Staff Reports
Senate President-designate Kathleen Passidomo wants Tracy Cantella to be the next Secretary of the Senate and sent a memo to members asking them to elect Cantella to the post.
Passidomo sent correspondence to all newly elected and returning Senators explaining why Cantella is the right person for the post, which she called an “important constitutional role.”
The Senate Secretary is the Parliamentarian of the Senate and charged with keeping all Senate records, authenticating each act and resolution passed by the Senate, publishing the journal and calendar, distributing public documents and providing bill drafting services.
Cantella has worked for the Senate for more than 20 years, starting her career in the Senate Secretary’s Office. For the last decade, she has served as professional staff to the Senate Committee on Rules, training under John Phelps, the former Clerk for the House of Representatives and the Rules Committee Staff Director.
“For returning Senators, Tracy is the friendly and familiar face from the Rules Desk who provides concise, accurate, and impartial interpretations of the Senate Rules during sittings,” Passidomo wrote in a memo that went out Tuesday.
Passidomo also put the announcement out on Twitter noting that, “As Rules Chair, I worked closely with Tracy over the last two years. I did not hesitate to rely on her thoughtful, fair, and decisive knowledge of our floor process.”
Cantella replaces longtime Senate Secretary Debbie Brown who retired after working for the Senate for 30 years. Passidomo said Cantella’s election as Secretary of the Senate will be the Senate’s “first order of business” when it meets to convene in an organizational session.
