SENATE LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCED

            (Jackson)   On his first day of presiding over the Mississippi Senate, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves announced his choices for chairmen, vice-chairmen and the membership of the 42 different Senate Committees for the next four years. 

Often referred to as the most powerful committees in the Senate, Reeves tapped Senator Eugene “Buck” Clarke of Hollandale to serve as chairman of the Senate’s Appropriations Committee and Senator Joey Fillingane of Sumrall to chair the Senate’s Finance Committee.

            Senate District 18 Senator Giles Ward was selected to serve as chairman of the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee and as vice-chairman of both the Energy Committee and the Forestry Committee.  Lt. Governor Reeves also assigned Ward to serve on the Agriculture, Business and Financial Institutions, Environmental Protection Conservation and Water Resources, Executive Contingent Fund, Finance, Highways and Transportation, and Judiciary “B” Committees.

            After the appointments were announced, Ward said, “I’m truly honored to serve as chairman of the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee in the Senate.  We have so many citizens in this district who appreciate and enjoy our state’s abundance of hunting and fishing habitat.  There typically are several bills to come before this committee that end up evoking spirited debates.  I will try diligently to always give all sides of an issue the opportunity to be heard and to make certain proposed legislation impacting Mississippi’s favorite pastimes is fully discussed and considered.”