Archive for the ‘State Legislature News’ Category

From wgnsradio.com:

Ketron was first elected to the General Assembly in 2002 and has won re-election to two additional terms of office. He is currently Chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee, as well as serving as Deputy Speaker.

“Senator Ketron has done an outstanding job and will do a great job as Caucus Chairman,” said Senator Tracy (R-Shelbyville), who nominated him for the position.

In other positions elected by the Caucus, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) was re-elected as the Caucus nominee for Senate Speaker, Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) was re-elected Majority Leader, Senator Bo Watson (R-Chattanooga) was elected as Floor Leader, Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) was re-elected Secretary, Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) was re-elected Treasurer and Senator Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) was re-elected Chaplain.

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From Quad-City Times:

House Speaker-elect Kraig Paulsen said Wednesday he expects there will be fewer state agencies and government programs on the books after the 2011 legislative session is completed next spring.

He said likely casualties will be the Iowa Power Fund and the Grow Iowa Values Fund that were the creations of Democratic governors. Other areas of state government likely will be on the chopping block as well as lawmakers wrestle with ways to bring spending in line with revenue.

“You should expect us to make some tough choices,” Paulsen told a Des Moines Partnership lunch crowd.

“I think you’re going to see us just wholesale eliminate a couple difference programs and a couple different offices, and we’re going to start with those that have marginal or no benefit.”

Paulsen, who will lead a 60-member GOP majority in the House when the 84th General Assembly convenes Jan. 10, said he does not expect the Iowa Legislature to reauthorize outgoing Gov. Chet Culver’s Power Fund because program managers have been unable to specify how many jobs have been created by the state’s $100 million investment over the past four years.

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Another set of leaders chosen as Republicans across the country elect their leadership.

From delmarvanow.com:

Eastern Shore state Delegate Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio is the new minority whip in the Maryland General Assembly’s House Republican Caucus, moving a step up from assistant minority whip after a unanimous acclamation by caucus members.

Haddaway-Riccio represents District 37B that includes all of Talbot County and parts of Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico counties. She has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2003, and was assistant minority whip since 2005. She also is the 1st vice president of the Women Legislators of Maryland.

The House Republican Caucus, during its annual leadership election on Wednesday, also elected Delegate Anthony J. O’Donnell as minority leader by unanimous acclamation. His District 29C makes up Calvert and St. Mary’s counties.

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From OregonLive.com:

Republican senators are sticking with Ted –Ferrioli, not Kulongoski — as their caucus leader.

Following elections this week, Republicans announced that Ferrioli, R-John Day, will return next year for his fourth session as GOP caucus leader.

Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Hillsboro, and Sen. Frank Morse, R-Albany, were chosen as deputy caucus leaders. Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, will continue as caucus whip. Sen. Doug Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, and Sen. Chris Telfer, R-Bend, will serve as assistant majority leaders.

Republicans picked up two senate seats in the most recent election, boosting them from 12 to 14 of 30 Senate seats. There’s still a chance that they’ll be sharing power with the Democrats. Republicans have requested a recount in a closely contested race in Jackson County, where the Democratic incumbent is the presumptive winner.

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The Republican Caucus as selected Representative Bruce Hanna as Co-Speaker.

From The Register Guard:

Oregon House Republicans have selected Rep. Bruce Hanna of Roseburg to be their co-speaker-designee for the 2011 Legislature, his office announced Wednesday.

Hanna, whose district includes eastern Lane County, has been the House Republican leader for the past two years while the Republicans were in the minority. Last month’s election resulted in a tie in the House, with 30 seats held by Republicans and 30 seats held by Democrats.

The chamber’s Democrats met Saturday and voted unanimously to select Rep. Arnie Roblan of Coos Bay to be their speaker or co-speaker-nominee for 2011.

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The assumed Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard makes a good point.

From MontgomeryAdvertiser.com:

The incoming legislative leadership expects to reduce the size of the staff in the Alabama House of Representatives and Alabama Senate.

Republican Sen. Del Marsh of Anniston said he expects to trim the budget of the president pro tem by a third when he takes that office.

Republican state Rep. Mike Hubbard of Auburn, who is expected to be the next speaker of the House, said he expects cuts to the staff because he has a hard time with the Legislature continuing to ask agencies to make cuts while lawmakers do not.

“I think we are a little top-heavy personnel-wise,” he said.

But Hubbard said, combating State House rumors, they are not targeting anyone and there is no list of people they already plan to fire. But he said he wants to ensure the resources are being used properly.

“I intend to have this thoroughly looked through,” Hubbard said. “Everything is on the table. It is a new day and unfortunately we don’t have unlimited resources.”

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This happening in the wake of the drama earlier this year.

From the Wall Street Journal:

The Alabama legislature is scheduled to open a special session on an ethics overhaul Wednesday. Gov. Bob Riley called the session to push for stricter ethics rules following indictments by federal prosecutors in October of 11 people—including four state senators—in an alleged vote-buying scheme.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Mr. Riley, a Republican, decided to call the session soon after his party—campaigning strongly against public corruption—won control of the state House and Senate for the first time in 136 years.

Mr. Riley, who is term-limited and will leave office in January, is calling for a range of changes, including disclosure by lobbyists of all spending on public officials and employees; limits on lobbyists’ gift-giving; outlawing money transfers between political action committees; and granting subpoena power to the Alabama Ethics Commission.

Gov.-elect Robert Bentley and Republican leaders in the legislature support the ethics push. Democratic leaders have said they also support ethics overhaul, but consider the special session to be political grandstanding.

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From MontgomeryAdvertiser.com:

State Rep. Victor Gaston of Mobile is the choice of the new Republican majority in the Alabama House of Representatives to hold the number two spot of speaker pro tem.

The Republican caucus nominated him Tuesday during a meeting in Tuscaloosa and plan to make it official with a vote of the House at the start of a special session Wednesday.

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