House Democratic leaders have unveiled a new committee structure for the 2015 session that creates a panel to oversee marijuana and gambling matters and axes those dealing with school and health care spending bills.
Gone are the appropriations subcommittees on health and human services and education, according to information distributed to House members. Also gone is the Government Accountability and Oversight panel.
And the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Information Technology is getting renamed — no more appropriations subcommittee in its title — and slightly revamped in its mission.
(Information sent to lawmakers is attached to this post.)
Arriving is a new Commerce and Gaming Committee that will focus on the economics of the cannabis, alcohol and tobacco industries and the regulation and oversight of gaming, including tribal compacts.
Also, the House is establishing a State Government Committee that will absorb many of the issues handled by the Government Operations and Elections panel. These include the subjects of state agency rulemaking, campaign finance, public disclosure and ethics in government.
And the Labor and Workforce Development Committee will be renamed the Labor Committee with a focus on issues like collective bargaining, unemployment, family leave and wage laws. Issues related to workforce development will be now be taken up by the Higher Education Committee.
Overall, the number of House committees will drop from 23 to 21. Names of committee chairmen and members could be known as early as this week.
Meanwhile, Senate Republican leaders are expected this week to announce the committee structure in that chamber. The chairmen and members of each committee could be revealed as well.
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