House Committees assigned

Most committees have even party split; Speaker declines comment on harassment charge

Published January 22, 2009 by Ken Whitehouse

Tennessee Speaker of the House Kent Williams today announced who would be chairing House Committees for the 106th General Assembly. He said his intent was to bring people from both parties into the legislative process and felt his committee appointments reflected that desire.

Williams also addressed the issue of an ethics complaint filed by Memphis Republican Rep. Brian Kelsey in the wake of the revelation of a sexual harassment charge levied against him almost two years ago.

Kelsey, according to Williams, "is a bright young man that needs some maturity. He needs to get away from these dog and pony shows." Williams then declined to comment on the matter further other than repeating his position that he had not harassed anyone.

Interestingly, Kelsey was appointed chairman of the Civil Practice subcommittee on Judiciary.

The topic did come up again when reporters asked Williams about the appointment of Rep. Susan Lynn as chair of the Government Operations Committee. Lynn was the state representative who made the harassment claims against Williams. Williams said that she was smart and capable and declined to address the allegations.

Nashville Republican Rep. Beth Harwell was appointed chair of the Commerce Committee. Williams pointed out specifically the respect he has for her and her ability.

According to Williams, the selection process was somewhat tense at first but settled down and both Democrats and Republicans worked well together in forming the committees.

In addition to the committee assignments, Williams appointed Republican Rep. Steve McDaniel Deputy Speaker. Williams said that McDaniel was someone that he will be relying upon heavily and that he would have been his first choice for speaker.

Williams also announced that committee chairs will no longer be allowed to vote in subcommittees in which they are not a member, but he was retaining his right to vote in a committee when he felt it was appropriate.

One instance in which Williams said he would break a tie concerns SJR 127, an abortion bill that Republicans have been trying to bring to the floor for the past few years. Williams said he would vote to bring it to the floor.

The only committee that Williams said he did not appoint was the Ethics Committee. Those members were appointed by the Republican and Democratic caucus leaders.

The committee assignments are as follows:

Consumer Employee Affairs (R-6, D-6)

Matheny, Chair
Hackworth, Vice chair
Bell, Secretary

McDonald, Moore, S. Jones, Richardson, Hardaway, Eldridge, Campfield, Swafford, Kelsey

Employee (R-3, D-3)

McDonald, Chair
Campfield, Vice chair

Moore, S. Jones, Kelsey, Bell

Consumer (R-3, D-3)

Eldridge, Chair
Hackworth, Vice chair

Richardson, Hardaway, Matheny, Swafford

Education (R-11, D-11)

H. Brooks, Chair
Winningham Vice chair
Coley, Secretary

Brown, Cooper, U. Jones, Maddox, Pitts, Towns, L. Turner, Windle, Barker, J. DeBerry, Hawk, Dunn, Harwell, Haynes, Lollar, Hill, Weaver, Hensley, K. Brooks

K-12 Sub (R-6, D-6)

Winningham, Chair
Lollar, Vice chair

U. Jones, Maddox, Brown, Barker, L. Turner, Hensley, Harwell, Hawk, Dunn, Weaver

Higher Ed Sub (R-6, D-6)

Hawk, Chair
Brown, Vice chair

Cooper, Towns, Windle, J. DeBerry, Pitts, Coley, Haynes, Hill, K. Brooks, H. Brooks

Government Operations (R-6, D-7)

Lynn, Chair
Kernell, Vice chair
J. Cobb, Secretary

L. DeBerry, Odom, M. Turner, Camper, Cooper, Hardaway, Mumpower, Casada, Campfield, Bell

Health & Human Resources (R-13, D-13)

Armstrong, chair
Hensley, Vice chair
Favors, Secretary

Pruitt, C. Cobb, Curtiss, L. Deberry, Ferguson, S. Jones, Odom, Richardson, Shepard, M. Turner, J. DeBerry, J. Cobb, Dean, Ford, Maggart, Ramsey, Shipley, Mumpower, Harrison, Halford, Dennis, Rich, Evans

Professional Occupations (R-7, D-7)

Harrison, chair
Favors, vice chair

M. Turner, Armstrong, Ferguson, S. Jones, Odom, Shepard, Rich, Mumpower, Hensley, Maggart, Ramsey, Shipley

Public Health (R-4, D-4)

Hensley, chair
Richardson, Vice chair

Maggart, J. Cobb, Dennis, S. Jones, Curtiss, C. Cobb

Health Care Facilities (R-5, D-5)

Pruitt, chair
Ford, Vice chair

L. DeBerry, J. DeBerry, Shepard, M. Turner, Evans, Dean, Halford, Rich

Judiciary (R-6, D-6)

Coleman, chair
Lundberg, Vice chair
Sontany, Secretary

Bass, Camper, Fincher, Stewart, Kelsey, Watson, Dennis, Matheny, Faulkner

Civil Practice (R-3, D-3)

Kelsey, Chair
Fincher, Vice chair

Lundberg, Dennis, Stewart, Coleman

Criminal (R-3, D-3)

Watson, Chair
Sontany, Vice chair

Faulkner, Matheny, Bass, Camper

Agriculture (R-6, D-6)

Bone, Chair
Ford, Vice chair
Borchert, Secretary

Bass, Litz, Shaw, Windle, Niceley, Faulkner, Weaver, Halford, McDaniel

General Sub of Agriculture

Nicely, Chair
Litz,, Vice chair

Bone, Ford, Borchert, McDaniel

Children & Family (R-6, D-6)

J. DeBerry, Chair
K. Brooks, Vice chair
Brown, Secretary

S. Jones, Hardaway, Richardson, Shaw, Rowland, Campfield, Bell, Rich, Weaver

Domestic Relations (R-3, D-3)

S. Jones, Chair
K. Brooks, Vice chair

Brown, Shaw, Campfield, Weaver

Family Justice (R-3, D-3)

Rowland, Chair
Richardson, Vice chair

Bell, Rich, John DeBerry, Hardaway

Commerce (R-15, D-15)

Harwell, Chair
Shepard, Vice chair
McManus, Secretary

Curtiss, Ferguson, Towns, Naifeh, Favors, Fitzhugh, Pitts, Stewart, Hackworth, Harmon, C. Cobb, L. Turner, Yokley, Gilmore, C. Johnson, Roach, McCord, Matlock, Lynn, Lundberg, P. Johnson, Montgomery, Todd, Sargent, Carr, Casada, McCormick

Industrial Impact (R-6, D-6)

Curtiss, Chair
Roach, Vice chair

Ferguson, Favors, Naifeh, Shepard, Towns, McCord, Sargent, Todd, McCormick, Lundberg

Utilities & Banking Sub (R-5, D-5)

Montgomery, Chair
Pitts, Vice chair

McManus, Casada, Phillip Johnson, Curtiss Johnson, Fitzhugh, Stewart, Hackworth, Harmon

Small Business Sub (R-4, D-4)

C. Cobb, Chair
Matlock, Vice chair

L. Turner, Yokley, Gilmore, Lynn, Carr, Harwell

Conservation & Environment (R-6, D-6)

McCord, Chair
Tidwell, Vice chair
Floyd, Secretary

Gilmore, Borchert, Kernell, McDonald, Fraley, Lollar, Hawk, Niceley, Rowland

Wildlife Sub (R-4, D-4)

Lollar, Chair
Borchert, Vice chair

Floyd, Kernell, Niceley, McDonald, McCord, Tidwell

Environment Sub: (R-5, D-5)

Tidwell, Chair
Rowland, Vice chair

Hawk, Borchert, Lollar, Fraley, McCord, Gilmore, Niceley, McDonald

Parks Subcommittee (R-3, D-3)

Gilmore, Chair
Floyd, Vice chair

Hawk, Fraley, Rowland, Kernell

Calendar & Rules (R-12, D-11)

Dunn, Chair
L. Turner, Vice chair
Hill, Secretary

Odom, M. Turner, Moore, Towns, Bone, J. DeBerry, Armstrong, Coleman, Fitzhugh, Harmon, Harwell, Mumpower, McCord, Casada, Matheny, H. Brooks, Lynn, Todd, McManus, McCormick

State & Local (R-9, D-9)

Todd, Chair
U. Jones, Vice chair
Swafford, Secretary

Miller, Yokley, Ty Cobb, Pruitt, Litz, Tindell, West, Moore, McCormick, Ramsey, Evans, Haynes, Carr, Coley, Watson

Elections (R-3, D-3)

Yokley, Chair
Watson, Vice chair

Moore, Tindell, Coley, Evans

State Sub (R-3, D-3)

McCormick, Chair
Pruitt, Vice chair

Haynes, Carr, Litz, West

Local Government Sub (R-3, D-3)

Miller, Chair
Swafford, Vice chair

U. Jones, Ty Cobb, Todd, Ramsey

Finance, Ways & Means (R-15, D-15)

Fitzhugh, Chair
Sargent, Vice chair
Shaw, Secretary

Tindell, Armstrong, Bone, Brown, Coleman, Winningham, L. DeBerry, Maddox, Miller, Odom, Sontany, Naifeh, M. Turner, Dunn, H. Brooks, Harrison, K. Brooks, McDaniel, Mumpower, Roach, Casada, Montgomery, McManus, Maggart, C. Johnson, Eldridge, Rowland

Budget (R-7, D-7)

Tindell, Chair
Sargent, Vice chair

Armstrong, L. DeBerry, Fitzhugh, Odom, Naifeh, Shaw, McDaniel, Harrison, Roach, Montgomery, Mumpower, Rowland

Transportation (R-7, D-7)

Harmon, Chair
Dean, Vice chair
Fraley, Secretary

West, Ty Cobb, Fincher, Tidwell, Barker, P. Johnson, Matlock, Floyd, Shipley, Hill, Rich

Public Safety (R-3, D-3)

West, Chair
Dean, Vice chair

Fincher, Ty Cobb, Rich, Shipley

Rural Roads (R-4, D-4)

Phillip Johnson, Chair
Fraley, Vice chair

Harmon, Tidwell, Barker, Matlock, Hill, Floyd

House Rules Committee

Steve McDaniel, Chair

Jason Mumpower, Mike Turner, Charlie Sargent, Lois DeBerry, Richard Montgomery, Craig Fitzhugh, Harry Brooks, Henry Fincher, Dennis Roach, John Litz, Glen Casada, Mark Maddox, Kevin Brooks, Jimmy Naifeh, Speaker Kent Williams, Gary Odom

House Ethics Committee

Ulysses Jones, Chair

Jason Mumpower, Gary Odom, Glen Casada, Lois Deberry, Beth Harwell, Henry Fincher, Joe McCord, Mark Maddox, Steve McDaniel, Mike Turner, Charles Sargent

Joint Legislative Services Committee

Kent Williams, Mumpower, Casada, Odom, Mike Turner

Corrections Oversight

Mike Turner, Craig Fitzhugh, Charlie Curtis, Bill Harmon, Joe McCord, Dale Ford, Judd Matheny

Education Oversight

Mark Maddox, Tommie Brown, U. Jones, Les Winningham, David Hawk, Ron Lollar, Harry Brooks, Dennis Roach, Donna Rowland

Children & Youth

Chad Faulkner, Debra Maggart, Montgomery, Harwell, Sontany, J. Deberry, L. Deberry, Tommie Brown, Sherry Jones

Health Equity Commission

Armstrong, Miller, Hensley

Council on Pensions and Insurance

Recommended by Chair Fitzhugh, Approved by the Speaker
Bone, Dunn, McDaniel