| Press Release | Contact: Jim Rivers | |
| December 9, 2010 | 271-6277 |
House Committee Leadership Positions Announced
The Speaker of the New Hampshire House, William O’Brien, today released the names of most of those who will fill leadership positions on the various standing committees. He also announced changes being made in the committee structure, which includes the elimination of the Local & Regulated Revenues committee, separating two committees into divisions, and creating two new committees to handle constitutional review and petitions for redress of grievances.
“Given the large volume of bills that are heard each session in Judiciary, as well as the committee on Commerce and Consumer Affairs, I felt it important that we create these divisions in order to give proper and due diligence to the legislation being sent to those committees,” said the speaker.
Two divisions have been created in Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Insurance & Consumer Regulations, and Banking & Business Regulations. Rep. John Hunt of Rindge will once again chair the Commerce and Consumer Affairs committee. Rep. Jenn Coffey of Andover will serve asvice chairman.
The Judiciary committee, chaired by Rep. Robert Rowe of Amherst, will also have two divisions: Judicial Administration, also chaired by Rowe; and Judicial Policy, chaired by Rep. Gregory Sorg of Easton, who will also serve as the vice-chairman for the Judiciary committee.
Speaker O’Brien also announced the creation of two additional committees. The Committee on Petitions for Redress of Grievances will be chaired by Paul Ingbretson of Pike. The Committee on Constitutional Review and Statutory Recodification will be chaired by Daniel Itse of Fremont, with John Cebrowski of Bedford serving as the vice-chairman.
Other committee leadership appointments include:
Children and Family Law:
Chair—Edward Moran, Bedford
Vice Chairman—Edith Hogan, Nashua
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Chair—Elaine Swinford, Barnstead
Vice Chairman —Larry Gagne, Manchester
Education:
Chair—Michael Balboni, Nashua
Vice Chairman —Ralph Boehm, Litchfield
Election Law:
Chair—David Bates, Windham
Vice Chairman —Dino Scala, Wakefield
Environment & Agriculture:
Chair—Robert Haefner, Hudson
Vice Chairman —Warren Groen, Rochester
Executive Departments and Administration:
Chair—Carol McGuire, Epsom
Vice Chairman —Kenneth Hawkins, Bedford
Finance:
Chair—Kenneth Weyler, Kingston
Vice Chairman —Lynne Ober, Hudson
Finance, Division 1: Chair—William Belvin, Amherst
Finance, Division 2: Chair—Will Smith, New Castle
Finance, Division 3: Chair—Neal Kurk, Weare
Fish and Game and Marine Resources:
Chair—Gary Hopper, Weare
Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs:
Chair—John Reagan, Deerfield
Vice Chairman —Frank Kotowski, Hooksett
Labor, Industrial & Rehabilitative Services:
Chair—Gary Daniels, Milford
Vice Chairman —William Infantine, Manchester
Legislative Administration:
Chair—Paul Mirski, Enfield
Municipal & County Government
Chair—Beverly Ferrante, Derry
Vice Chairman —Franklin Sterling, Jaffrey
Public Works & Highways:
Chair—Gene Chandler, Bartlett
Vice Chairman —Carl Seidel, Nashua
Resources, Recreation & Development:
Chair—Andrew Renzullo, Hudson
Vice Chairman —L. Michael Kappler, Raymond
Science, Technology & Energy:
Chair—James Garrity, Atkinson
Vice Chairman —Frank Holden, Lyndeborough
State, Federal Relations & Veterans’ Affairs:
Chair—Alfred Baldasaro, Londonderry
Transportation:
Chair—Sherman Packard, Londonderry
Vice Chairman —John Hikel, Goffstown
Ways & Means:
Chair—Stephen Stepanek, Milford
Vice Chairman —Norman Major, Plaistow
Additional appointments to committee leadership posts will be announced by the speaker later in the week and the full committee assignments are expected to be released by December 15.
“We made every attempt to put the most qualified people into these leadership positions, based on their expertise,” said Speaker O’Brien. “I am pleased with the mixture of both veteran lawmakers, including some former chairs and vice-chairs, and those who are relative newcomers to leadership,” he concluded.