SELECTING SEATS ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. This is done by seniority. A member can select any available seat when it is their turn (specific seats are reserved for the majority and minority party leaders and the Speaker of the House, who sits at the head of the Chamber AND has a seat on the House Floor). Members of the minority party traditionally selects seats located around their party leaders. SELECTING OFFICES. The majority party controls this process. Previously, offices were selected by seniority, which enabled long-tenured members of the minority party to have some of the nicer, private offices on the first floor. This year, majority party leaders ejected returning Democrats from those offices and put them all into a suite of cubicles in the basement. COMMITTEE CHAIRS. Majority party leaders select the Chair and Vice Chair of each committee. This is a highly political process done behind closed doors. This is one reason members of the majority party who aspire to become committee chairs may be hesitant to vote or debate against their party leaders. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. Each member submits their committee assignment preferences in advance of the Organizing meeting. The number of minority party members on each committee is determined by its percentage of the seats they hold in the Chamber, customarily rounding up accordingly. Robust negotiations take place between the party leaders, but the majority party makes the final decision. CLICK HERE to see composition of each House committee. I am pleased to report that I have been assigned to all the committees I requested, which are the same ones I’ve been on since first elected in 2018:
- Education
- Business
- Local Government
I look forward to continue serving District 15 and the State of Idaho in the coming session!
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