The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted 7-0 to approve a group of the governor’s appointments to multiple advisory councils and commissions and sent the appointments to the committee on rules and reference.

The list recited to the committee included appointments to the Materials Management Advisory Council, Advisory Council on Amusement Rides Safety, Commercial Dog Breeding Advisory Council, Wildlife Council, Reclamation Commission, Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board and the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Among the names read into the record were Elizabeth A. Biggins Raymer; Daniel R. Bullen; April Burnside; Terry Crosby; Patricia Haines; Kimberly McConville; Matthew Old; Roger Osborne; Eric Palmer; Lisa Pat McDaniel; Sai Pridemann; Etta Reed; Nathan Steiner; Richard Wand; Timothy Werling; Brian Winter; and Joel Yanki.

Why it matters: Appointments to advisory councils and regulatory boards shape how state agencies obtain technical advice and conduct oversight in areas including livestock care, materials management and air quality. Reporting the appointments to rules is the next procedural step before possible confirmation or placement on the Senate calendar.

The committee chair called the roll and confirmed a quorum before the clerk read the governor’s nominees into the record. Vice Chair Kaler moved that the committee approve the appointments and report them to the committee on rules and reference. The clerk then called the roll; the motion carried with seven affirmative votes and no negative votes. The committee held the roll open for checked-in members until 5:00 p.m.

No appointee spoke at the hearing. The committee did not take additional action on individual nominees during the session; the motion reported the group collectively to rules.