In 1981 , he was first elected to the Maryland Senate . He served in the Maryland Senate until 1999 . Boozer was the minority leader from 1996 until he was defeated in 1999 . Boozer was also a minority whip , holding this position from 1990 until 1996 . During his time in the Senate he was on the Finance Committee for two stints ( 1981 – 84 & 1991 – 92 ) , the Executive Nominations Committee from 1984 until 1994 , the Judicial Proceedings Committee , also for two stints , ( 1985 – 90 & 1993 – 94 ) , and the Joint Budget and Audit Committee from 1984 until 1994 . Other committees that he served on include the Legislative Policy Committee , 1990 – 99 , the Joint Committee on Administrative , Executive and Legislative Review , 1994 , the Budget and Taxation Committee , 1995 – 99 , the Rules Committee , 1995 – 99 , the Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds , 1995 – 99 , and the Spending Affordability Committee , 1996 – 99 . Finally , he was a member of the Special Study Commission on the Maryland Public Ethics Law from 1998 until 1999 . In addition to his work as a state senator and state delegate , Boozer also was selected to be a delegate to the Republican Party National Convention in 1996 . He was also once presented with the Best in Class award from the Maryland Chamber of Commerce in 1997
Republican Party National Convention
1996 Republican National Convention
F. Vernon Boozer