Indiana State Sen. Phil Boots (R-Crawfordsville) announced Friday he will retire next year, opting not to run for re-election.

Boots, first elected in 2006, is chair of the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee. In a statement, the Crawfordsville Republican said he is “grateful to serve.”

Boots becomes the fifth GOP lawmaker to announce their retirement this year, joining Rep. Tim Brown (R-Crawfordsville), Rep. Tony Cook (R-Cicero), Sen. Ron Grooms (R-Jeffersonville) and Sen. Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn)

Four of them – Boots, Brown, Cook and Grooms – were drawn into districts with other Republicans in the proposed redistricting maps recently unveiled at the Statehouse.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.