The Arizona Senate has announced the members of the 12 committees that will be the first stop for measures in the upcoming legislative session.

The Appropriations Committee, which will be chaired by incoming Sen. Russell Pearce, is the largest with 11 members. The Republicans on the committee are known as conservative stalwarts. Only one – Sen. Jack Harper – served on the committee during the 2008 session.

Another change: Two incoming freshmen senators, Al Melvin and Steve Pierce, are also on the committee. Melvin will be the committee's vice-chairman. Also on the committee is Sen. Sylvia Allen, who was re-elected last month after her appointment earlier this year to replace the late Sen. Jake Flake.

Appropriations will play a bigger role in crafting the budget than in the past two years under Senate President-elect Bob Burns.

The assignments are as follows:

Appropriations:

Chair: Sen.-elect Russell Pearce, R-18

Vice Chair: Sen.-elect Al Melvin, R-26

Members: Sen. Paula Aboud, D-28

Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-24

Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-5

Sen. Pamela Gorman, R-6

Sen. Ron Gould, R-3

Sen. Albert Hale, D-2

Sen. Jack Harper, R-4

Sen.-elect Steve Pierce, R-1

Sen. Rebecca Rios, D-23

Commerce and Economic Development:

Chair: Sen. Barbara Leff, R-11

Vice Chair: Sen. Jay Tibshraeny, R-21

Members: Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-8

Sen. Ken Cheuvront, D-15

Sen. Debbie McCune Davis, D- 14

Sen. Richard Miranda, D- 13

Sen.-elect Jonathan Paton, R-30

Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-22

Education, Accountability and Reform:

Chair: Sen. John Huppenthal, R-20

Vice Chair: Sen. Linda Gray, R-10

Members: Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-5

Sen. Paula Aboud, D- 28

Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor, D-16

Sen.-elect Linda Lopez, D-29

Sen.-elect Jonathan Paton, R-30

Finance:

Chair: Sen. Jim Waring, R-7

Vice Chair: Sen. Barbara Leff, R-11

Members: Sen. Ken Cheuvront, D-15

Sen. Ron Gould, R-3

Sen. Debbie McCune Davis, D-14

Sen. Richard Miranda, D-13

Sen.-elect Russell Pearce, R-18

Sen.-elect Steve Pierce, R-1

Government Institutions:

Chair: Sen. Jay Tibshraeny, R-21

Vice Chair: Sen. Jack Harper, R-4

Members: Sen.-elect Manny Alvarez, D-25

Sen. Meg Burton-Cahill, D-17

Sen. Jorge Garcia, D-27

Sen. Chuck Gray, R-19

Sen. Linda Gray, R- 10

Sen. Jim Waring, R-7

Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform:

Chair: Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-8

Vice Chair: Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-22

Members: Sen. Paula Aboud, D-28

Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-24

Sen.-elect Linda Lopez, D-29

Sen. Barbara Leff, R-11

Sen.-elect John Nelson, R-12

Judiciary:

Chair: Sen.-elect Jonathan Paton, R-30

Vice Chair: Sen. John Huppenthal, R-20

Members: Sen. Meg Burton-Cahill, D-17

Sen. Ken Cheuvront, D-15

Sen. Chuck Gray, R-19

Sen.-elect Russell Pearce, R-18

Sen. Richard Miranda, D-13

Natural Resources, Infrastructure and the Public Debt:

Chair: Sen.-elect John Nelson, R-12

Vice Chair: Sen.-elect Steve Pierce, R-1

Members: Sen. Amanda Aguirre, D-24

Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-5

Sen. Pamela Gorman, R-6

Sen. Albert Hale, D-2

Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor, D-16

Public Safety and Human Services:

Chair: Sen. Linda Gray, R-10

Vice Chair: Sen. Jim Waring, R-7

Members: Sen.-elect Manny Alvarez, D-25

Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor, D-16

Sen.-elect Al Melvin, R-26

Sen. Jay Tibshraeny, R-21

Sen. Rebecca Rios, D-23

Retirement and Rural Development:

Chair: Sen. Ron Gould, R-3

Vice Chair: Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-5

Members: Sen. Albert Hale, D-2

Sen. John Huppenthal, R-20

Sen.-elect Steve Pierce, R-1

Sen. Rebecca Rios, D-23

Veterans and Military Affairs:

Chair: Sen. Jack Harper, R-4

Vice Chair: Sen.-elect John Nelson, R-12

Members: Sen.-elect Manny Alvarez, D-25

Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-8

Sen. Meg Burton Cahill, D-17

Sen.-elect Linda Lopez, D-29

Sen.-elect Al Melvin, R-26

Rules:

Chair: Sen. Robert Burns, R-9

Vice Chair: Sen. Chuck Gray, R-19

Members: Sen. Jorge Garcia, D-27

Sen. Pamela Gorman, R-6

Sen. Debbie McCune Davis, D-14

Sen. Thayer Verschoor, R-22