House Speaker Roger Hanshaw announced a leadership team that includes Delegate Pat McGeehan as the majority leader, a top lieutenant position that serves as traffic cop for floor sessions.
Hanshaw’s lineup also includes Delegate Brandon Steele as the new chairman of the Judiciary committee, considered powerful because of its direct influence on West Virginia law.
The House of Delegates is scheduled to gavel in at noon Wednesday for a session to officially form and select leadership. Hanshaw, R-Clay, is expected to retain the role of speaker that he has held since 2018.
Members of the state Senate also will have a Wednesday session to form and officially vote for leadership. Senator Randy Smith, R-Preston, won a caucus vote last month to be the new president of that chamber.
About 1:30 p.m., legislators will gather together and hear parting remarks from outgoing Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican who has been elected to the U.S. Senate.
The Legislature will then gavel out until the 60-day regular session kicks off Feb. 12, giving Governor-elect Patrick Morrisey’s new administration time to organize and produce its own agenda.
“Each of the ladies and gentlemen who will come to this building to take the oath of office will do so with the confidence of the 1.8 million West Virginians who are counting on us to chart a course of leadership and progress that will improve their daily lives,” Hanshaw said in a statement distributed by the House.
“A new Legislature is an opportunity to adjust the foundation we have here to facilitate the work of the House, and we believe the lineup we’ve assembled will bring about new discussions, new approaches and new solutions.”
The new majority leader, McGeehan, has been vice chairman of the House Government Organization Committee. Eric Householder, the prior majority leader, ran unsuccessfully for state auditor and now will be the administration secretary under Morrisey.
McGeehan, who was first elected to the House in 2008, was an outspoken member of the conservative Liberty Caucus. The former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer has pushed for years for a bill that would prohibit National Guard reservists from serving in non-declared war zones.
He was the driving force behind a constitutional amendment, approved by voters last fall, to prohibit physician-assisted death in West Virginia.
Additional leadership roles announced by Hanshaw include the return of Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer, as majority whip, a position usually focused on vote counts. Delegate Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell, will serve as speaker pro tempore, which means presiding when the speaker has to step away, as well as continue to serve as deputy speaker.
The conference chairman role will be filled by Delegate Mike Hornby, R-Berkeley, who will help facilitate majority caucus meetings and policy discussions among Republican members.
The House will have six standing committees: Health and Human Resources, Energy and Public Works, Finance, Government Organization, Education and Judiciary. And Hanshaw announced plans to introduce a number of subcommittees for specialized focus on issues.
The Judiciary Committee will be led by Steele, a Raleigh County lawyer who just a couple of years ago competed with Hanshaw to be speaker. Steele was the driving force behind a bill considered last year in the House that could have opened libraries to felony obscenity charges over material for minors.
Delegate J.B. Akers, R-Kanawha, will be the vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
The House Finance Committee will again be led by led by Delegate Vernon Criss, R-Wood, with Delegate Clay Riley, R-Harrison, serving as vice chairman.
Delegate Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, will serve as chairman of the Health and Human Resources Committee. Delegate Michael Hite, R-Berkeley, will be its vice chairman. That committee most recently was led by Delegate Amy Summers, who did not run again.
The Government Organization Committee will be led again by Delegate Chris Phillips, R-Barbour, as its chairman and Doug Smith, R-Mercer, as vice chairman.
The Education Committee will be led by Chairman Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, and Delegate Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, will serve as its vice chairman.
Delegate Bill Anderson, R-Wood, again will be chairman of the Energy and Public Works Committee with Delegate Mark Zatezalo, R-Hancock, serving as its vice chairman.