The two newest Senate Democrats have been assigned leadership positions on key committees after leaving the GOP within about the last week.
Sens. Barbara Bollier and Dinah Sykes, who left the Republican Party because it leaned too conservative, will join the health and education committees as ranking members.
Their appointments were announced Friday afternoon when Senate President Susan Wagle revealed committee assignments.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley named Bollier as ranking member on Public Health and Welfare. He appointed Sykes as ranking member on the Education Committee.
Bollier replaces Gov.-elect Laura Kelly, who had been the ranking Democrat on health. Sykes, meanwhile, replaces Hensley on education.
As a Republican, Bollier had been vice chair of health until she was stripped of that position after endorsing Democrats last summer.
“She has extensive background in health issues so I felt like she would be a good representative for our caucus,” Hensley said in an interview.
Hensley said he elevated Sykes to ranking member on education because her constituents are heavily vested in education issues, especially school finance.
Hensley gives up the ranking member seat on education. As a member of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, Hensley said he will still have a say in school finance. “I’ll be directly involved in school finance issues.”
The new committee lineup reflects a change in committee chairmanships announced a week ago.
Sen. Rob Olson was moved off utilities to financial institutions, a move that some believe will open up a debate about the state’s rising electric rates.
Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine was pulled off financial institutions after he didn’t go along with the Senate reshuffling.
However, he ends up gaining a seat on the Senate tax and commerce committees. He keeps his seat on the Federal & State Affairs Committee.
Meanwhile, Sen. Gene Suellentrop will lead the health committee and Sen. Ty Masterson will take the reins of the utilities committee.
Republican Sen. Kevin Braun, who was picked to replace the retiring Steve Fitzgerald, was appointed to the transportation, elections, education and Ways & Means committees.
Republican Eric Rucker, who will replace Vicki Schmidt in the Senate, was named to the commerce, financial institutions, judiciary and education committees. Rucker, the top aide to Secretary of State Kris Kobach, will vice chair judiciary.
Democrat Mary Ware, who replaces Lt. Gov.-elect Lynn Rogers in the Senate, was named to the agriculture and financial institutions committees.
Democrat Vic Miller, who moves over from the House to the Senate to replace Kelly, was named to the tax and judiciary committees. Miller will serve as ranking member on judiciary.
Republican Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook will now serve as vice chair of the commerce committee. She replaces Suellentrop as vice chair.
