Senate Panel Votes Down Republican Attempt to Get More Say Over Committee Assignments
Republicans in the General Assembly want more say over how their members are assigned to committees – but a bid to do so was rejected Friday by the Senate Rules Committee.
Legislators are currently assigned to committees by the House Speaker and the Senate President, both of whom are elected by a chamber-wide vote at the start of each session. But Senate Minority Leader Bryan W. Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel) argues that, given the Democratic supermajority in both the House and Senate, Republicans ultimately lack power in where their own members are assigned.
And while Simonaire said he has a “great working relationship” with Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), he told members of the Senate Rules Committee in a virtual hearing Friday that giving Republicans the final say over committee assignments for their members is ultimately a matter of fair representation.
“The people who elected us don’t necessarily agree on every agenda item the majority party has in there,” Simonaire said.
Read more: https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/03/05/senate-panel-votes-down-republican-attempt-to-get-more-say-over-committee-assignments/
