By John Celock
Eleven committees chairmanships in the Kansas state House will be changing hands in January, with sophomore lawmakers claiming nine of those seats.
A list of Republican House committee assignments distributed to lawmakers Tuesday evening, and obtained by The Celock Report, fleshes out the distribution of power in the Republican-controlled House next year. Some retirements and other reshuffling of committee chairs by House Speaker Ray Merrick (R-Stilwell) show more power being distributed to the large sophomore class, who already hold two seats in the House GOP leadership.
The list shows that 11 standing committee chairmanships will be in new hands next year, including the chairmanships of four budget committees. This is in addition to House Majority Whip Ron Ryckman Jr. (R-Olathe), a sophomore lawmaker, being tapped as the new chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, a development first reported last week. Ryckman is being succeeded as chairman of the House Social Services Budget Committee by Rep. Will Carpenter (R-El Dorado), a sophomore.
In addition to Ryckman’s chairmanship, the appointments of Rep. John Barker (R-Abilene) to head judiciary, Rep. Ron Highland (R-Wamego) to chair education and Rep. Marvin Kleeb (R-Overland Park) to chair the House Taxation Committee were announced last week. Barker and Highland are both starting their second terms.
Rep. Gene Suellentrop (R-Wichita) who is being replaced as Appropriations Committee chairman by Ryckman is being moved to serve as vice chairman of the tax panel. He will also take seats on the Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee and the Appropriations Committee. Suellentrop’s replacement at the top of the budget writing panel caused a public debate between him and Merrick last week over whether Suellentrop asked to be moved or was pushed by Merrick.
Kleeb is being succeeded as chairman of the House Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee by Rep. Mark Hutton (R-Wichita), another sophomore lawmaker.
A complete list of House committee chair changes:
Appropriations: Rep. Gene Suellentrop to Rep. Ron Ryckman Jr.
Commerce: Rep. Marvin Kleeb to Rep. Mark Hutton
Education: Rep. Kasha Kelley to Rep. Ron Highland
Education Budget: Rep. Ward Cassidy to Rep. Amanda Grosserode
Elections: Rep. Scott Schwab to Rep. Mark Kahrs
General Government Budget: Rep. Pete DeGraaf to Rep. Troy Waymaster
Health and Human Services: Rep. David Crum to Rep. Dan Hawkins
Judiciary: Rep. Lance Kinzer to Rep. John Barker
Social Services Budget: Rep. Ron Ryckman Jr. to Rep. Will Carpenter
Taxation: Rep. Richard Carlson to Rep. Marvin Kleeb
Transportation and Public Safety Budget: Rep. Virgil Peck to Rep. J.R. Claeys
Peck (R-Tyro) is being removed from his budget chairmanship after unsuccessfully challenging Merrick for the speakership following the election. Peck has been given seats on the Pensions and Benefits, Elections, Local Government and Education Budget Committees. Rep. Kevin Jones (R-Wellsville), who delivered Peck’s nominating speech, retains his seats on the pensions, veterans and health committees and trades a seat on the Education Budget Committee for one on the Financial Institutions Committee.
House GOP Caucus Chairman-elect Travis Couture-Lovelady (R-Palco), a sophomore lawmaker, told The Celock Report that he is not surprised that Merrick elevated members of his large class to positions of power.
“We have said from the beginning that there was a lot of talent in our class and with a full term under our belts you are starting to see that talent being utilized more and more,” Couture-Lovelady said. “Speaker Merrick has worked hard to put together committee assignments that utilize the talents of the caucus and try to get a large number of folks involved in committees that utilize that talent and are of interest to them.”
Couture-Lovelady remains as the vice chairman of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee and as a member of the Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee. He is joining the House Judiciary Committee after a term on the tax panel. He said that he is looking forward to his work next year.
“I am excited to continue my work on fed and state on gun rights,” Couture-Lovelady said. “There continues to be much more pro-jobs legislation to be done in commerce. I am looking forward to the new challenge on judiciary.”
Sophomore legislators tapped for chairmanships:
Rep. Ron Ryckman Jr.: Appropriations
Rep. Mark Hutton: Commerce, Labor and Economic Development
Rep. Ron Highland: Education
Rep. John Barker: Judiciary
Rep. J.R. Claeys: Transportation and Public Safety Budget
Rep. Dan Hawkins: Health and Human Services
Rep. Troy Waymaster: General Government Budget
Rep. Mark Kahrs: Elections
Rep. Will Carpenter: Social Services Budget
Claeys (R-Salina) touted that his Saline County district is home to many items covered by his new committee. The transportation and public safety budget panel reviews spending impacting a variety of agencies including the Department of Transportation, National Guard, Highway Patrol, Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Department of Corrections, along with emergency management programs.
“I’m honored to represent several Salina institutions in the state budget process,” Claeys told The Celock Report. “Salina is home to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Army National Guard and the KDOT district headquarters and the region is home to an Air National Guard Range as well as two interstate highways critical to our state’s infrastructure.”
The Kansas State University campus in Salina hosts an aviation education program that Claeys has been promoting along with a unmanned aviation systems training and research center. Claeys will continue to serve on the Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee, along with picking up a seat on the Appropriations Committee. He had previously served on the Federal and State Affairs and Taxation Committees.
Rep. Jan Pauls (R-Hutchinson), who switched from the Democratic Party to the GOP earlier this year, does not retain a committee leadership slot in her new party, but retains two committee seats. Pauls, a former judge, will retain seats on the House Judiciary Committee and the Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee, where she had been the top Democrat. She also picks up a seat on the Federal and State Affairs Committee. Pauls is known for her opposition to abortion and gay marriage, topics covered by the Federal and State Affairs Committee.
Grosserode, who has been active on education policy in her two terms in the House, told The Celock Report that she is excited to take the helm of the Education Budget Committee, where she currently serves as vice chairwoman.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this critical committee,” she said. “The challenges in front of this session are significant. I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to meet those challenges head on.”
GOP Committee Assignments in Kansas House
Vision 20/20
Chairman Tom Sloan
Vice Chairman Larry Campbell
Barbara Bollier
Basil Dannebohm
Shannon Francis
Randy Garber
Connie O’Brien
Fred Patton
Melissa Rooker
Susie Swanson
Pension and Benefits
Chairman Steve Johnson
Vice Chairman Kent Thompson
Rick Billinger
Erin Davis
Dan Hawkins
Kevin Jones
Jim Kelly
Charles Macheers
Virgil Peck
Marc Rhoades
Energy and Environment
Chairman Dennis Hedke
Vice Chairman Ken Corbet
Tony Barton
Rob Bruchman
Keith Esau
Russ Jennings
Kasha Kelley
Mike Kiegerl
Les Mason
Craig McPherson
Tom Moxley
Tom Phillips
Randy Powell
Bill Sutton
John Whitmer
Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security
Chairman Mario Goico
Vice Chairman Leslie Osterman
Tony Barton
Blake Carpenter
Lonnie Clark
Diana Dierks
Beckie Hutchins
Kevin Jones
Fred Patton
John Rubin
Utilities and Telecommunications
Chairman Joe Seiwert
Vice Chairman Stephen Alford
Steve Anthimides
Sue Boldra
Rob Bruchman
Ken Corbet
John Doll
Blaine Finch
Ramon Gonzalez
Larry Hibbard
Ron Ryckman Sr.
Don Schroeder
Scott Schwab
Jack Thimesch
Kent Thompson
Federal and State Affairs
Chairman Steve Brunk
Vice Chairman Travis Couture-Lovelady
Steven Becker
John Bradford
Stephanie Clayton
Susan Concannon
Bud Estes
John Ewy
Lane Hemsley
Brett Hildabrand
Don Hineman
Mike Houser
Dick Jones
Jan Pauls
Marty Read
Joe Scapa
James Todd
Kristey Williams
Children and Seniors
Chairwoman Connie O’Brien
Vice Chairman Willie Dove
Erin Davis
Linda Gallagher
Randy Garber
Mike Kiegerl
Tom Phillips
Melissa Rooker
Chuck Smith
Susie Swanson
Appropriations
Chairman Ron Ryckman Jr.
Vice Chairman John Edmonds
John Barker
Will Carpenter
J.R. Claeys
Pete DeGraaf
Amanda Grosserode
Ron Highland
Don Hill
Kyle Hoffman
Mark Hutton
Mark Kahrs
Marvin Kleeb
Jerry Lunn
Rich Proehl
Sharon Schwartz
Gene Suellentrop
Troy Waymaster
Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development
Chairman Mark Hutton
Vice Chairman Les Mason
Rick Billinger
Steve Brunk
J.R. Claeys
Ken Corbet
Travis Couture-Lovelady
Basil Dannebohm
Erin Davis
Lane Hemsley
Marvin Kleeb
Fred Patton
Gene Suellentrop
Education
Chairman Ron Highland
Vice Chairman Jerry Lunn
John Barker
Tony Barton
Sue Boldra
John Bradford
Rob Bruchman
Diana Dierks
Willie Dove
John Ewy
Amanda Grosserode
Dennis Hedke
Charles Macheers
Marc Rhoades
Chuck Smith
Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Chairman John Rubin
Vice Chairman Ramon Gonzalez
Stephen Alford
Steve Anthimides
Steve Becker
Blaine Finch
Russ Jennings
Tom Moxley
Jan Pauls
Susie Swanson
Health and Human Services
Chairman Dan Hawkins
Vice Chairwoman Susan Concannon
Barbara Bollier
Blake Carpenter
John Edmonds
Bud Estes
Don Hill
Dick Jones
Kevin Jones
Jim Kelly
Leslie Osterman
Scott Schwab
Kent Thompson
Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget
Chairman Kyle Hoffman
Vice Chairman Don Schroeder
Lonnie Clark
Stephanie Clayton
Linda Gallagher
Larry Hibbard
Steve Johnson
General Government Budget
Chairman Troy Waymaster
Vice Chairman Craig McPherson
Pete DeGraaf
Randy Garber
Don Hineman
Beckie Hutchins
Bill Sutton
Transportation
Chairman Rich Proehl
Vice Chairman Ron Ryckman Sr.
Will Carpenter
John Doll
Mario Goico
Kasha Kelley
Marty Read
Melissa Rooker
Sharon Schwartz
Joe Seiwert
Tom Sloan
Jack Thimesch
James Todd
Elections
Chairman Mark Kahrs
Vice Chairman Keith Esau
Larry Campbell
Brett Hildabrand
Steve Huebert
Connie O’Brien
Virgil Peck
Randy Powell
Joe Scapa
John Whitmer
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Chairwoman Sharon Schwartz
Vice Chairwoman Sue Boldra
Lonnie Clark
Susan Concannon
Basil Bannebohm
Diana Dierks
John Ewy
Shannon Francis
Larry Hibbard
Brett Hildabrand
Tom Moxley
Marty Read
Don Schroeder
Joe Seiwert
Tom Sloan
Susie Swanson
Jack Thimesch
Troy Waymaster
Local Government
Chairman Steve Huebert
Vice Chairman Tom Phillips
Larry Campbell
Keith Esau
Shannon Francis
Mike Houser
Mike Kiegerl
Virgil Peck
John Whitmer
Kristey Williams
Education Budget
Chairwoman Amanda Grosserode
Vice Chairman Bill Sutton
Barbara Bollier
Blake Carpenter
Steve Huebert
Connie O’Brien
Virgil Peck
Judiciary
Chairman John Barker
Vice Chairman Charles Macheers
Stephen Alford
Steve Becker
Travis Couture-Lovelady
Erin Davis
Blaine Finch
Kyle Hoffman
Beckie Hutchins
Mark Kahrs
Craig McPherson
Les Osterman
Fred Patton
Jan Pauls
Randy Powell
John Rubin
James Todd
John Whitmer
Social Services Budget
Chairman Will Carpenter
Vice Chairwoman Peggy Mast
Stephanie Clayton
Bud Estes
Linda Gallagher
Randy Garber
Kristey Williams
Transportation and Public Safety Budget
Chairman J.R. Claeys
Vice Chairman Russ Jennings
Mike Houser
Ramon Gonzalez
Rich Proehl
Melissa Rooker
Chuck Smith
Taxation
Chairman Marvin Kleeb
Vice Chairman Gene Suellentrop
Steve Brunk
Ken Corbet
John Edmonds
Dennis Hedke
Lane Hemsley
Ron Highland
Don Hineman
Mark Hutton
Jerry Lunn
Steve Johnson
Kasha Kelley
Les Mason
Tom Phillips
Marc Rhoades
Ron Ryckman Sr.
Kent Thompson
Insurance
Chairman Scott Schwab
Vice Chairman Rob Bruchman
Steve Anthimides
Tony Barton
Pete DeGraaf
John Doll
Willie Dove
Mario Goico
Dan Hawkins
Don Hill
Financial Institutions
Chairman Pete DeGraaf
Vice Chairman Jim Kelly
Rick Billinger
John Bradford
Larry Campbell
Keith Esau
Mario Goico
Dick Jones
Kevin Jones
Joe Scapa