Sen. Davis named chairman of agriculture committee
AUGUSTA – Senate President Michael Thibodeau, R-Waldo, appointed Sen. Paul Davis, R-Piscataquis, to serve as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
“Since I first came to Augusta in 1999, I’ve served on a several committees and held a number of leadership roles. While this will be my first term serving on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, I welcome the opportunity,” said Davis. “Agriculture and forestry are the backbone of many rural communities across the state and I will work hard to ensure that their voices are heard in Augusta.”
The jurisdiction of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry committee includes oversight of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; agricultural fairs, products and marketing; animal control and welfare; food safety, inspection and labeling; dairy industry; pesticides regulation; nutrient management; farmland preservation; state parks, historic sites, public lands, submerged lands and coastal islands registry; Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC); geological surveying and mapping; forest management, marketing, utilization, health and fire control; the Land for Maine’s Future Program; and Baxter State Park.
Sen. Davis will also serve as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government and as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Government Oversight. Previously, Davis served on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, on which he has served as both House and Senate Chair.
The jurisdiction of the State and Local Government Committee includes State contracts and fiscal procedures; state government organization; oversight of state officials, state employees and property; administrative procedures; boards and commissions; notaries public; capitol area planning; county and regional government; county budget process; Legislature; municipal and local government; and public services.
“While three committees is a heavy workload by anyone’s standards, I am confident that Senator Davis’s time in Augusta has prepared him well for the challenge,” said Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason, R-Androscoggin,. “With Maine’s strong agricultural industry, it’s important to have someone as capable as Senator Davis leading the way. I am confident that he is the right person for the job and has what it takes to chair not one, but two committees. I look forward to working closely with him on Agricultural and State and Local issues throughout the session.”
Sen. Davis represents Senate District 4 which includes communities in Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset counties.