SOUTHEAST LAWMAKERS CHAIR POWERFUL PANELS; LEGISLATORS EARN COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

JEFFERSON CITY - Three of the most powerful committees in the Missouri House will be chaired this year by Southeast Missouri legislators. Two of the representatives are holding the posts for the first time.

Named to another term as chairman of the Banks and Financial Institutions Committee was Rep. Gene Copeland, D-New Madrid, serving his 16th term in the House and a longtime head of that committee.

Rep. Joe Driskill, D-Doniphan, and Rep. Dennis Ziegenhorn, D-Sikeston, who chaired what are considered minor committees last session, are the two Bootheel lawmakers elevated to the leadership of more important committees.

Ziegenhorn will chair the Insurance Committee, which is responsible for reviewing all legislation dealing with the state's massive insurance industry. Pressing issues facing the committee this session will be how to insure the solvency of companies, problems with health insurance, and passing enabling legislation to establish a new Department of Insurance.

Driskill, starting his fifth term, will chair the Commerce Committee, which handles major legislation involving business in the state. The panel also deals with bills related to economic development and will look at ways to improve the state's job and economic climate.

Rep. Herb Fallert, D-Ste. Genevieve, starting his fifth term, was named to a second term as chairman of the Tourism, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Committee. The panel deals with most legislation related to tourism, the state's second largest industry.

Rep. Opal Parks, D-Caruthersville, was given her first chairmanship this year. She will guide the committee called Bills Perfected, and Printed, but will also serve as vice chairman of the important Social Services and Medicaid Committee.

The House Transportation Committee, chaired for several years by Rep. F.A. Findley, of Poplar Bluff, who retired last year, has a new chairman from this part of the state. Taking over the post is Rep. Don Koller, D-Summersville, who represents Shannon County and parts of Carter, Ripley, Oregon, and Reynolds counties.

Rep. Jess Garnett, D-West Plains, will be chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

Committee chairmen and vice chairmen are members of the majority party in the House and are appointed by the speaker. The speaker also decides on which committees Democrats serve. Republicans are assigned to committees by Minority Leader Jim Talent.

Both Speaker Bob Griffin and Talent consult with other members of their parties before finalizing appointments, and members are asked to indicate the committees they want to serve on. Among the most highly sought after committees are those that relate directly to a representative's district and committees that deal with appropriations, education, transportation and highways, and business.

Seniority and loyalty to party leaders also plays a big role in committee assignments.

Four of the Southeast Missouri House members are Republicans and, with five terms of seniority, Rep. Mary Kasten, of Cape Girardeau, came away with the most impressive list of committee assignments of that group.

Kasten was named to the powerful House Budget Committee and re-appointed to the appropriations committee for health and mental health. She will also serve on the committees that deal with higher education; commerce; and children, youth, and families.

Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, starting his second term, has the same three committees he had during his first term, but has been added to the Transportation Committee. Also, a committee dealing with licensing and related matters has been expanded and renamed Economic Development and Professional Registration, which should increase its importance.

Schwab is also serving on the committees for agriculture and elections.

A number of vice chairmanships were handed out from this part of the state, including two for Rep. Ollie Amick, D-Scott City. Amick, starting his second term, is vice chairman of the committees for governmental organization and agri-business.

Amick was also re-appointed to the committee for elementary and secondary education and named for the first time to the important appropriations committee for education and transportation. He will also serve as a member of the State Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Committee.

Second-term Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, is vice chairman of the Agriculture Committee.

Others named to vice chairmanships were: Ziegenhorn, miscellaneous resolutions; Fallert, fees and salaries; Garnett, energy and environment and state institutions and property; and Koller, motor vehicle registration and traffic regulation.

Ziegenhorn will also serve on the committees for banks and financial institutions and governmental review; Parks will serve on the panels for agriculture, transportation, and mines and mining; and Copeland will serve on committees for ethics, legislative research, and local government.

Driskill, Thomason, and Fallert were named to new terms on the appropriations committee for natural and economic resources; Fallert and Driskill were appointed to the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

Driskill was also named to committees for agri-business, civil and criminal justice, and ways and means; Thomason is on agri-business, commerce, and transportation; and Fallert will be on committees for transportation and state parks, recreation, and natural resources.

Two other area House members are Republicans, elected in November for the first time. Rep. Mark Richardson, of Poplar Bluff, will be on committees for judiciary, mines and mining, and social services and Medicaid; Rep. Jim Graham, of Fredericktown, will serve on committees for correctional institutions, mines and mining, agriculture, and appropriations for natural and economic resources.

Most House committees are getting organized this week and will start holding hearings on bills assigned to them next week.