State Senator Ken Winters and Representative James Carr have been appointed to many committees in the past week and a half. Winters was named chairman of the Education Committee and Carr to Agriculture and Business, Banking and Insurance, Economic Development as well as the Seniors, Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee.
Carr will also serve on the Subcommittee on Veteran’s Affairs as well as the Tobacco Task Force. Winters will also serve on the Economic Development Committee, Tourism and Labor, and the Veteran’s, Military Affairs and Public Protection committees.
Both Winters and Carr were honored by their appointments and both feel they have a lot to bring to the negotiation table.
"Probably the most important responsibility of the committee chair is to have a detailed understanding of each bill that is assigned to my committee," Winters said who pledged to meet with all interested parties of the bills that the Education Committee is given to review. He also pledged to work with both political parties to achieve what needs to be done.
Senate President David Williams (R-Burkesville) said that Winters’ two positions as an administrator with Kentucky universities is largely what brought him the appointment to chair the Education Committee.
Carr cited his experience in the fields of agribusiness and the military for his appointment to those committees.
"I think I can bring some added insight to these committees, since I have 30 years experience working in agribusiness, and serves seven years in the U.S. Army Reserves, where I completed drill-instructor and officer-candidate schools," Carr said. "I may have been in office for about a week, but my colleagues in the House have made me feel like I’ve been here for years."
Both Winters and Carr are first-year representatives in the State Legislature.
Carr said the major goal of the General Assembly is to design a budget, which wasn’t done in 2004, and also to help farmers with the tobacco buyout situation. He said there are other issues including health insurance that will be debated, but a budget and the buyout are the two top priorities for this session.
In a statement released Monday, Carr outlined his activities over the past two weeks and what the legislature plans on accomplishing this session.
"The budget will be a top priority, and we’ll also take a careful look at ways we can bring about revenue reform in the Commonwealth," it said.
The General Assembly will not reconvene until February 1. It will have until March 1 to design and pass a budget.
