2007-08 Legislative Session Comes to a Close

While the official end of the current legislative session doesn’t come until midnight on November 30, the General Assembly has concluded its legislative business.

As a result of the November 4 elections, the General Assembly will welcome 35 new members (eight in the Senate and 27 in the House) when they convene the 2009-10 Legislative Session in January. The Senate Republicans will hold a 29-20 majority while the House Democrats will enjoy a 104-99 edge.

Also in November, the Commonwealth lost two outstanding public servants, Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll who succumbed to Cancer and State Senator Jim Rhoads who was killed in a tragic car accident. Under the State Constitution, the President Pro Tempore of the State Senate, Sen. Joe Scarnati, assumes the role of the Lieutenant Governor. The Senate will hold a special election to fill Sen. Rhoades’ seat after the start of the new year.

Both chambers have begun “reorganizing” for the 2009-10 Legislative Session by selecting each caucus’s leadership team. Among the key posts, Lieutenant Governor Joe Scarnati will remain at the helm for the Senate Republicans while Rep. Keith McCall is poised to take the Speaker’s rostrum in the House. The selection of committee chairs and individual committee assignments will take place in the coming weeks.