A Letter to My Neighbors

Dear Colleagues and Neighbors, Welcome to week one of 69th Legislative Session!

As Senators, we are elected to represent the people of our communities and ensure transparency and accountability in our decision-making. It is our duty to address both the obvious issues and the “quiet parts” that may not be immediately apparent. With this in mind, I want to share the rationale behind one of my votes this week.

First, I rejected the formation of a new “A” committee—the Select Executive Oversight Committee—created to handle bills supported by our Republican Governor and to oversee the confirmation of his agency directors. This committee was not designed to improve efficiency nor support the legislative process; rather, its purpose was to obstruct the Republican Governor’s work and hinder his appointees.

Every committee has accumulated expertise in its respective area, whether it’s Education, Agriculture, Public Health, Transportation, or Business and Labor. No single committee can possess the depth of knowledge necessary to address all bills or vet every agency director effectively. That responsibility is best left to committees with the experience and understanding developed over time.

The creation of this new oversight committee was entirely unnecessary. It was formed with the sole intent of undermining the Republican Governor and his appointees, and I refused to support such a move.

Operational rules are vital to maintaining order and fairness. As those familiar with Mason’s Rules of Order or Robert’s Rules of Order understand, rules are designed to ensure the majority’s will while protecting the minority’s rights. These principles must remain at the heart of our legislative process.

Measures were taken that would “park” Senators in positions where their expertise and contributions were wasted. Now that all Senators have been assigned to committees, we should focus on doing the work of the people.

Assignments should reflect Senators’ experience and expertise, which is now the case. The result is stronger, more effective committees with more Republican representation, ensuring Republican priorities are well-represented.

We have the committees, the assignments, and the expertise needed to move forward. It’s time to get to work.