home rule and planning and zoning; regional planning and development activities and the State Plan of Conservation and Development, and economic development programs impacting local governments.  Visit the committee’s Web site here.

Select Committee on Aging
Appropriations Committee
Banks Committee
Select Committee on Children
Commerce Committee
Education Committee
Energy and Technology Committee
Environment Committee
Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
Human Services Committee
Housing Committee
Insurance and Real Estate Committee
Internship Committee
Labor and Public Employees Committee
Judiciary Committee
Joint Committee on Legislative Managment
Planning and Development Committee
Program Review and Investigations Committee
Public Health Committee
Public Safety and Security Committee
Regulations Review Committee
Select Committtee on Veterans’ Affairs