Incoming Senate President Neville James released the new majority’s proposed committee assignments Friday, laying out who will hold positions of power in the new Legislature. The assignments will become official Monday when the Legislature organizes itself, according to a statement from the Legislature.
Members of the majority block will include newly elected Sens. Marvin Blyden, Jean Forde, Novelle Francis Jr., Justin Harrigan Sr., Kurt Vialet, and incumbent Sens. Kenneth Gittens, Clifford Graham, Myron Jackson, Neville James and Sammuel Sanes. Incumbent Sens. Terrence "Positive" Nelson, Nereida Rivera O’Reilly and Tregenza A. Roach will serve in the non-majority block with newly elected Sen. Almando "Rocky" Liburd. Liburd returns to the Legislature after serving several terms back.
Young, who will be serving her third term, will be vice president of the 31st Legislature and secretary for intergovernmental and territorial affairs. Jackson, in his second term, will serve as secretary and liaison to the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Insular Affairs. Sanes, serving his fourth term, will serve as majority leader and liaison to the United States Congress. Gittens, in his second term, will serve as liaison to the White House.
Senate Committee Members:
– The Committee on Education and Workforce Development will be chaired by Forde, with Vialet as vice chair. The other members will be Gittens, Harrigan, Roach, Jackson and Nelson.
– The Committee on Housing, Public Works and Waste Management will be chaired by Blyden, with Graham as vice chair. The other members will be Forde, James, Liburd, Gittens and Roach.
– The Committee on Culture, Historic Preservation, Youth and Recreation will be chaired by Jackson, with Sanes as vice chair. The other members will be Francis, Blyden, Gittens, O’Reilly and Nelson.
– The Committee on Rules and Judiciary will be chaired by Gittens, with Young as vice chair. The other members will be James, Francis, Forde, Harrigan and O’Reilly.
– The Finance Committee will be chaired by Graham again, reprising his role in the last Legislature. Vialet will be vice chair. The other members will be Sanes, Jackson, Blyden, Nelson and Roach.
– The Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection will be chaired by Sanes with Blyden as vice chair. The other members will be Young, Graham, Vialet, Liburd and Nelson.
– The Committee on Economic Development, Agriculture and Planning will be chaired by Young, with Francis as vice chair. The other members will be James, Jackson, Vialet, Graham, Liburd and O’Reilly.
– The Committee on Health, Hospital and Human Services will be chaired by Vialet, with Harrigan as vice chair. The other members will be Francis, Forde, Blyden, O’Reilly and Liburd.
– The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will be chaired by Harrigan with Jackson as vice chair. The other members will be Young, Sanes, James, Nelson and Roach.
– The Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Justice will be chaired by Francis, with Gittens as vice chair. The other members will be Harrigan, Forde, Sanes, Liburd and O’Reilly.