Local senators keep most committee assignments

MANATEE — Two local state senators will continue to shape legislation on growth management, education funding and Florida’s economy in the upcoming session, according to their committee assignments.

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, was reappointed to eight committees that he served on during the 2009 session, while Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Sarasota, remained on seven committees. Bennett also was added to two more committees, including chairman of one, while Detert took Bennett’s spot on another.

Senate President Jeff Atwater released the 2010 committee assignments on Friday, ahead of pre-session committee meetings this week in Tallahassee.

Bennett will remain chairman of the community affairs committee, which spearheaded major changes to the state’s growth-management law in the last session. He also picked up the chairmanship of the policy/steering committee on commerce and industry, replacing Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Destin.

Bennett also was added to the ways and means policy/steering committee, and was reappointed to banking and insurance; health regulation; governmental operations policy/steering; military affairs and domestic security; reapportionment; finance and tax; and a select committee on Florida’s economy.

Detert will keep her post as chair of the education committee overseeing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as her membership on PreK-12 education appropriations.

She also remains on environmental preservation and conservation; commerce; social responsibility policy/steering; children, families and elder affairs; and intergovernmental relations. She also joined the policy/steering committee on energy, environment and land use, which Bennett served on during the 2009 session but was not reappointed to.

The 2010 session begins on March 2.