The next two years will be good times for Ohio General Assembly Republicans who came away from last November's General Election with a supermajority even though the state in the race for president went for President Obama over Mitt Romney.
GOP rules for next two years
Governor John Kasich, who won his first statewide campaign two years ago and is gearing up for his reelection in 2014, has enjoyed the fair political trade winds that a Republican-led legislature can blow his way, which stands in stark contrast to Washington politics, where Republicans have decided to be uncooperative with President Obama, as we saw during his first term and promises to continue over the next four years.
The 130th General Assembly started work in Columbus last week on the next biennium (2013-2014). Republicans control 60 of the 99 seats in the House, so they can pass anything they want at any time without worry from Democrats, who will be resigned to looking, watching and voting no.
In the Ohio Senate, where Democrats who occupy only 10 out of 33 seats will be equally impotent to stop any bill the Rules Committee puts on the floor, new Senate President Keith Faber, who has shown he isn't afraid to rattle the cage, may choose to push issues his predecessor, Sen. Tom Niehaus, expressed more caution on.
With Friday's announcement by Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder of the lower chamber's new committee structure, which a media release said emphasis the House’s legislative priorities for the next two years.
“The restructured committees will focus our efforts on the legislative priorities of the House over the next two years,” Speaker Batchelder said in prepared remarks.
“Issues such as economic development and the budget will continue to be a major part of our work here in the House, but we will also be tackling many other important issues as well. I’m confident that the chairs and vice chairs will lead their committees proficiently and guide the passage of legislation that will benefit all Ohioans.”
The 17 House committees and the members who will lead each committee:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Chair: Rep. Dave Hall (R-Millersburg)
Vice chair: Rep. Andy Thompson (R-Marietta)
Commerce, Labor and Technology
Chair: Rep. Ron Young (R-Leroy Township)
Vice chair: Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington)
Economic Development and Regulatory Reform
Chair: Rep. Nan Baker (R-Westlake)
Vice chair: Rep. Lou Terhar (R-Cincinnati)
Education
Chair: Rep. Jerry Stebelton (R-Lancaster)
Vice chair: Rep. Andrew Brenner (R-Powell)
Finance and Appropriations 1
Chair: Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster)
Vice chair: Rep. Jeff McClain (R-Upper Sandusky)
Financial Institutions, Housing and Urban Development
Chair: Rep. Richard Adams (R-Troy)
Vice chair: Rep. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark)
Health and Aging
Chair: Rep. Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon)
Vice chair: Rep. Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville)
Insurance
Chair: Rep. Bob Hackett (R-London)
Vice chair: Rep. Mike Henne (R-Clayton)
Judiciary 2
Chair: Rep. Jim Butler (R-Oakwood)
Vice chair: Rep. Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville)
Manufacturing and Workforce Development
Chair: Rep. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton)
Vice chair: Rep. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario)
Military and Veterans Affairs
Chair: Rep. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott)
Vice chair: Rep. Al Landis (R-Dover)
Policy and Legislative Oversight
Chair: Rep. Mike Dovilla (R-Berea)
Vice chair: Rep. Jim Buchy (R-Greenville)
Public Utilities
Chair: Rep. Peter Stautberg (R-Anderson Township)
Vice chair: Rep. Kristina Daley Roegner (R-Hudson)
Rules and Reference
Chair: Rep. Matt Huffman (R-Lima)
Vice chair: Speaker Batchelder
State and Local Government 3
Chair: Rep. Terry Blair (R-Washington Township)
Vice chair: Rep. Marlene Anielski (R-Independence)
Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security
Chair: Rep. Rex Damschroder (R-Fremont)
Vice chair: Rep. Margaret Ann Ruhl (R-Mount Vernon)
Ways and Means
Chair: Rep. Peter Beck (R-Mason)
Vice chair: Rep. Terry Boose (R-Norwalk)
1 House Finance and Appropriations subcommittees:
- Agriculture and Development (Chair: Rep. Tim Derickson, R-Hanover Township)
- Higher Education (Chair: Rep. Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville)
- Primary and Secondary Education (Chair: Rep. Bill Hayes, R-Harrison Township)
- Transportation (Chair: Rep. Ross McGregor, R-Springfield)
- Health and Human Services (Chair: Rep. Anne Gonzales, R-Westerville)
2 The restructured House Judiciary Committee is a combination of the Judiciary Committee and the Criminal Justice Committee of the 129th General Assembly.
3 House State and Local Government subcommittee:
Shared Services and Government Efficiency (Chair: Rep. Ron Maag, R-Lebanon)
Speaker Batchelder expects to announce the membership of all committees next week.
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