Drew Wilson
Senate President Wilton Simpson announced committee assignments for the next two Legislative Sessions on Thursday, revealing which Senators will sit on the powerful Appropriations Committee and its subcommittees.
Simpson had previously announced which Senators will serve as chair or vice chair of committees during his tenure as Senate President — he selected Lakeland Republican Sen. Kelli Stargel to Chair the full Appropriations Committee, with Sen. Aaron Bean serving as Vice Chair.
The committee will be filled out by Republican Sens. Ben Albritton, Jeff Brandes, Doug Broxson, Manny Diaz, George Gainer, Ed Hooper, Travis Hutson, Debbie Mayfield, Kathleen Passidomo, Keith Perry and Democratic Sens. Audrey Gibson, Lauren Book, Randolph Bracy, Gary Farmer, Jason Pizzo, Bobby Powell, Darryl Rouson and Linda Stewart.
Albritton and Rodriguez will serve as the chair and vice chair of the Agriculture, Environment, and General Government subcommittee with Republican Sens. Jim Boyd, Jennifer Bradley, Jason Brodeur, Ileana Garcia and Mayfield. Democratic Sens. Loranne Ausley, Lori Berman, Perry Thurston and Stewart round it out.
Perry, of Gainesville, will chair the Criminal and Civil Justice subcommittee with Brandes, of St. Petersburg, holding the vice chair seat. Both Senators have been among the most ardent Republican advocates for criminal justice reform. Also holding a seat on the committee are Republicans Dennis Baxley, Gainer and Ana Maria Rodriguez and Democrats Bracy, Victor Torres and Pizzo.
Broxson and Diaz are the No. 1 and No. 2 on the Education Appropriations subcommittee. Diaz is the former chair of the Education Committee. The pair will be joined by Republicans Gruters, Hutson, Passidomo and Tom Wright as well as Democrats Janet Cruz, Gibson and Tina Polsky.
Bean, who was also named President Pro Tempore, will chair the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services — the same committee he chaired during the 2019 and 2020 Legislative Sessions. Rodriguez, a new addition to the Senate, is his vice chair.
Fellow freshman Republican Sens. Brodeur, Danny Burgess and Rodrigues are also on the committee alongside Diaz and Gayle Harrell. First-term Democratic Sen. Shev Jones also got a seat, as did Book, Farmer and Rouson.
The Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development will be chaired by Gainer with Hooper as vice chair. Republicans Boyd, Garcia, Mayfield, Perry and Wright and Democrats Ausley, Cruz, Gibson and Annette Taddeo cap it off.
