The new coalition majority preparing to take charge of the Alaska House announced Wednesday who would lead the chamber's committees when lawmakers meet in Juneau next year.
There are 17 Democrats in the 22-person coalition, so most of the chairmanships went to members of that party — a big change from the Republican-led committees of the last two years. In the Alaska Legislature, committee chairs usually have the power to hear bills or put them in a committee deep freeze, though political pressure from their leadership or caucus, or a vote by committee members, could make them release a bill.
Anchorage Democrat Reps. Geran Tarr and Andy Josephson will be the co-chairs of the House Resources Committee.
Juneau Democratic Rep. Sam Kito III will lead the Legislative Council, the joint House-Senate committee that handles the Legislature's internal business and budgets, including its years-long quest for Anchorage office space.
The coalition had announced its co-chairs of the House Finance Committee — Homer Republican Rep. Paul Seaton and Nome Democrat Rep. Neal Foster — on Wednesday along with other leadership posts. But it hasn't yet revealed the other members of the finance committee, where seats are coveted because of the ability to bring back projects to their districts and because of the power it holds over other legislators.
The coalition's full list of committee leaders is below. The House Republican minority, which was meeting Thursday at a downtown Anchorage hotel, hasn't yet assigned its members to committee seats.
Standing Committees
* Resources Co-Chairs — Rep. Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) and Rep. Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage).
* Judiciary — Rep. Matt Claman (D-Anchorage)
* Labor & Commerce — Rep. Sam Kito (D-Juneau)
* State Affairs — Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D-Sitka)
* Community & Regional Affairs Co-Chairs — Rep. Zach Fansler (D-Bethel) and Rep. Justin Parish (D-Juneau)
* Education — Rep. Harriet Drummond (D-Anchorage)
* Health & Social Services — Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage)
* Transportation Co-Chairs — Rep. Louise Stutes (R-Kodiak), Rep. Adam Wool (D-Fairbanks)
Joint Committees
* Legislative Budget & Audit Vice-Chair — Rep. Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage)
* Legislative Council — Rep. Sam Kito (D-Juneau)
* Select Committee on Legislative Ethics — Rep. Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage)
* Armed Services — House Co-Chair, Rep. Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks)
Special Committees:
* Energy – Rep. Adam Wool (D-Fairbanks)
* Fisheries – Rep. Louise Stutes (R-Kodiak)
* Military & Veterans Affairs – Rep. Jason Grenn (I-Anchorage)
* Economic Development, Tourism, and Arctic Policy – Rep. Dean Westlake (D-Kotzebue)