North Carolina Legislative Report - December 17, 2012

December 17, 2012 

General Assembly Leadership Elections and Appointments

With the start of the 2013 legislative session rapidly approaching, both chambers are beginning to select leaders and appoint committee chairs.  Listed below is the line-up of leadership and committee chair assignments to date.  We will keep you informed as additional information becomes available.

*Senate Democrats will meet on Thursday, December 20, to elect leadership.

Senate Leadership Elections

• Senator Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) will remain the President Pro Tempore.
• Senator Louis Pate (R-Wayne) will serve as the Deputy Pro Tempore.
• Senator Harry Brown (R-Onslow) will serve as the Senate Majority Leader.

Senate Committee Chairs

• Senator Tom Apodaca (R-Henderson) has been reappointed as Chairman of the Rules Committee.
• Senators Jim Davis (R-Macon) and Tommy Tucker (R-Union) will co-chair the Senate State and Local Government Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Information Technology.
• Senators Louis Pate (R-Wayne) and Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) have been named co-chairs of the Senate Health Care Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.
• Senators  Andrew Brock (R-Davie) and Brent Jackson (R-Duplin) will co-chair the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources.
• Senators Harry Brown (R-Onslow), Pete Brunstetter (R-Forsyth) and Neal Hunt (R-Wake) will be the co-chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
• Senators Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg) and Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick) will co-chair the Senate Finance Committee.
• Senators Thom Goolsby (R-New Hanover) and Buck Newton (R-Wilson) will co-chair the Senate Judiciary I Committee.
• Senators Austin Allran (R-Catawba) and Warren Daniel (R-Burke) will co-chair of the Senate Judiciary II Committee. 
• Senators Stan Bingham (R-Davidson), Thom Goolsby (R-New Hanover) and Buck Newton (R-Wilson) will serve as co-chairmen of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety.
• Senators Jerry Tillman (R-Randolph) and Dan Soucek (R-Watauga) will co-chair the Senate Committee on Education/Higher Education.
• Senators Tom Apodaca (R-Henderson), Jerry Tillman (R-Randolph) and Dan Soucek (R-Watauga) will serve as co-chairs of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education/Higher Education.
• Senators Rick Gunn (R-Alamance) and Wesley Meredith (R-Cumberland) will co-chair  the Senate Commerce Committee.
• Senator Fletcher Hartsell (R-Cabarrus) will chair the Senate Program Evaluation Committee.

House Leadership Elections

• Representative Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) will serve a second term as Speaker of the House.
• Representative Paul “Skip” Stam (R-Wake) will serve as the Speaker Pro Tempore.
• Representative Edgar Starnes (R-Caldwell) will serve as the Majority Leader where he will be the point person on floor debates, and lead caucus meetings.
• Representative Ruth Samuelson (R-Mecklenburg) will fill the new position of House Republican Conference Leader where she will take on some duties that previously belonged to the majority leader.
• Representative Mike Hager (R-Rutherford) will serve as the Majority Whip.
• Representative-Elect Rick Catlin (R-New Hanover) will serve as
  Freshman Leader.
• Representative-Elect Dean Arp (R-Union) will serve in the newly created Freshman Whip position.
• Representative Larry Hall (D-Durham) will lead the Democrats as the House Minority Leader.

House Committee Chairs

• Representative Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) has been reappointed as Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations where he will oversee the schedule and flow of legislation.
• Representative Nelson Dollar (R-Wake) will lead the House Appropriations Committee.

The remaining chairs of the House Appropriations Committee will be Representatives Mitch Gillespie (R-McDowell), Linda Johnson (R-Cabarrus), Bryan Holloway (R-Stokes) and Justin Burr (R-Stanly).

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