LANSING – While the membership of the Michigan House committees for the 2015-16 term has not been announced, the committee structure shows there will be 24 committees, with the Energy and Technology Committee split, the Michigan Competitiveness Committee dissolved and an additional committee on talent and development.
When the House adopted HR 1 on Wednesday during its first day of session this term, it adopted the 24 committees members will serve on throughout the term. One big change is the separation of the Energy and Technology Committee.
This term, there will be the Energy Policy Committee with 25 members and the Communications and Technology Committee with 14 members. During the last term, Energy and Technology had 22 members.
It is a key change with a Governor Rick Snyder expected to pursue major energy legislation this year.
The chair of the committee has been the subject of considerable speculation. Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) was the chair in the 2013-14 term, but now is the majority floor leader, and it is unclear whether he will take on both assignments. Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R-Oxford) is widely expected to become the chair of the Communications and Technology Committee, several sources said.
The Elections and Ethics Committee also was split. This term, there will be an Elections Committee with eight members, and an Oversight and Ethics Committee with six members. Last term, Elections and Ethics had nine members and Oversight had eight.
Although it was brand new last term, the Michigan Competitiveness Committee does not appear in the 24 committees adopted (although the Senate will have such a committee). The Committee on Detroit’s Recovery and Michigan’s Future also no longer exists, as it was created for so-called “Grand Bargain” legislation passed last term.
New to this term in the House is a Workforce and Talent Development Committee, which has 14 members.
The Commerce Committee will be called the Commerce and Trade Committee and remains at 19 members, and the Tourism Committee will now be called the Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee and will have eight members. The committee had nine members last term.
The Criminal Justice Committee is going from 11 members to eight members this term; the Families, Children and Seniors Committee is losing one member and will have eight members this term; the Financial Liability Reform Committee is losing two members and will have nine this term; the Financial Services Committee is also losing two members and will have 10 members this term; and the Health Policy Committee is gaining two members and will have 21 this term.
Also, the Local Government Committee is losing one member and will have 11 this term; the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee is losing four members and will have nine this term; the Tax Policy Committee is losing two members and will have 13 this term and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is gaining one member and will have 16 this term.
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