Due to the variety of themes and the consequently expertise of the delegates, the State Parliament forms temporary and constant committees out of its members. During this 8th Legislative period the State Parliament has eleven independent committees. Each of them has thirteen members, delegated by their fractions. The committees are constructed in such a way, that they are competent for specific areas (i.e. internal or environmental). The majority of the constant committees reflect to the Government or the ministries.
Photo: Landtag
Motions and requests are discussed in the expert committees, after being submitted from the plenum. It is political reality that these professional discussions sometimes take several months. The goal of the committee’s work is the detailed and appropriate treatment of a bill or motion. Even experts are invited for this purpose. At the end of the sessions there is a recommended resolution for the plenum, to find a compromise that is acceptable for the majority.
The committees principally meet public. They organize public hearings to enable the interested general public to influence the formation of opinion and to create transparency on the decision’s procedure.
The committees do not only react to draft laws, they also act pro-actively by the right to take up issues on their own. That is why the committees may deal with subjects concerning their expertise, even without the plenum’s special order. However, it is not allowed to create a recommended resolution for the State Parliament this way.
The State Parliament of the 8th legislative period has the following constant committees:
1. Committee on Internal and Sports – Chairman: Mr. Matthias Büttner (AfD)
2. Committee on Infrastructure and Digitalization – Chairman: Mr. Falko Grube (SPD)
3. Committee on Agriculture, Food and Forestry – Chairman: Mr. Michael Scheffler (CDU)
4. Committee on Science, Energy, Climat Protection and Environment – Chairman: Mrs. Kathrin Tarricone (FDP)
5. Committee on Federal and European Issues, Media and Culture – Chairman: Mr. Daniel Sturm (CDU)
6. Committee on Finance – Chairman: Mr. Detlef Gürth (CDU)
7. Committee on Justice, Constitution and Consumer Protection – Chairman: Mr. Christian Hecht (AfD)
8. Committee on Petitions – Chairwoman: Mrs. Monika Hohmann (DIE LINKE)
9. Committee on Economy and Tourism – Chairman: Mr. Lars-Jörn Zimmer (CDU)
10. Committee on Education – Chairwoman: Mr. Stephen Gerhard Stehli (CDU)
11. Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Health and Equality – Chairman: Mr. Ulrich Siegmund (AfD)