Laughlin appointed policy chairman for Senate Republican Majority Caucus

Republican state Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie will serve as chairman of the Senate Majority Policy Committee when a new session of the General Assembly begins next year.

Majority Leader Sen. Kim Ward, who will hold the Senate's highest post of president pro tempore in the 2023-2024 session, appointed Laughlin, whose 49th District seat covers most of Erie County, to the powerful post, which is a leadership position, Laughlin announced Friday.

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"I'm very excited," Laughlin said. "I intend to take the committee across the state and work on and listen to the people and find out what we need to be doing as Republican to work on the issues that are impactful to (people's) daily lives.

"I've been angling for this for awhile now," he said. "It's a leadership position, which will put me at the table. I'll be roughly one of the top 10 people running the state of Pennsylvania. I'm looking forward to that opportunity. I'd like to be the voice of reason within our caucus."

Laughlin said his track record suggests he's willing to help members of both parties advance policy if it's meaningful.

"Both parties have a tendency to put up bills that are a little too far to the right and a little too far to the left," he said. "Both parties are guilty of that. I intend to try to moderate that."

More changes in state government

The new session will bring dramatic change to Harrisburg, with governor-elect Josh Shapiro taking office and vacating his post as attorney general, and Democrats taking a one-vote majority in the Pennsylvania House.

Currently, Democratic state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, of Millcreek, D-3rd Dist., who represents Millcreek and Fairview townships, serves as the House Minority Policy Committee chairman. If Bizzarro retains that post in the new majority, two Erie lawmakers from opposing parties would help make policy decisions for their respective parties over the next two years.

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Laughlin replaces Sen. Mario Scavello, R-40th Dist., who is retiring at the end of the year, as chair of the Senate Majority Policy Committee.

Though it is uncommon for senators to hold other chairmanships while serving in such high-ranking leadership positions, Laughlin has asked to remain chairman of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, a position in which he's pushed for Sunday hunting.

Laughlin will also remain a member of the state government, banking and insurance committees, but he will step down as a member of the appropriations committee because of the workload.

Laughlin said the last legislator from Erie to hold this high of a seat in the Pennsylvania Senate was Albert E. Sisson, who served as president pro tempore from 1907 to 1909.

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Laughlin has found several similarities between himself and Sisson. Both served on the Game and Fisheries Committee, and both worked to secure funding for the U.S. Brig Niagara. Sisson secured $150,000 in 1913 to raise and restore the original ship. Laughlin is working now to secure millions of dollars in funding for the current replica ship. They even have similar names in their families: Sisson's father was named Nathaniel and his son was named Spencer, which are the names of both of Laughlin's sons.

"Not that it means anything," he said. "I just find it interesting."

Matthew Rink can be reached at mrink@timesnews.com or on Twitter at @ETNRink.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie's Laughlin tapped to serve as GOP policy chair in PA Senate