COLUMBUS — State Senator Randy Gardner was named Friday to six standing committees, including new assignments on the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Gardner, who represents five counties in northern Ohio (Erie, Fulton, Lucas, Ottawa and Wood counties) was selected by Senate President Keith Faber to serve as chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Higher Education. Gardner’s other committee assignments include Finance, Health and Human Services and Education in addition to the new committee assignments. He is also retains his co-chairmanship of the Lake Erie Legislative Caucus.
“I am looking forward to a new task to work on the committee that impacts Ohio’s number one industry,” Gardner said of his appointment to the Agriculture Committee. “I’ve always said we must have a strong agriculture economy and a cleaner Lake Erie. We can achieve both. Our mission must be to bring people together.”
Gardner outlined a number of early goals for the new session of the Senate, covering college affordability, Lake Erie, reducing education testing and mandates, support for local government and continued job growth.
“In the first two weeks of session I’ll be introducing and supporting the Clean Lake Erie Act and the College Savings Tax Deduction Act among other key Senate legislation,” Gardner said. “We must also continue to build on the progress we’ve made in Ohio in job growth and education. I’m looking forward to working on these and other issues facing northern Ohio.”
