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(ANCHORAGE) - The House Majority met late into the evening last night to decide leadership positions for the upcoming Twenty-Fourth Legislature.
Representative John Harris (R-Valdez) was selected by his peers to be the new Speaker of the House. "I'm very pleased to be chosen to serve as the new Speaker of the House by my fellow members. I look forward to working with all members of the House, in both the majority and minority caucuses, to move the state forward," Representative Harris said of his new position. "I respect the work that Speaker Kott has done and I will continue to look to him for help and guidance as we move toward the new session."
The outgoing Speaker, Representative Pete Kott (R-Eagle River) will become the new Chairman of Legislative Council.
Other leadership positions remained the same, with Representative John Coghill (R-North Pole), Representative Norm Rokeberg (R-Anchorage) and Representative Lesil McGuire (R-Anchorage) retaining their positions from the Twenty-Third Legislature. Representative Coghill will maintain his role as Majority Leader, Representative Rokeberg is again Chairman of the House Rules Committee, and Representative McGuire will continue to Chair the House Judiciary Committee, which has now been elevated to a leadership position.
"Leadership transition is always tense, but I think that the process went well. It was a close race for leadership but we came out with a well-balanced, strong leadership team and committee structure that balances the strengths of the members and the regions of the state," Representative Coghill said of last night's meeting.
House Finance Committee leadership was also decided and Representative Mike Chenault (R-Nikiski) and Representative Kevin Meyer (R-Anchorage) were chosen to Co-Chair the Committee.
"I'm pleased and honored to be selected as one of the co-chairs of the House Finance Committee. Alaska faces a number of financial challenges and with the new organization we've put together we look forward to tackling the issues facing our state," said Representative Chenault.
Representative Meyer said, "These are very exciting times with President Bush being reelected and having a Republican majority at both the national level and the state level. The gas pipeline and ANWR are looking better and better for Alaska, which will create more jobs in communities throughout the state and I'm looking forward to being a part of leadership during this exciting time for Alaska."
Other members of the House Finance Committee are Representative Bill Stoltze (R-Chugiak/Mat-Su), Vice-Chair, Representative Mike Hawker (R-Anchorage), Representative Richard Foster (D-Nome), Representative Jim Holm (R-Fairbanks), Representative Mike Kelly (R-Fairbanks) and Representative Bruce Weyhrauch (R-Juneau).
Other Chairmanships are as follows:
Health, Education & Social Services Committee
Representative Peggy Wilson (R-Wrangell), Chair
House Resources Committee
Representative Ralph Samuels (R-Anchorage), Co-Chair
Representative Jay Ramras (R-Fairbanks), Co-Chair
House State Affairs Committee
Representative Paul Seaton (R-Homer), Chair
House Labor & Commerce Committee
Representative Tom Anderson (R-Anchorage), Chair
House Transportation Committee
Representative Jim Elkins (R-Ketchikan), Co-Chair
Representative Carl Gatto (R-Palmer), Co-Chair
House Community & Regional Affairs Committee
Representative Bill Thomas (R-Haines), Co-Chair
Representative Kurt Olson (R-Soldotna), Co-Chair
House Special Committee on Education
Representative Mark Neuman (R-Big Lake), Chair
House Special Committee on Oil & Gas
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom (R-Anchorage/Eagle River), Chair
House Special Committee on Fisheries
Representative Gabrielle LeDoux (R-Kodiak), Co-Chair
Representative Bill Thomas (R-Haines), Co-Chair
House Special Committee on Economic Development, Trade & Tourism
Representative Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla), Chair
House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs
Representative Bob Lynn (R-Anchorage), Chair
House Special Committee on Regulation Review
Representative Tom Anderson (R-Anchorage), Chair
Legislative Budget & Audit Committee
Representative Ralph Samuels (R-Anchorage), Vice-Chair
Joint Armed Services Committee
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom (R-Anchorage/Eagle River), Co-Chair
House Ways & Means Committee
Representative Mike Hawker (R-Anchorage), Chair
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