Each biennium the leaders in the House and the Senate set the number and scope of the standing committees and establish committee chairs according to which party is in the majority. Whichever party holds the most seats in either the House or the Senate is considered the Majority Caucus.
Senate
In the Senate, the majority caucuses elects a majority leader and the minority caucus elects a minority leader, who typically serve as the chair and minority lead, respectively, of the Committee on Rules and Administration. The majority caucus determines how chairs are selected. Depending on the caucus in the majority, some chairs may be elected by the caucus. Otherwise, chairs and vice-chairs are designated by an organization committee of the majority caucus. A Senator must not serve as the chair of the same committee or a committee with substantially similar jurisdiction for more than three Senate terms.
The number of members on a committee is designated by the majority caucus, and membership on each committee must be in proportion to each caucus. Each caucus appoints their own members to fill the designated number of positions on each committee. The minority caucus also names a minority lead on each committee. The Rules and Administration Subcommittee on Conference Committees designates members for conference committees.
House
In the House, the Speaker chooses the committee chairs and appoints members of each committee. Each member is allowed to state his or her preference. In deciding on a committee chair, the speaker usually chooses a senior member with some expertise in the committee's work, but not always. A member cannot serve as the chair of the same standing committee or division during more than three consecutive regular biennial sessions. This rule does not apply to service as chair of the Committee on Rules and Legislative Administration. Conference committee members are also appointed by the Speaker.
Last reviewed: 09/14/2026