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Senator Steve Meredith, R-Leitchfield, represents Breckinridge, Butler, Grayson, Meade, Ohio counties in the Kentucky State Senate

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FRANKFORT-– Senate President Robert Stivers and Senate majority leadership announced 2023-24 Senate Majority Caucus member committee assignments on Monday. Senator Steve Meredith, R-Leitchfield, has been named Senate Health Services Committee vice chair and will assume the role of chair following Senator Ralph Alvarado’s formal resignation from the state Senate to assume his new position as Tennessee Department of Health commissioner.

"Leaving my position as state senator for Kentucky’s 28th district and as committee chairman for the Health Services Committee is not easy,” Alvarado said. “However, my departure is more palatable knowing that the leadership of the new Health Services Committee is being left in the capable hands of my friend, Steve Meredith.”

“Senator Meredith has a great mind and understanding of the health care needs of Kentucky.  His experience as a hospital administrator in rural Kentucky will serve the commonwealth exceedingly well,” Alvarado added. “It has been a pleasure for me to serve and sit alongside him in committee and on the Senate chamber floor over these past several years.  I know he will do a fantastic job and I congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion and chairmanship.”

Meredith will continue his service as chair of the Government Contract Review Committee and as a member of the Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee and the Education Committee. Additionally, he will be a member of the newly formed Senate Families and Children Committee.

“Our Senate Majority Caucus has great diversity of thought and professional expertise,” said Senate President Robert Stivers. “We have physicians, lawyers, educators, and small business owners prepared to lead the commonwealth with sound policy initiatives in the 2023 and 2024 General Assembly.”

Meredith has previously served as co-chair of the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee, a statutory committee being absorbed into the Health Services Committee. He had a 40-year career in health care, serving as a chief financial officer, a chief executive officer and a regional administrator for hospitals in Kentucky and Illinois. He retired in 2013 after serving for 30 years as the chief executive officer of Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center in Leitchfield, Kentucky.

“It’s a great honor to be appointed to serve in a leadership capacity on the vitally important Health Services Committee,” Meredith said. “I’ve been a strong advocate for recalibrating our legislative efforts on health and welfare related issues, and I am pleased leadership and my colleagues found value in restructuring legislative committees. I’m eager to get to work in the 2023 Legislative Session.”

The Senate Health Services Committee will focus on health care and delivery matters such as public health, Medicaid, mental health, and health facilities.

Senator Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, will serve as committee vice chair upon Alvarado’s resignation.

Standing committee assignments are not final until the Senate Committee on Committees formally votes. The Committee on Committees membership comprises both Senate majority and minority caucus members. Committee appointments are subject to change.