Committee chairs, vice chairs named

The Senate's majority Democrats have chosen their slate of committee chairs and vice-chairs for the session starting in January.

Here's the line-up, along with the majority caucus members who will sit on the committees but who do not have leadership roles in them, courtesy of the Senate Majority Caucus communications operation:

Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy:  Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass), chairman; Sen. Angela Giron (D-Pueblo), vice-chairman.

Appropriations:  Sen. Mary Hodge (D-Brighton), chairman; Sen. Pat Steadman (D-Denver), vice-chairman.

Business, Labor, and Technology:  Sen. Lois Tochtrop (D-Thornton), chairman; Sen. Cheri Jahn (D-Wheat Ridge), vice-chairman.

Education:  Sen. Evie Hudak (D-Westminster), chairman; Sen. Mike Johnston (D-Denver), vice-chairman.

Finance:  Sen. Mike Johnston (D-Denver), chairman; Sen.-elect Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood), vice-chairman.

Health and Human Services:  Sen. Irene Aguilar (D-Denver), chairman; Sen. Linda Newell (D-Littleton), vice-chairman.

Judiciary: Sen. Lucia Guzman (D-Denver), chairman; Sen.-elect Jessie Ulibarri (D-Commerce City), vice-chairman.

Local Government:  Sen. Jeanne Nicholson (D-Gilpin County), chairman; Sen.-elect John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins), vice-chairman.

State, Veterans, and Military Affairs:  Sen. Angela Giron (D-Pueblo), chairman; Sen.-elect Matt Jones (D-Louisville), vice-chairman.

Transportation:  Sen. Rollie Heath (D-Boulder), chairman; Sen.-elect Nancy Todd (D-Aurora), vice-chairman.

House Democrats, newly ascendant to the majority, got their committee assignments last week. Speaker-designate Mark Ferrandino has set up a new committee to deal with implementation of federal health care reform legislation. Here's the list of committee chairs and vice-chairs, as provided by the next General Assembly's House majority caucus on Nov. 28:

Agriculture: Rep. Randy Fischer (D-Fort Collins), chairman; Rep. Ed Vigil (D-Fort Garland), vice-chairman.

Appropriations: Rep. Claire Levy (D-Boulder), chairman; Rep. Crisanta Duran (D-Denver), vice-chairman.

Business, Labor, & Economic and Workforce Development: Rep. Angela Williams (D-Denver), chairman;  Rep.-elect Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada), vice-chairman.

Education: Rep. Millie Hamner (D-Dillon), chairman; Rep. Cherylin Peniston (D-Westminster), vice-chairman.

Finance: Rep. Lois Court (D-Denver), chairman; Rep. Jeanne Labuda (D-Denver), vice-chairman.

Health, Insurance & Environment: Rep. Beth McCann (D-Denver), chairman; Rep. Sue Schafer (D-Wheat Ridge), vice-chairman.

Judiciary: Rep. Daniel Kagan (D-Cherry Hills Village), chairman; Rep. Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs), vice-chairman.

Local Government: Rep. Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora), chairman; Rep. Jonathan Singer (D-Longmont), vice-chairman.

Public Health Care & Human Services: Rep. Dianne Primavera (D-Broomfield), chairman; Rep. Dave Young (D-Greeley), vice-chairman.

State, Veterans & Military Affairs: Rep. Su Ryden (D-Aurora), chairman; Rep.-elect Joe Salazar (D-Thornton), vice-chairman.

Transportation & Energy: Rep. Max Tyler (D-Lakewood), chairman; Rep.-elect Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City), vice-chairman.

Speaker-designate McNulty names new House committee chairs

Incoming House speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, named new committee chairs Tuesday while stirring some controversy by changing the names of several of the panels.

The announcement follows last week's designation of a leadership team for the ascendant House GOP caucus.

"In these appointments, you will see a wide range of experience and leadership skills and a recognition of Colorado's geographic diversity," McNulty said in a statement.

The new committee chairs, and the committees they will lead, are:

* Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources - Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling
* Appropriations - Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen
* Economic and Business Development - Rep. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs
* Education - Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs
* Finance - Rep. Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland
* Health and Environment - Rep. Ken Summers, R-Lakewood
* Judiciary - Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs
* Local Government - Rep. Laura Bradford, R-Collbran
* State, Veterans, and Military Affairs - Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton
* Transportation - Rep. Glenn Vaad, R-Mead

The names of three committees were changed.

McNulty dropped the word "labor" from the name of the committee to be chaired by Liston and the word "energy" from the name of the committee to be chaired by Vaad. He also dropped the words "human services" from the name of the committee to be chaired by Summers.


New House Democratic leader Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, criticized the name changes.

“These are troubling deletions,” he said in a statement. “With the removal of the words like labor and human services, I’m concerned that working families and the neediest among us, including children who require protective services, are being shunted aside for special interests.”

The House GOP caucus announced Nov. 4 that Rep. Amy Stephens of Monument will be the majority leader in the 68th General Assembly. Rep. Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, will be the assistant majority leader, while Rep. B.J. Nikkel, R-Loveland, will be majority whip. Rep. Carole Murray, R-Castle Rock, will be the majority caucus chair.

The Republican minority leader during the past several legislative sessions, Mike May of Parker, will leave the legislature in January due to term limits. May's assistant minority leader, David Balmer of Centennial, was re-elected this month but will not be part of the GOP's leadership team when the next legislative session begins.

Photo of Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, courtesy Wikimedia.

Senate GOP Leader Makes Committee Assignments

New senate minority leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, announced committee appointments today, assigning conservative members of his caucus to the chamber's principal economic policy-making bodies.

The appointments are:

Business Affairs, Labor & Technology Committee: Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, and Sen. Mark Scheffel, R-Parker. Scheffel is a new senator.

Agriculture, Natural Resources, & Energy Committee: Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray; Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch; Sen. Ken Kester, R-Las Animas.

Finance Committee: Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray; Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs; Sen. Mark Scheffel, R-Parker. King, a veteran of the house of representatives, is new to the senate.

Judiciary Committee: Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs; Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley; senator to be appointed in district 15 to replace Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins. Johnson was elected to the Larimer County Commission this month and is leaving the senate.

Education Committee: Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs; Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton; Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial. Spence is a veteran of the committee and a leading GOP voice on education issues.

Local Government Committee: Sen. Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs; Sen. Ken Kester, R-Las Animas; SD-15 replacement.

State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee: Sen. Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs; Sen. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs.

Health and Human Services Committee: Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield; Sen. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs; SD-15 replacement.

Transportation Committee: Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton; Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley; Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial.

Joint Budget Committee: Sen. Al White, R-Hayden.

Appropriations Committee: Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch; Sen. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs; Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton; Sen. Al White, R-Hayden.

Audit Committee: Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield; Sen. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs.