State Sen. John Arch of La Vista makes his pitch for his colleagues to choose him as the next Speaker of the Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Arch, who was selected, told his fellow senators he would work to foster good communication and healthy relationships. “I will work to listen. I will seek to understand. I will attempt to clearly communicate,” Arch said. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)
Nebraska state senators chose more than 20 leaders among their ranks and a new clerk of the Legislature to lead the chamber for the next two years.
Twenty leaders were chosen for top positions across 14 standing committee chairs, three procedural committees, the Executive Board and the speaker of the Legislature. Legislators also chose a new clerk of the Legislature.
Senators also selected a clerk of the Legislature and were assigned from different state regions to the Executive Board and Committee on Committees, which sorts senators into each of the Legislature’s committees.
A preliminary list of committee assignments as of Thursday, Jan. 5, is available here.
Continue reading for a photo of and more information about each leader, all but four of whom are stepping into their roles for the first time.
Brandon Metzler watches over the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln, after being officially selected as the successor to longtime clerk Patrick O’Donnell, who retired at the end of 2022. O’Donnell led the office since 1978, which oversees constitutional, statutory and policy requirements of the Legislature. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. John Arch of La Vista makes his pitch for his colleagues to choose him as the next Speaker of the Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Arch, who was selected, told his fellow senators he would work to foster good communication and healthy relationships. “I will work to listen. I will seek to understand. I will attempt to clearly communicate,” Arch said. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion speaks to his colleagues in a bid to lead the Legislature’s Executive Board on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Briese said he views his new role as “facilitator, moderator, mediator.” He continued that his goal will be to ensure smooth and seamless procedures, treating all with fairness and respect. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island walks down the aisle of the Nebraska Legislature to his seat on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Aguilar, who served from 1999-2009 and returned in 2021, was chosen as vice chair of the Executive Board and said his lengthy service — the most in the current body — will aid him in fairly working with colleagues. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings talks with Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen after escorting him into the legislative chamber on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Halloran, a former farmer himself who has held national positions with farmers’ organizations, won reelection to his chairship of the Agriculture Committee. Halloran said Nebraska farmers and ranchers prefer to solve issues on their own, and he would fight against government overreach. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood presents his vision should he become chair of the Appropriations Committee for the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Clements won election to the powerful budgeting committee and committed to upholding the Nebraska Constitution’s requirement of a balanced fairly and transparently. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling talks with State Sen. Suzanne Geist while votes are tallied for a committee chair race on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Slama, the youngest state senator, was chosen to lead the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee. Slama gave a nod to her mom, who has worked for Auburn State Bank for nearly 20 years and will retire in February, some of her first lessons in the industry. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston makes a bid for chair of the Nebraska Legislature’s Business and Labor Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Riepe returned to the Legislature this year, previously serving the same district from 2015-2019. Riepe highlighted his U.S. Navy career and prior duties as a hospital executive that will aid him in his role. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil places his hand over his heart during the daily Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the day on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Murman unseated State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont 32-17 votes for the Education Committee of the Nebraska Legislature. Murman prioritized the need to reevaluate school aid funding, particularly for rural districts, and supporting parents “as the foremost decision maker in every child’s upbringing.” (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. John Lowe of Kearney nominates a colleague to lead a legislative committee after winning his own bid to lead the General Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. With State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion’s ascension to the Executive Board, Lowe said he would fill the vacancy and support the committee’s largest subject matters, which include tobacco, liquor and gambling. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon salutes his colleagues after they chose him to again lead the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Brewer has served on the committee his entire time in the Legislature and said his 37 years of service to the country. While the committee includes more controversial legislation — like a mandated voter ID proposal this session — he said Nebraskans deserve to have their voices heard. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair asks for his fellow senators’ votes for him to lead the Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Hansen, a chiropractic physician and former chair of the Business and Labor Committee, said he would foster an efficient, empathetic and effective health care system that protects personal and parental rights. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha outlines his vision for how he would lead the Nebraska Legislature’s Judiciary Committee as its chair on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Wayne, the former Urban Affairs Committee chair who negotiated the biggest investment in North Omaha from the state, told colleagues his approach is simple: common sense while being “smart and conservative on crime, not just tough on crime.” He said it’s upon every member to come up with a solution to prison overcrowding. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard speaks with State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston before the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Bostelman won reelection to chair the Natural Resources Committee, a position he’s had since 2021 and before that four years as vice chair. He pledged for every bill before the committee to receive a fair, efficient and professional process. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha talks to his colleagues before the start of the Nebraska Legislature’s 2023 session on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. McDonnell won the election to chair the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee. McDonnell committed to continuing to play “an active role” in the state’s administered retirement plans, “which are now some of the best-funded in the country.” (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn tells her fellow senators what they can expect should they choose her again as the Legislature’s Revenue Committee chair on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Linehan remarked how different the state is now than from 2017 when she started — a surplus now rather than a deficit — but she cautioned the need to be prepared for the eventuality of a downturn. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln urges colleagues to choose her in a three-way race to lead the Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Geist garnered 29 votes over State Sens. Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Mike Moser of Columbus. State Sen. John Lowe of Kearney nominated Geist, who is running for Lincoln mayor, and Geist prioritized the need to focus on broadband. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha shakes hands with State Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara after winning the chairship of the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. McKinney said his first two years have taught him the importance of crafting good public policy and that he would continue efforts to update and modernize statutes under his committee’s jurisdiction. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston talks to colleagues at the conclusion of day one of the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Albrecht was selected to lead the Committee on Committees, a 13-member group that provides all 49 state senators their committee assignments. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard nominates himself to lead the Legislature’s Rules Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Erdman won the vote 33-15 over State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha and committed to sending his proposed rule changes or adjustments and making them available for review in advance. Rules for the rest of the session will need to be completed by the 12th day of the session — Jan. 20 — and Erdman committed to that timeline. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln shakes hands with State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue after being nominated and chosen to oversee the Legislature’s Enrollment and Review Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Lincoln. Ballard, the youngest of the newest crop of senators, succeeds State Sen. Mike Hilgers, who trades his legislative office in the Capitol for that of Attorney General. (Nebraska News Service Photo/Zach Wendling)
