New Committe Chairs in Indiana House

The Associated Press has an article reporting on House Speaker Bauer’s appointment of new committee chairs in the Indiana House of Representatives.

WAYS AND MEANS – Chair: State Rep. William Crawford (D-Indianapolis). Vice chair: State Rep. Bob Kuzman (D-Crown Point).

Budget Subcommittee chair is State Rep. William Cochran (D-New Albany), with State Rep. Dennis Avery (D-Evansville) serving as subcommittee vice chair.

Higher Education Subcommittee chair is State Rep. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette).

Medicaid and Health Subcommittee chair is State Rep. Peggy Welch (D-Bloomington).

K-12 Education Subcommittee chair is State Rep. Terry Goodin (D-Crothersville).

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT – Chair: State Rep. Phil Pflum (D-Milton). Vice chair: State Rep. Steve Stemler (D-Jeffersonville).

COMMERCE, ENERGY AND UTILITIES – Chair: State Rep. Dave Crooks (D-Washington). Vice chair: State Rep. Kreg Battles (D-Vincennes).

COURTS AND CRIMINAL CODE – Chair: State Rep. Phil Hoy (D-Evansville). Vice chair: State Rep. Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox).

EDUCATION – Chair: State Rep. Greg Porter (D-Indianapolis). Vice chair: State Rep. Joe Micon (D-West Lafayette).

ELECTIONS AND APPORTIONMENT – Chair: State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington). Vice chair: State Rep. Dennie Oxley (D-English).

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS – Chair: State Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend). Vice chair: State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon (D-Munster).

ETHICS – Chair: State Rep. Clyde Kersey (D-Terre Haute). Vice chair: State Rep. Earl Harris (D-East Chicago).

FAMILY, CHILDREN AND HUMAN AFFAIRS – Chair: State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis). Vice chair: State Rep. John Day (D-Indianapolis).

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS – Chair: State Rep. Jeb Bardon (D-Indianapolis). Vice chair: State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis).

GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY REFORM – Chair: State Rep. Dan Stevenson (D-Highland). Vice chair: State Rep. Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne).

INTERSTATE AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION – Chair: State Rep. Earl Harris (D-East Chicago). Vice chair: State Rep. Chet Dobis (D-Merrillville)

INSURANCE – Chair: State Rep. Craig Fry (D-Mishawaka). Vice chair: State Rep. Dave Cheatham (D-North Vernon).

JUDICIARY – Chair: State Rep. Linda Lawson (D-Hammond). Vice chair: State Rep. Trent Van Haaften (D-Mount Vernon).

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT – Chair: State Rep. Duane Cheney (D-Portage). Vice chair: State Rep. Dennis Tyler (D-Muncie).

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – Chair: State Rep. Vernon Smith (D-Gary). Vice chair: State Rep. Sheila Klinker (D-Lafayette).

NATURAL RESOURCES – Chair: State Rep. Bob Bischoff (D-Lawrenceburg). Vice chair: State Rep. Paul Robertson (D-Depauw).

PUBLIC HEALTH – Chair: State Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary). Vice chair: State Rep. Peggy Welch (D-Bloomington).

PUBLIC POLICY – Chair: State Rep. Trent Van Haaften (D-Mount Vernon). Vice chair: State Rep. Jerry Denbo (D-French Lick).

ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION – Chair: State Rep. Terri Austin (D-Anderson). Vice chair: State Rep. David Niezgodski (D-South Bend).

RULES AND LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES – Chair: State Rep. Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City). Vice chair: State Rep. Russ Stilwell (D-Boonville).

SMALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – Chair: State Rep. David Orentlicher (D-Indianapolis). Vice chair: State Rep. Carolene Mays (D-Indianapolis).

TECHNOLOGY, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT – Chair: State Rep. Scott Reske (D-Pendleton). Vice chair: State Rep. Dave Crooks (D-Washington).

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC SAFETY – Chair: State Rep. Vern Tincher (D-Riley). Vice chair: State Rep. Ron Herrell (D-Kokomo).

I was pleased to see that Representative Crooks is the Chairman of the House Commerce Committee, a committee on which I served as staff counsel about 10 years ago. I think Rep. Crooks was a fairly junior member at that point. I see that Kreg Battles, who defeated Troy “I’ll Never Vote For It” Woodruff, has been appointed as co-chair. I was also pleased to see that Representative Dvorak is the chair of the Environmental Affairs committee.