House leadership team will look much the same as session begins

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House of Delegates leadership team will look much the same when the legislature gavels in the regular session next Wednesday at the state capitol.

House of Delegates Speaker Tim Armstead, who will be officially elected to a second term as speaker in a Wednesday floor session, said Friday Daryl Cowles, R-Morgan, would remain majority leader.

Armstead will also keep the same chairmen on the four major committees including Finance Committee Chair Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha; Judiciary Committee Chair John Shott, R-Mercer; Education Committee Chair Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, and Government Organization Committee Chair Gary Howell, R-Mineral.

Armstead did make some changes in the vice-chair positions.

The House and Senate will spend Wednesday afternoon taking care of session-beginning business before recessing for four weeks to allow Governor-elect Jim Justice to take office. The session resumes Feb. 8.

The House leadership team:

Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha
Majority Leader Daryl Cowles, R-Morgan
Speaker Pro Tempore John Overington, R-Berkeley
Majority Whip Carol Miller, R-Cabell
Assistant Majority Leader John O’Neal, R-Raleigh

2017-18 COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS

EDUCATION
Paul Espinosa, Chair
Joe Statler, Vice Chair

ENERGY
Bill Anderson, Chair
Mark Zatezalo, Vice Chair – Coal
John Kelly, Vice Chair – Oil and Gas

FINANCE
Eric Nelson, Chair
Eric Householder, Vice Chair

GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
Gary Howell, Chair
Lynne Arvon, Vice Chair

HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Joe Ellington, Chair
Amy Summers, Vice Chair

JUDICIARY
John Shott, Chair
Roger Hanshaw, Vice Chair

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Allen Evans, Chair – Agriculture
Roger Romine, Vice Chair – Agriculture
Bill Hamilton, Chair – Natural Resources
George Ambler, Vice Chair – Natural Resources

BANKING AND INSURANCE
Steve Westfall, Chair – Insurance
Brad White, Vice Chair – Insurance
Cindy Frich, Chair – Banking
Jill Upson, Vice Chair – Banking

ENROLLED BILLS
Roger Hanshaw, Chair
Steve Westfall, Vice Chair

INDUSTRY AND LABOR
Tom Fast, Chair
Geoff Foster, Vice Chair

INTERSTATE COOPERATION
Erikka Storch, Chair
Danny Hamrick, Vice Chair

PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT
Ron Walters, Chair
Mike Folk, Vice Chair

POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS
Erikka Storch, Chair
Saira Blair, Vice Chair

ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION
Marty Gearheart, Char
Danny Hamrick, Vice Chair

RULE-MAKING REVIEW
Kelli Sobonya, Chair
Cindy Frich, Vice Chair

RULES
Tim Armstead, Chair

SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE PREVENTION & TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Joe Ellington, Chair
Kayla Kessinger, Vice Chair

SENIOR CITIZEN ISSUES
Ruth Rowan, Chair
Matt Rohrbach, Vice Chair

SMALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Jordan Hill, Chair
Rick Atkinson, Vice Chair

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND HOMELAND SECURITY
Jim Butler, Chair – Homeland Security
Pat McGeehan, Vice Chair – Homeland Security
Roy Cooper, Chair – Veterans Affairs
Danny Wagner, Vice Chair – Veterans Affairs





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