FRANKFORT, Ky. (December 8, 2022) – Senate President Robert Stivers and Senate leadership announced 2023-24 Senate Majority Caucus member committee assignments on Monday. Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, has been appointed to the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee. He will continue his service as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Licensing and Occupations Committee and State and Local Government Committee.
“Our Senate Majority Caucus has great diversity of thought and professional expertise,” said Senate President Robert Stivers. “We have physicians, lawyers, educators, and small business owners prepared to lead the Commonwealth with sound policy initiatives in the 2023-2024 General Assembly.”
Last month, Thayer and members of Senate leadership were re-elected to their respective roles by acclamation after being unchallenged by Senate colleagues. Thayer is the longest-serving majority floor leader in state history. Previous Republican majority floor leaders include former Senator Dan Kelly and current Senate President Robert Stivers.
“As a Senate leadership member, I am eagerly anticipating the 2023 Legislative Session,” Thayer said. “While the caucus is going to miss our departing members, and certainly the late C.B. Embry Jr., we are excited about our new members and what they bring to the table. I enjoy serving on each of the committees I am assigned, because they touch so many critical policy areas, including our signature bourbon and horse racing industries. Everyone can expect continued sound policymaking from the Kentucky Senate; the types of conservative policies that have created numerous record years of economic investment, more secure public pensions, a robust rainy day fund and so much more.”
About the committees:
Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee
Reviews and comments upon administrative regulations submitted to it by the Legislative Research Commission and makes nonbinding determinations concerning the statutory authority to promulgate administrative regulations filed with the LRC. The committee also reviews existing administrative regulations; recommend the amendment, repeal, or enactment of statutes relating to administrative regulations; conducts a continuous study of the administrative regulations procedure and the needs of administrative bodies; studies statutes relating to administrative hearings; and makes legislative recommendations. The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee is a statutory committee. Statutory committees are authorized by the Kentucky Revised Statutes or function as subcommittees of the LRC.
Agriculture
Oversees legislative matters pertaining to the following: crop, livestock, poultry, aquaculture, and their marketing, disease control and warehousing; stockyards; agricultural cooperatives and marketing associations; regulation of amusement rides; pesticide application and regulation; agriculture and commercial weights and measures; national food distribution programs; motor fuel quality; grain regulation and the trade of grains and commodities; ethanol and cellulosic fuels; veterinarians; the state fair; county fairs; agriculture loan and grant programs; agritourism; farm safety and education; the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement; the Department of Agriculture; and the Governor’s Office of Agriculture Policy.
Licensing and Occupations
Oversees legislative matters relating to the following: professional licensing not assigned specifically to another committee; racing; prizefighting and wrestling; places of entertainment; alcoholic beverage control; private corporations; cooperative corporations and marketing associations; religious, charitable and educational societies; nonprofit corporations; professional service corporations; cemeteries; barbers and cosmetologists; professional engineers and land surveyors; architects; real estate brokers and agents; public accountants; detection of deception examiners; auctioneers; business schools; warehouses and warehousemen; partnerships and trade practices must go through the Senate and House Licensing and Occupations Committee.
State and Local Government Committee:
Oversees legislative matters pertaining to but not limited to the following: sovereignty and jurisdiction of the commonwealth; the General Assembly, its committees, officers and service agencies; redistricting; the governor; the lieutenant governor; intergovernmental cooperation; relations with the federal government; administrative organization; administrative regulations; administrative agencies; Department of Law; constitutional offices; state personnel; state retirement systems; the proposing of constitutional amendments and the calling of a constitutional convention; ratification of amendments to the United States Constitution; and election issues.
Standing Committee assignments are not final until the Senate Committee on Committees makes a formal vote. The Committee on Committees membership comprises both Senate majority and minority caucus members. Committee appointments are subject to change.
# # #