UPDATE! Check out the official committee assignments here.

Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, will be the new Senate Ways and Means Committee chairman, putting the Polk County citrus grower in charge of the budget in what's expected to be an exceedingly tight two years.

Senate President Jeff Atwater has not officially announced his choices. But as in past cycles, the decisions are circulating among lobbyists, staffers and others who closely follow the process. Senators who currently chair other key spending committees (Sen. Durell Peaden on health and human services, Sen. Steve Wise at preK-12 schools, Sen. Evelyn Lynn at higher education, Sen. Mike Fasano on transportation and economic development and Sen. Victor Crist on civil and criminal justice) will all remain in their current posts over the next two years, The Buzz has learned.

Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Indialantic, will head the Senate Governmental Operations Committee and will direct the upcoming reapportionment process. (He is seeking the Senate presidency in 2010.)

Steve Bousquet and Alex Leary, Times staff writers

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