LI Democrats get Senate committee posts

ALBANY — Long Islanders will lead state Senate committees when the Democrats officially take over power in the chamber in January, officials announced Tuesday.

Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) was appointed chairman of the Environmental Conservation Committee. Senator-elect. Anna Kaplan (D-N. Hempstead) will lead the Commerce Committee; Sen. John Brooks (D-Seaford), the Veterans Committee; Senator-elect Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown), Consumer Protection Committee; and Senator-elect Jim Gaughran (D-Huntington), the Local Government Committee.

 Senator-elect Monica Martinez of Brentwood will lead a subcommittee on domestic animal welfare; the panel is expected to be elevated to full committee status next year.

Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers), who will shift from minority leader to majority leader in January, announced the assignments Tuesday.

For the first time since 2010, the Senate Education Committee won't be led by an Islander. Stewart-Cousins designated Sen. Shelley Mayer (D-Yonkers) to take over that post.

Democrats flipped eight Senate seats on Election Day and will have at least 39 of the 63 seats in the 63-member chamber come Jan. 1.