INDIANAPOLIS | State Sen. Earline Rogers has been appointed to serve as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Education and Career Development Committee.

The Gary resident, who retired from the classroom after 38 years of teaching in the city's public school system, also will serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee which will hear testimony on funding requests for the next state budget.

Rogers has also been appointed to the Senate Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs Committee and that panel's public safety subcommittee; the Health and Provider Services Committee and that panel's provider services subcommittee; the Appointments and Claims Committee; and the Ethics Committee.