Columbia Republican Kurt Schaefer this week was named chairman of the state Senate's powerful appropriations committee.
Jefferson City freshman Mike Kehoe - an auto dealer and former chairman of the state highways and transportation commission - will be the Senate transportation committee's new vice chairman.
And Rolla freshman Dan Brown - a veterinarian - will be vice chairman of the veterans affairs, emerging issues, pensions and urban affairs committee, which studies all matters concerning veterans' affairs and issues "of statewide or immediate concern in Missouri," and looks at measures involving retirement, pensions and pension plans, urban renewal, housing and other matters relating to urban areas.