Aanestad Wins Appointment to Coveted Senate Committee
North State Leader Elected Vice-Chair of Senate Rules Committee

SACRAMENTO: Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley) has been elected to serve as Vice-Chairman of the influential Senate Rules Committee, the most powerful policy and fiscal committee in the State Senate. The Rules Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving or rejecting the hundreds of key gubernatorial appointments before the appointments are voted on by the full Senate.

The Committee also has jurisdiction over proposed amendments and rules that govern the State Senate body and all other matters relating to the business of the State Legislature.

“I’m both very pleased and honored to be chosen by my Senate Republican peers to serve as Vice-Chair of Senate Rules,” said Senator Aanestad following today’s appointment selection. “The Senate Rules Committee serves an important role in the crafting of legislation that is assigned to various policy committees, and also has a great deal of influence over budgetary and fiscal matters.”

Democrat Majority and Republican Minority leaders in the State Senate decide the makeup of the Rules Committee – and those nominations are then submitted in the form of a resolution on the first day of the new Legislative Session. Senate Resolution 3 passed the Senate today with unanimous support. Senator Aanestad will serve on the committee with Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), Senator Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga), Senator Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) and Senator Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach).

Senator Aanestad’s election as Vice-Chair of the Senate Rules Committee took place following the swearing-in ceremony for newly elected State Senators and the start of the 2009-2010 Legislative Session.

Senator Aanestad represents the 4th Senate District covering 12 Northern California counties including Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity and Yuba Counties.