Fargo Rep. Scot Kelsh will have a new neighbor in the House chamber this session: his father.

Fullerton Rep. Jerome Kelsh, who served in the Senate from the 1985 to 2001 sessions, was re-elected to the Legislature this year and now has a seat in the House chamber behind his son, Scot.

"Generally we're on the same page for most issues," the elder Kelsh said, adding he'll be living with his son throughout the winter.

Monday was the start of the Legislature's three-day organizational session, which is when lawmakers choose their seats, take their portrait photo and get sworn into office.

It ends on Wednesday when Gov. John Hoeven presents his budget proposal in the House chamber.

Before lawmakers were sworn into office at 1 p.m., Secretary of State Al Jaeger was scouting the Capitol for about a dozen legislators who had yet to sign their oaths of office.

"It'll get done," Jaeger said. "It always does."

Jaeger said he got the last signature just five minutes before senators took their oaths.

The House also will have new leaders this session with Fargo Rep. Al Carlson taking over for Fargo Rep. Rick Berg as majority leader.

"It's a whole different view from up here, Rick, than it is from down there," Carlson told Berg during the GOP's caucus meeting Monday while standing before his fellow Republican members.

Rep. Matthew Klein, R-Minot, presented Carlson with a gift at the caucus meeting: A faux-road sign featuring the GOP elephant that reads "Keep Right."

"You always end up where you started if you turn right," Carlson said with a smile as he accepted.

Minority Leader Sen. David O'Connell, D-Lansford, was busy in his office Monday with other senators mulling over committee assignments for fellow Democrats.

"We're way ahead of the game today," O'Connell said, noting committee assignments are usually not addressed until Wednesday.

Sen. Mac Schneider, D-Grand Forks, one of 10 freshmen lawmakers, got last dibs on his Senate seat selection. First choice goes to the chamber's most senior member, which is Sen. David Nething, R-Jamestown, who narrowly won his re-election bid by 10 votes.

"Considering I'm the most junior member of the minority party, I'm pretty much going to sit where they tell me to," Schneider said.

(Reach reporter Brian Duggan at 223-8482 or brian.duggan@;bismarcktribune.com. Read his blog Nodak Central at www.bismarcktribune.com/blog/?wnodakcentral.)