Concord—In announcing his leadership team for the upcoming biennium today, New Hampshire House Speaker Shawn Jasper has called upon a number of veteran legislators as well as several lawmakers who will be serving in a leadership role for the first time.

“I am proud to be working with a team of leaders that represent a diverse and talented cross section of the House,” Jasper said. “We were successful in driving our agenda last session by working together.  The people of New Hampshire responded by electing Republicans to once again to serve as the majority party in the House.

“They have given us another opportunity to lead, and the team that I have put together will develop an agenda from the ground up through an exchange of ideas from within our caucus.  Over the next two years we will continue working together to deal with critical issues that are of importance to the future of our state,” Jasper said.

Former Speaker Gene Chandler (r-Bartlett), entering his 18^th term, will serve once again as Deputy Speaker.

Veteran legislator Sherman Packard (r-Londonderry), a former Republican leader, committee chair and veteran of 13 terms, will serve as Speaker Pro Tempore under Jasper.

Rep. Dick Hinch (r-Merrimack), entering his fifth term,  returns as the Majority Leader of the Republican Caucus.

His deputy majority leader will be Rep. John Graham (r-Bedford) who is returning for his 8^TH term.

Serving as assistant majority leaders will be Reps. Larry Gagne (r-Manchester), Mike McCarthy (r-Nashua), David Danielson (r-Bedford) , Michael Vose (r-Epping), and Fred Doucette (r-Salem).

Rep. Kathleen Hoelzel (r- Raymond) will return as the Majority Whip.  Rep. Bill Ohm (r-Nashua) will assist Rep. Hoelzel as her Deputy Whip.  Serving as Assistant Majority Whips will be Reps. Claire Rouillard (r-Goffstown), Debra DeSimone (r-Atkinson), Terry Wolf (r-Bedford), and Carolyn  Matthews (r-Raymond).

The Finance Committee, instrumental in forming the next biennial budget, will be chaired once again by Rep. Neal Kurk (r-Weare), who is entering his 16^th term as a member of the House.

Each of the three committee divisions  will be chaired by members with a strong background in finance. Lynne Ober (r-Hudson), entering her 7^th term in the House, will serve as vice chair for the Finance committee and will also preside as the chair of Division I.  Rep. J. Tracy Emerick (r-Hampton) will serve as vice chair for Division I. The Division II chair will be Rep. Karen Umberger (r-Kearsarge).  She will be assisted by Vice Chair Ken Weyler (r-Kingston).  Heading up Division III of House Finance will be Rep. Frank Byron (r-Litchfield). Serving as his vice chair will be Rep. Betsy McKinney, who is beginning her 17^th term.

The Ways and Means Committee, which considers and reports all bills and resolutions relating to raising money, will be chaired once again by Rep. Norman Major (r-Plaistow), entering his 11^th term in the House. Rep. Patrick Abrami (r-Stratham) will return as the committee vice chair.

Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the remaining standing committees include:

Commerce & Consumer Affairs

John Hunt (r-Rindge) Chair

Barbara Biggie (r-Milford) Vice Chair

Criminal Justice

David Welch (r-Kingston) Chair

Frank Sapareto (r-Derry) Vice Chair

Education

Rick Ladd (r-Haverhill) Chair

Terry Wolf (r-Bedford) Vice Chair

Election Law

Barbara Griffin (r-Goffstown) Chair

Yvonne Dean-Bailey (r-Northwood)

Environment & Agriculture

John T. O’Connor (r-Derry) Chair

Stephen Darrow (r-Grafton) Vice Chair

Executive Departments & Administration

Carol McGuire (r-Epsom) Chair

John Sytek (r-Salem) Vice Chair

Fish & Game

Jim Webb (r-Derry) Chair

Bob L’Heureux (r-Merrimack) Vice Chair

Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs

Frank Kotowski (r-Hooksett) Chair

Don LeBrun (r-Nashua) Vice-Chair

Judiciary

Joe Hagan (r-Chester) Chair

Claire Rouillard (r-Goffstown) Vice Chair

Labor, Industrial, & Rehabilitative Services

Stephen Schmidt (r-Wolfeboro) Chair

Anthony Pellegrino (r-Merrimack) Vice Chair

Legislative Administration

Dick Hinch (r-Merrimack) Chair

Sherman Packard (r-Londonderry) Vice Chair

Municipal & County Government

Jim Belanger (r-Hollis) Chair

Frank Sterling (r-Jaffrey) Vice Chair

Public Works & Highways

Gene Chandler (r-Bartlett) Chair

Mark McConkey (r-Freedom) Vice Chair

Resources, Recreation & Development

Chris Christensen (r-Merrimack) Chair

John Mullen (r-Middleton) Vice Chair

Science, Technology & Energy

Dick Barry (r-Merrimack) Chair

Herb Richardson (r-Lancaster) Vice Chair

State-Federal Relations & Veterans Affairs

Russ Ober (r-Hudson) Chair

Al Baldasaro (r-Londonderry) Vice Chair

Transportation

Steve Smith (r-Charlestown) Chair

Tom Walsh (r-Hooksett) Vice Chair

The committee assignments will be announced later this week.