The
House and Senate both opened session this Wednesday with swearing-in
ceremonies attended by large numbers of family, friends, supporters
and other guests.
In
the House, State Representative Kevin Cotter (R-Mt. Pleasant) was
officially, and unanimously elected Speaker of the House on a 109-0
vote (Representative Jim Townsend of Royal Oak was absent from
voting). The House also unanimously re-elected House Clerk Gary
Randall and adopted House
Resolution 2
appointing Representative Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt Township) as Speaker
Pro Tempore and Representatives Ray Franz (R-Onekama) and Laura Cox
(R-Livonia) as Associate Speakers Pro Tempore.
Much
the same took place in the Senate as both newly elected Senate
Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) and Minority Leader Jim
Ananich (D-Flint) gave floor speeches. Further, Senate officers were
unanimously elected: Senator Tonya Schuitmaker (R-Lawton) as
President Pro Tempore, Senator Margaret O’Brien (R-Portage) as
Assistant President Pro Tempore, Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor)
as Associate President Pro Tempore, and Jeffrey Cobb as Secretary of
the Senate.