Mike Haridopolos Names Senate Chairs

As the Senate readies for its special session on Tuesday, incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, named committee and subcommittee chairs.

Selecting committee chairs has been a member-driven process, said Haridopolos on Monday. I took great strides in placing senators on committees they wanted to serve on. I asked each of them to list their top 10 committee priorities and based on their responses, I selected committee chairs. I especially want to thank Senator Dennis Jones, the dean of the Florida Legislature, for his hard work in assisting me in this process.

Two Democrats will head committees. Gary Siplin will head Agriculture and Jeremy Ring will take over Governmental Oversight and Accountability.

Newly elected Republican senators did well. Lizbeth Benacquisto will take over Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities. Jack Latvala will head up Transportation while Greg Evers takes over Criminal Justice. Rene Garcia will chair Health Regulations. Anitere Flores will lead Judiciary while Miguel Diaz de la Portilla will wield the gavel on the Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections. Ellyn Bogdanoff will lead the Subcommittee on Finance and Tax, and Alan Hays takes over the Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations. David Simmons will chair the Subcommittee on Education and Pre K-12 Appropriations, and Jim Norman will lead the joint committee on Administrative Procedures.

In terms of the Senate leaderships team, incoming President Pro Tem Michael Bennett takes over Community Affairs. Don Gaetz will head the Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations as well as Reapportionment.

In terms of returning senators, Charles Dean gets Environmental Preservation and Conservation; Garrett Richter will head Banking and Insurance; Nancy Detert will lead Commerce and Tourism; Jones will chair Regulated Industries; Ronda Storms will lead Children, Family and Elder Affairs; Stephen Wise will chair Education and Pre K-12 while Steve Oelrich gets Higher Education; Thad Altman will wield the gavel at Military Affairs, Space and Domestic Security; Mike Fasano will manage the Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations; Joe Negron will take over the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Appropriations while Evelyn Lynn leads the Subcommittee on Higher Education Appropriations.

Haridopolos already announced that John Thrasher will head the Rules Committee and Calendar Group, and J.D. Alexander will manage the Budget Committee.

Theres one prominent Republican senator missing -- Paula Dockery, who made a brief run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination earlier in the year. Is this a sign that she will have a position with incoming Gov. Rick Scotts administration?