Presumed Senate President Bill Ferguson announced new Senate leadership positions Thursday including confirmation of two new committee chairs, three new vice-chairs, and the addition of two new titles.

Montgomery County leads the tally in prominent committee leadership roles with four, Prince George’s County has two, and Howard County, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore County are all represented once.

Sen. Guy Guzzone (Howard County) will be the new chair of the Budget and Tax Committee, swapping roles with Sen. Nancy King (Montgomery County) who will become Majority Leader. The Committee will gain a new Vice-Chair in veteran legislator Sen. Jim Rosapepe (Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties). Sen. Melony Griffith will be named President Pro Tem. An entirely new addition to the committee will be current Senate President Mike Miller, who will have the title of “Senate President Emiritus.”

The Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will have a new Vice-Chair with Sen. Cheryl Kagan taking over for former Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, who announced at the beginning of the month she is retiring due to health concerns.

The Judicial Proceedings Committee will have new leadership with Sen. Smith stepping up to lead the committee and Sen. Waldstreicher (Montgomery County) replacing him as Vice-Chair.

Finance leadership will remain the same from session 2019, but Sen. Kathy Klausmeier will return to the committee with the title of “President Pro Tem Emiritus.”

From coverage in the Baltimore Sun:

The other committee chairs remain unchanged: Sen. Paul Pinsky of Prince George’s County chairing the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Delores Kelley of Baltimore County chairing the Finance Committee, Sen. Joanne Benson of Prince George’s County chairing the Senate Rules Committee and Sen. Ron Young of Frederick County chairing the Executive Nominations Committee.