Members of the state House of Representatives have selected Mike Chenault of Nikiski as their Speaker for the fourth straight session, giving a solid stamp of approval to the leadership of the former construction company owner for the last six years.
That's a record time as a presiding officer for either legislative body, surpassing the three sessions in which Sitka Democrat Ben Grussendorf served as speaker, and three sessions in which Jalmar Kerttula of Palmer served as a presiding officer, once as a speaker and twice as president of the Senate.
In a written statemente following a closed-door organizational meeting in Anchorage, Chenault called the record-setting election "humbling."
"What an honor," he said, and pledged to "continue to build a family atmosphere, honor the institution of the legislature, and the votes Alaskans entrusted us with Tuesday."
The action by the Republican-dominated House Majority Caucus followed earlier action by the Senate to select Sen. Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, as its presiding officer.
Both houses are now led by legislators with strong oil industry ties. Chenault owned a Cook Inlet-area oilfield services company, while Meyer is an employee of ConocoPhillips, the state's largest oil producer.
Other top members of the new House Majority include Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage, continuing as chair of the Rules Committee. That influential committee schedules bills for the House floor.
Majority leader will be Rep. Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage, and Majority whip will be Rep. Bob Herron, D-Bethel.
The other two leadership positions are the Finance Committee co-chairs, who will be Rep. Mark Neuman, R-Su Valley, handling the operating budget, and Rep. Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, handling the capital budget.
Finance committee members continuing from last session include Reps. Cathy Munoz, R-Juneau, Bryce Edmon, D-Dillingham, and Tammie Wilson, R-North Pole. They'll be joined by Reps. Dan Saddler, R-JBER-Eagle River, Lynn Gattis, R-Wasilla, and Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage.
Committee chairs will be Reps. Ben Nageak, D-Barrow, and Dave Talerico, R-Interior, co-chairing Resources, Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Anchorage, Judiciary, Kurt Olson, R-Soldotna, Labor & Commerce, Bob Lynn, R-Anchorage, State Affairs, Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, Community & Regional Affairs, Wes Keller R-Wasilla, Education, Paul Seaton, R-Homer, Health & Social Services, and Neal Foster, D-Nome, and Shelly Hughes, R-Wasilla, co-chairing Transportation.
Appointed to joint committees will be Rep. Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage, to Legislative Budget & Audit, which it is the House's turn to control. Herron will serve as vice-chair of the Legislative Council, which is controlled by the Senate this session.
Millett will serve on the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics; Lora Reinbold, R-Eagle River, will co-chair the Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Jim Colver, R-Mat-Su, will be vice-chair of the Administrative Regulation Review Committee.
Chairs of special House committees will be Reps. Liz Vazquez, R-Anchorage, and Colver, chairing Energy, while Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, will chair Fisheries and Herron will chair Military & Veterans Affairs.
Further committee appointments will be made after final races are decided, said Will Vandegriff, spokesman for the House Majority. Those decisions will be made at a meeting in Juneau prior to the session, he said.
While the Senate Majority began with all Republicans, before later being joined by Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, several rural Democrats joined the House Majority from the get go. They had also organized with the Chenault-led majority last session.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the legislator who will serve as the new vice-chair of the Legislative Council.