New Idaho House representatives fill committee rosters leading up to session

The Idaho House of Representatives announced its full slate of committee assignments Friday morning, with many changes to committee chairmen and membership.

Nearly half of the Idaho Legislature’s membership is new on the House side, making many of the committees almost unrecognizable from the previous legislative session.

Speaker of the House Mike Moyle, R-Star, said after the announcements that the assignments were carefully considered.

“The last few days have been a lot of prayer and soul-searching while we tried to put these committees together,” Moyle told the House. “I recognize some of you might be really happy, and some of you might not be as happy. We were trying to do what was best for the whole.”

House Democrats lamented Moyle’s choice to cut one of their two representatives from the Appropriations Committee, replacing Rep. Colin Nash, D-Boise, with a Republican.

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, will continue to be chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, where much of the social policy legislation is considered, including bills related to abortion and elections. Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, will now be vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee, with Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell, taking Rep. Lance Clow’s place as chairwoman.

Moyle said that change shouldn’t be considered a punishment for Clow — merely that Yamamoto had the right combination of skills to be chairwoman.

“Education is important to me, and I know that there’s been some strife in that committee,” Moyle said. “(Yamamoto) has experience; she’s reasonable. I think to find the answer to education, we’re going to have to have everybody at the table. You’re going to have to have everybody talking, everybody is going to have to give a little bit, take a little bit. And I think she can do that.”

The legislative session will begin Jan. 9.

House committee assignments

Appropriations:

Chairwoman: Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls

Vice chairman: Rep. Steven Miller, R-Fairfield

Members: Reps. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home; Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg; Rod Furniss, R-Rigby; Clay Handy, R-Burley; Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell; James Petzke, R-Meridian; Josh Tanner, R-Eagle; and Brooke Green, D-Boise.

Business:

Chairman: Rep. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls

House Education Committee Chairman Lance Clow (right) gavels the committee to order in this file photo by Idaho Education News.

Vice chairman: Jeff Ehlers, R-Meridian

Members: Reps. Brent Crane, R-Nampa; Joe Palmer, R-Meridian; Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens; Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay; Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs; Rod Furniss, R-Rigby; Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow; Jason Monks, R-Meridian; Jeff Cornilles, R-Nampa; Jaron Crane, R-Nampa; Gregory Lanting, R-Twin Falls; James Petzke, R-Meridian; Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene; Steve Berch, D-Boise; Brooke Green, D-Boise; and Ilana Rubel, D-Boise.

Education:

Chairwoman: Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell

Vice chairwoman: Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston

Members: Reps. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale; Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls; Ron Mendive, R-Coeur d’Alene; Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls; Tony Wisniewski, R-Post Falls; Dan Garner, R-Clifton; Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood; Ted Hill, R-Eagle; Gregory Lanting, R-Twin Falls; Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome; Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene; Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint; Steve Berch, D-Boise; Soñia Galaviz, D-Boise; and Chris Mathias, D-Boise.

Health and Welfare:

Chairman: Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa

Vice chairman: Marco Erickson, R-Idaho Falls

Members: Reps. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett; Mike Kingsley, R-Lewiston; Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow; Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly; Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser; Dori Healey, R-Boise; Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene; Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon; Sue Chew, D-Boise; Ilana Rubel, D-Boise; and Nate Roberts, D-Pocatello.

Revenue and Taxation:

Chairman: Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian

Vice chairman: Rep. David Cannon, R-Blackfoot

Members: Reps. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay; Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; Jon Weber, R-Rexburg; Charlie Shepherd, R-Pollock; Rick Cheatum, R-Pocatello; Jeff Cornilles, R-Nampa; Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna; Jeff Ehlers, R-Meridian; Stephanie Jo Mickelsen, R-Idaho Falls; Doug Pickett, R-Oakley; Jerald Raymond, R-Menan; Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa; Lauren Necochea, D-Boise; and Ned Burns, D-Bellevue.

State Affairs:

Chairman: Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa

Vice chairwoman: Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot

Members: Reps. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian; Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens; James Holtzclaw, R-Meridian; Heather Scott, R-Blanchard; Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs; Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa; Joe Alfieri, R- Coeur d’Alene; Chris Allgood, R-Caldwell; Jaron Crane, R-Nampa; John Gannon, D-Boise; and Colin Nash, D-Boise.

Commerce and Human Resources:

Chairman: Rep. James Holtzclaw, R-Meridian

Vice chairman: Rep. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home

Members: Reps. Mike Kingsley, R-Lewiston; Tony Wisniewski, R-Post Falls; Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls; Jon Weber, R-Rexburg; Lori McCann, R-Lewiston; Rick Cheatum, R-Pocatello; Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood; Dori Healey, R-Boise; Steven Miller, R-Fairfield; Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene; Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon; Sue Chew, D-Boise; and Nate Roberts, D-Pocatello.

Judiciary, Rules and Administration:

Chairman: Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa

Vice chairman: Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard

Members: Reps. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls; Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot; David Cannon, R-Blackfoot; Marco Erickson, R-Idaho Falls; Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene; Chris Allgood, R-Caldwell; Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly; Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser; Dan Garner, R-Clifton; Clay Handy, R-Burley; Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell; Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint; Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa; John Gannon, D-Boise; Colin Nash, D-Boise; and Chris Mathias, D-Boise.

Resources and Conservation:

Chairman: Rep. Ron Mendive, R-Coeur d’Alene

Vice chairman: Rep. Charlie Shepherd, R-Pollock

Members: Reps. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale; John Vander Woude, R-Nampa; Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett; Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell; Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg; Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna; Ted Hill, R-Eagle; Stephanie Jo Mickelsen, R-Idaho Falls; Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome; Doug Pickett, R-Oakley; Jerald Raymond, R-Menan; Josh Tanner, R-Eagle; Ned Burns, D-Bellevue; Lauren Necochea, D-Boise; Soñia Galaviz, D-Boise.

Agricultural Affairs:

Chairman: Rep. Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs

Vice chairman: Rep. Jerald Raymond, R-Menan

Members: Reps. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale; David Cannon, R-Blackfoot; Lori McCann, R-Lewiston;

Jeff Ehlers, R-Meridian; Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser; Dan Garner, R-Clifton; Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome; Doug Pickett, R-Oakley; Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint; Chris Mathias, D-Boise; Colin Nash, D-Boise; and Nate Roberts, D-Pocatello.

Environment, Energy and Technology:

Chairman: Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens

Vice chairman: Rod Furniss, R-Rigby

Members: Reps. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa; Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls; Heather Scott, R-Blanchard; Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot; Tony Wisniewski, R-Post Falls; Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg; Chris Allgood, R-Caldwell; Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home; Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell; Stephanie Jo Mickelsen, R-Idaho Falls; Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon; Sue Chew, D-Boise; Lauren Necochea, D-Boise; and Ilana Rubel, D-Boise.

Local Government:

Chairwoman: Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls

Vice chairman: Mike Kingsley, R-Lewiston

Members: Reps. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls; Marco Erickson, R-Idaho Falls; Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa; Jon Weber, R-Rexburg; Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene; Rick Cheatum, R-Pocatello; Jeff Cornilles, R-Nampa; Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly; Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood; Dori Healey, R-Boise; Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene; Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa; Steve Berch, D-Boise; Brooke Green, D-Boise; and Soñia Galaviz, D-Boise.

Transportation and Defense:

Chairman: Rep. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian

Vice chairman: Rep. Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow

Members: Reps. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay; James Holtzclaw, R-Meridian; Jason Monks, R-Meridian; Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett; Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; Charlie Shepherd, R-Pollock; Jaron Crane, R-Nampa; Clay Handy, R-Burley; Ted Hill, R-Eagle; Gregory Lanting, R-Twin Falls; Rep. Steven Miller, R-Fairfield; James Petzke, R-Meridian; Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell; John Gannon, D-Boise; and Ned Burns, D-Bellevue.

Ways and Means:

Chairman: Rep. Jon Weber, R-Rexburg

Members: Reps. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett; Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay; Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello; Ilana Rubel, D-Boise; Lauren Necochea, D-Boise; and Ned Burns, D-Bellevue.