House announces new leadership changes while state Senate has slight changes
Trending
CHARLESTON -- As the 2021 session of the West Virginia Legislature looms around the corner with a greater Republican majority taking seats next year, new committee leadership assignments are taking shape.
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, announced a leadership team Monday afternoon with some familiar faces and a new speaker pro tempore.
"We've had a great team that's worked collaboratively during the past few years to advance bold ideas to improve our state," Hanshaw said in a statement. "I'm confident this team I'm naming today will continue to build upon that success and deliver even greater results for the people of West Virginia."
Delegate Gary Howell, R-Mineral, will leave his post as chairman of the House Government Organization Committee to take the House's No. 2 position previously held by outgoing Morgan County Delegate Daryl Cowles. Traditionally a position that goes to the most senior member of the majority party, the speaker pro tempore can take the gavel and preside over floor sessions when the speaker is unavailable.
"Since he was first elected in 2010, Gary has built a reputation of being a strong voice for conservative values in the Legislature," Hanshaw said. "He's shown that he's willing to embrace innovative ideas to improve our state and benefit all West Virginians."
The owner of a mail-order auto parts business, Howell was elected to a sixth two-year term in the House in 2020. He was the minority chairman of the House Government Organization Committee before being elevated to the chairman of the committee when Republicans won the majority in the House in the 2014 elections.
"I'm honored and humbled Speaker Hanshaw has chosen me for this position and thank him for the ability to serve as a member of his leadership team," Howell said. "I'm eager to get to work to help continue writing West Virginia's comeback story."
Delegate Amy Summers, R-Taylor, will again serve as House majority leader and Delegate Kayla Kessinger, R-Fayette, will serve as assistant majority leader. Delegate Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, will again serve as House majority whip.
Delegates Caleb Hanna, R-Nicholas, John Hardy, R-Berkeley, and Dean Jeffries, R-Kanawha, will serve as assistant majority whips again. They'll be joined by Delegates Trenton Barnhart, R-Pleasants, Riley Keaton, R-Roane, David Kelly, R-Tyler, Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, Larry Pack, R-Kanawha, Chris Phillips, R-Barbour, Johnnie Wamsley, R-Mason, and Evan Worrell, R-Cabell.
Delegate Dianna Graves, R-Kanawha, will serve as chairwoman of the House Republican Caucus, leading meetings of the caucus as the majority discuss public policy priorities.
Leadership of the House Education, Energy and Finance committees will remain the same. Delegate Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, will move up from vice chairman to chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, succeeding the retiring Delegate John Schott, R-Mercer. Delegate Tom Fast, R-Fayette will become the new vice chairman.
Taking Howell's place as the chairman of the House Government Organization Committee will be Delegate Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, with Delegate Geoff Foster serving as vice chairman. Delegate Jeffrey Pack, R-Raleigh, will move up from vice chairman to full chairman of the House Health and Human Resources Committee, succeeding former Nicholas County Delegate Jordan Hill. Delegate Matt Rohrbach, R-Cabell, will become vice chairman. Other committee assignments will be announced in the coming days.
Hanshaw was re-elected on Dec. 6 by House Republicans as their nominee for a second term as speaker. House Democrats chose Delegate Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, as House Minority Leader and its nominee for speaker.
A vote will be held when the Legislature convenes on Jan. 13. Delegate Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, was selected as House Minority Whip.
It is expected Hanshaw will have the votes needed to remain as Speaker. The House went from 58 Republicans to 76 Republicans after the Nov. 3 general election.
With Berkeley County Delegate Jason Barrett switching from Democrat to Republican last week, Democrats only have 23 seats in the House.
On the Senate side, Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, was chosen by Senate Democrats as the next minority whip. He succeeds the retiring Kanawha County Sen. Corey Palumbo in that role.
Woelfel was elected in 2014. He will join the leadership team of newly selected Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin, R-Greenbrier.
"I am excited about this path forward for our caucus," Woelfel said. "We have a lot of work in front of us, but with Leader Baldwin at the helm, I think we can work effectively with the majority on important issues for our constituents. I am pleased to be part of caucus leadership."
The Senate Republican Caucus selected Sen. Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, as its nominee for president of the Senate. Republicans control 23 seats in the Senate, giving Blair the likely votes he needs on Jan. 13.
So far, Blair has made no changes to the Republican leadership. However, Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, will succeed Blair as chairman of the Finance Committee.
Former delegate and newly elected Sen. Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, will become the new chairman of the Senate Pensions Committee, replacing Sen. Mike Azinger, R-Wood.
After the Legislature meets Jan. 13, it will recess until Feb. 10 when the remainder of the 60-day session will commence. Inauguration day for Gov. Jim Justice is Jan. 18.