State Sen. Andy Hill, who represents Sammamish in the state’s 45th Legislative District, has been named chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, making him the Senate’s leader on budgetary matters for the next two years.

“Last year the Legislature put a down payment on a responsible future for Washington by adopting a bipartisan operating budget that was balanced and forward-looking,” said Hill. “We’re now at the point where lawmakers must take the next step.

“I’m looking forward to leading the budget committee and appreciate the confidence my colleagues have expressed, but let me emphasize this is going to be a team effort. I am ready to work with all legislators so that statewide priorities are reflected in the new budget that will take effect in July,” Hill said.

Hill was elected to the Senate in 2010 and is midway through his first term.

“Next year’s budget needs to cover most of the operations of state government for another two years. Crafting it is going to require broad consensus, not just on balancing revenues with spending, but on ensuring that the spending is done in a manner that is appropriate for the needs of today and the unknowns of the future,” Hill said.

Hill (R-Redmond) will no longer serve as the ranking minority member on the Senate Higher Education Committee; however, he will continue as a member of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. He is also the co-chair of the Quality Education Council and serves on the Joint Select Committee on Education Accountability.

Hill, a former Microsoft manager, was a local PTA president and tutored and mentored students in math and science. He graduated cum laude with high honors from Colgate University where he studied physics, math and computer science and later earned a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University.