As we begin the new year, the Senate has released its 2015-2016 Committee Chairs:
Senator Brownsberger’s roles:
Senate Chair, Judiciary Committee
Vice Chair, Senate Ethics Committee
Member, Senate Ways and Means Committee
Member, Municipalities and Regional Government Committee
Member, Election Laws Committee
Democratic Leadership:
President: Rosenberg
Majority Leader: Chandler
President Pro Tempore: Pacheco
Assistant Majority Leader: Creem
Assistant Majority Leader: Joyce
Assistant Majority Leader: Montigny
Majority Whip: Petrucelli
Assistant Majority Whip: Donnelly
Senate Standing Committees:
Ways and Means: Spilka
Rules: Montigny
Ethics: Creem
Bills in Third Reading: Joyce
Post Audit & Oversight: Barrett
Steering & Policy: Wolf
Bonding, Capital Expenditures, & State Assets: Keenan
Personnel & Administration: Rush
Intergovernmental Affairs: Dorcena Forry
Redistricting: Downing
Global Warming: Pacheco
Children’s Caucus: McGee
Joint Standing Committees:
Financial Services: Eldridge
Higher Education: Moore
Children & Families: Flanagan
Economic Development & Emerging Technologies: Donoghue
Mental Health & Substance Abuse: Flanagan
Public Health: Lewis
Education: Chang-Diaz
Telecommunications, Utilities & Energy: Downing
Judiciary: Brownsberger
Housing: Dorcena Forry
State Administration & Regulatory Oversight: Lovely
Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture: Gobi
Public Safety & Homeland Security: Timilty
Tourism, Arts, & Cultural Development: Lesser
Public Service: Timilty
Revenue: Rodrigues
Community Development & Small Business: O’Connor Ives
Elder Affairs: Jehlen
Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure: Kennedy
Municipalities & Regional Government: L’Italien
Election Laws: Kennedy
Transportation: McGee
Health Care Financing: Welch
Labor & Workforce Development: Wolf
Veterans & Federal Affairs: Rush
This note is to thank both Will Brownsberger and Andrew Bettinelli for the 2015 Committee Chair list and Will’s legislative roles. My family and I are always grateful for the information and communications you provide each year, so we can share in legislative work we care about more effectively.
You are welcome. Glad to serve.
Now that you are on the Judiciary Committee. I have some insight on what I see as a priority problem with state funding. I just go a call from the Lawyer handling my parent’s estate saying the probate court is backlogged with tasks so the discharge of the estate will take a lot longer than usual. Nothing to do with the estate it’self but all her filings and that of her collegues in the law industry have the same problem. The court is understaffed, underfunded, under_you name it.
Now the “Leaders” (read Governers) are coming from or returning to corporate life so they will be judged by the finantial performance of the state while they were governers. The best way is how their bond rating faired, and budget performance by their future employers. Not by how fair or how well the electorate faired under their leadership.
I look at the Judiciary as a root core necessary service like law enforcement that should have top bookings for tax revenues.
How would we fare if the state police could not address enforcement issues because of funding.
Even it we miss or are late with a big dig bond payment because a revenue shortfall. Justice should be put ahead of bond rating even if it means S&P dinging us.
Absolutely right. It is a fundamental service to society and terribly important. We need to fund it adequately and also assure that we streamline the legal process as much as possible.