Missouri House members receive committee assignments

Regional members of the Missouri House received their committee assignments this week as lawmakers finished organizing for the 2007 legislative session.

Rep. Nathan Cooper, R-Cape Girardeau, serving his second term in the House, was named to seven committees, the most of any lawmaker in the area. He was named vice-chairman of the Appropriations -- General Administration Committee, which will be the first committee to review spending for state administrative functions such as leasing state office buildings.

Cooper also was given seats on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Joint Committee on Capital Improvements and Leases Oversight, the Special Committee on Financial Institutions, the Special Committee on Urban Issues and the Special Committee on Urban Education Reform.

The only chairmanship among area House members went to Rep. Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, who was given responsibility for the Special Committee on General Laws. Tilley will also have seats on the Special Committee on Financial Institutions, and he will be vice chairman of the Special Committee on Healthcare Facilities. Tilley is serving his second term in the House.

In organizing the legislature, House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, reduced the number of standing committees and substituted special committees to hear important legislation. A rule change agreed on this week gave Jetton more power over naming members of the Democratic minority to the special committees than he had over membership on standing committees.

Joint committees are usually established by statute to deal with particular ongoing issues in state government and rarely hear legislation.

Rep. Scott Lipke, R-Jackson, who was the only returning committee chairman from the 2006 session who did not receive a chairmanship, was named to no special committees. Lipke will serve on the Appropriations -- General Administration, Crime Prevention and Public Safety and Judiciary committees. Lipke is serving his third term.

Rep. Billy Pat Wright, R-Dexter, was named vice chairman of the Agriculture Policy Committee and given seats on the Appropriations -- General Administration Committee, the Joint Committee on Wetlands and the Special Committee on Utilities. Wright is serving his second term.

Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston and a House newcomer, was named vice chairwoman of the Special Committee on Ticket to Work. She was also given seats on the Special Committee on Tax Reform, the Special Committee on Healthcare Facilities and the Appropriations -- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

Rep. Steve Hodges, D-East Prairie, as named to the Agriculture Policy and Appropriations -- Education committees and the Special Committee on Workforce Development and Workplace Safety. Hodges is a first-term lawmaker.

In the upper chamber, Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, was named chairman of the Pensions, Veterans Affairs and General Laws Committee. He will also serve as vice chairman of the Financial, Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee and have seats on the Economic Development, Tourism and Local Government Committee, the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee and the Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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