FRANKFORT — Northern Kentucky lawmakers landed several key committee appointments Friday, including coveted spots on the General Assembly's budget, education and judiciary committees.

        But one position area lawmakers had hoped for — chairman of a budget subcommittee on transportation — went to an eastern Kentucky legislator.

ASSIGNMENTS

House:     Royce Adams, D-Dry Ridge: Agriculture and Small Business, vice chairman; Appropriations and Revenue; Tourism Development and Energy.     Jim Callahan, D-Wilder; Appropriations and Revenue; Local Government; State Government; Rules     Jon Draud, R-Crestview Hills: Education, vice-chair; Licensing and Occupations; Seniors, Military Affairs and Public Safety.     Joe Fischer, R-Fort Thomas; Banking and Insurance; Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs; Judiciary.     Tom Kerr, D-Taylor Mill: Economic Development; Labor and Industry; Tourism Development and Energy, co-chair.     Paul Marcotte, R-Union; Licensing and Occupations; State Government, vice-chair; Transportation.     Thomas McKee, D-Cynthiana: Agriculture and Small Business; Appropriations and Revenue.     Jon David Reinhardt, R-Alexandria; Health and Welfare; Licensing and Occupations, vice-chair; State Government.     Arnold Simpson, D-Covington: Education, vice-chair; Judiciary, vice-chair; Local Government; State Government.     Charlie Walton, R-Florence: Education, vice-chair; Economic Development; Tourism Development and Energy. Senate:     Ernie Harris, R-Crestwood: Agriculture and Natural Resources, chair; Economic Development, Tourism and Labor; State and Local Government.     Dick Roeding, R-Lakeside Park: Economic Development, Tourism and Labor; Health and Welfare; Licensing and Occupations; Rules; Committees.     Katie Stine, R-Fort Thomas: Economic Development, Tourism and Labor, chair; Health and Welfare; Judiciary, vice-chair.     Jack Westwood, R-Erlanger: Appropriations and Revenue; Education, vice-chairman; Judiciary; Licensing and Occupations.

        Royce Adams, D-Dry Ridge, retained his seat on the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, one of three Northern Kentuckians placed on the powerful panel that oversees the state's two-year budget.

        But Mr. Adams had pushed for chairmanship of the Appropriations and Revenue subcommittee on transportation, hoping to steer more money for road repair and construction to Northern Kentucky.

        That seat went to Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, who is close to Gov. Paul Patton and House Floor Leader Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg.

        “You don't always get everything you want,” said House Majority Caucus Chairman Jim Callahan, D-Wilder. “But we do have three Northern Kentuckians on the (budget) committee, and that's very important because that's the committee that rewrites, changes and basically oversees the budget that we send on to the full House.

        “That means Northern Kentucky will get lots of consideration when it comes to money.”

        Also on the House budget committee are Mr. Callahan and Tom McKee, D-Cynthiana.

        On the Senate side, Jack Westwood, R-Erlanger, was named to the budget committee.

        Landing two high-profile assignments was Sen. Katie Stine, R-Fort Thomas.

        Mrs. Stine will once again chair the Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee, which will handle proposed changes to the workers' compensation law, an issue that will be one of the major focuses of the 2001 session.

        She also was named vice-chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee, which traditionally handles some of the most contentious bills in the legislature, including those dealing with abortion and crime.

        In the House, Arnold Simpson, D-Covington, was named vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

        “Northern Kentucky did well,” Mrs. Stine said. “We pretty much held steady. I think it reflects the job we've done down here and shows our leadership has confidence in us.”

        Northern Kentucky is also well-represented on the House and Senate education committees.

        In the House, three Northern Kentucky lawmakers were named vice-chairmen: Jon Draud, R-Crestview Hills, retired superintendent of Ludlow schools and an instructor at Northern Kentucky University; Charlie Walton, R-Florence, principal at Florence Elementary School; and Mr. Simpson.

        Assigned to the Senate Education Committee was Mr. Westwood, a retired teacher from Erlanger-Elsmere schools.

        While lots of trading and back-room dealing often takes place when committee assignments are made, this year's selections were marked by bitter differences between the parties in the Republican-controlled Senate.

        Democratic senators objected to some of the committee assignments made by Republicans and tried to increase their numbers on the budget committee. But the GOP turned back that effort and holds a 9-6 majority on the committee.

        Friday was the last day of the legislature's organizational session. The committees named Friday will meet periodically over the next month to study and discuss legislation that has been filed, but no votes can be taken.

        When lawmakers return to Frankfort on Feb. 6, they will vote on bills in committees and on the House and Senate floors in a session that is scheduled to last through March.

Monthly CG&E bills chill the blood
Officers stripped of police powers
5 area churches among best in U.S.
Medal to honor Shuttlesworth
Taft: Split off youngest offenders
Taped gang rape sick, police say
Bash for Bush gets $400,000
Developers like Luken's goal of 1,000 new units
Second-round bids lower for concrete at Reds stadium
Northern Kentuckians win key posts
Partisan maneuvers threaten rest of session
Pool spending questioned
Speedway to open new ticket offices
HOWARD: Neighborhoods
MCNUTT: Winter travel
Anti-heist technology lets police 'peer' into banks
Bethel building to begin
Covington city leaders get ready for getaway
Egg farm to pay $1.36M settlement
Infant-dropoff plan becomes law
Magazine praises Fort Washington Way overseer
Man guilty of drug, gun charges
National test results no surprise
Oxford park would be for kids on wheels
Paint shooter appears in court
Parents, union protest move
Park Hills fire displaces many families
Pie-face stunt falls flat
Police look to appeal ruling by arbitrator
Reading police chief says he will retire
Schools to keep longer hours
Triple killing investigation continues
Kentucky News Briefs
Tristate A.M. Report