Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, is one of several state officials who were given new Senate committee appointments by Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves Thursday.

Doty had been serving as chairwoman of the Election Committee, but will now take over as chair of the Energy Committee.

That move came, she said, because of resignations and special elections held last year that created a need for Reeves to fill vacant chairmanships.

He appointed Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, to chair the Elections Committee. Doty was put over Energy, where she is the only woman on the committee.

Doty has served as vice-chair of Judiciary A Committee for six years and was ready to tackle the chairmanship there. However, Reeves brought back Sen. Briggs Hopson III, R-Vicksburg, to serve over that committee.

Briggs had been chair of the Energy committee, so his move to Judiciary A created a vacancy that Doty was picked to fill.

Doty will continue to serve as vice chair on Judiciary A, which deals mostly with civil issues with some criminal. Judiciary B deals mostly with criminal issues with some civil, she said.

The Judiciary A chairman spot was vacated when Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Sen. Sean Tindell to the Mississippi Court of Appeals late last year. Tindall replaced David Ishee, who Bryant appointed to the Mississippi Surpreme Court in September.

Doty said she is happy to take over the helm of the Energy committee, which deals with oil, gas and other minerals, public utilities and telecommunications issues. The chair determines which bills will be brought out into committee for a vote.

“It’s a great fit for me, because of the oil and gas production in Southwest Mississippi and how important it is for our economy and my constituents,” she said.