Local legislators receive committee assignments

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Republican Arizona Senate President-elect Russell Pearce and Republican House Speaker Kirk Adams have announced committee assignments for the next session of the Arizona Legislature.

Pearce appointed District-23 GOP senator Steve Smith to the positions of chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Criminal Justice and vice-chairman on the Senate Border Security, Federalism and States’ Sovereignty committee.

Smith will also be sitting on the education and government reform committees.

“I am very pleased and honored to be serving on these great committees as I am looking forward to helping fix some of Arizona’s many problems. I will be reaching out to you, and to our district as a whole, to hear your thoughts and opinions on the issues we face,” Smith said.

Smith defeated former District 23-incumbent Rebecca Rios in November’s election.

The two house representatives for District 23, Republicans Frank Pratt and John Fillmore were also appointed to an array of committees.

Fillmore, who will begin his first stint in the legislature, will serve as a member on the appropriations, education, commerce and joint budget committees.

“I am very happy to be selected to these committees. I believe my expertise in entrepreneurship will offer me a different perspective on the issues facing the state,” he said.

Fillmore added that, while many are looking at raising taxes as a method of balancing the states budget, he is interested in focusing on cutting the size of government.”

Pratt, who is serving his second term in the house, was selected to serve as chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

“I think this is a committee that will see a lot of action,” Pratt said. “It will focus on everything from solar to nuclear energy. It will also handle legislation related to hunting, fishing and state land issues.”

Pratt will also serve as a member of the House committees on commerce and the environment.

“This is going to be a very active year,” Pratt said.

The trio of Republicans will take their seats in the legislature this January.

It will mark the first time ever that District-23, which encompasses Pinal County, is represented exclusively by Republicans in the two chambers of state government.

However, as a whole, Republicans have controlled both chambers for more than four decades.