COLUMBUS, Ohio — We now know who will help shape the state’s legislative priorities for the next two years by leading committees within the Ohio House of Representatives.

What You Need To Know

  • Tuesday, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, announced his choices for each committee chair and on which committees he appointed members to serve

  • For the 136th General Assembly, the Ohio House will have 27 committees, most with nine Republicans and four Democrats

  • Huffman said no GOP member will serve on more than four committees

Tuesday, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, announced his choices for each committee chair and on which committees every member was appointed to serve.

For the 136th General Assembly, he said he created some new committees like Community Revitalization, to concentrate on issues involving addiction, and Arts, Athletics and Tourism to increase awareness and access to some of the state’s attractions. He said some past committees were consolidated or will now have a shift in focus.

He said he spent several weeks learning the interests and experience of everyone in the Republican Ohio House caucus to match members with positions that best fit their expertise.

“We need to be having the committee hearings, getting the people and people need to go to the committee meetings,” Huffman said. “They need to come to session. They need to come to caucus.“

Huffman said each committee will be made up of nine Republican and four Democratic members, except the House Finance and Energy Committees. He said every GOP member is limited to serving on a maximum of four committees.

“I didn't want people to be on multiple committees because I think that makes it difficult for them to hear testimony and understand,” he said. “You can't be an expert in everything.”

Here’s the list of 27 Ohio House committees and their respective chairs/vice chairs:

Finance

Chair: State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville

Vice Chair: State Rep. Michael Dovilla, R-Berea

Agriculture

Chair: State Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria

Vice Chair: State Rep. Johnathan Newman, R-Troy

Arts, Athletics, and Tourism

Chair: State Rep. Melanie Miller, R-City of Ashland

Vice Chair: State Rep. Mark Hiner, R-Knox County

Children and Human Services

Chair: State Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering

Vice Chair: State Rep. Jodi Salvo, R-Bolivar

Commerce and Labor

Chair: State Rep. Mark Johnson, R-Chillicothe

Vice Chair: State Rep. Beth Lear, R-Galena

Community Revitalization

Chair: State Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery

Vice Chair: State Rep. Diane Mullins, R-Hamilton

Development

Chair: State Rep. Jim Hoops, R-Napoleon

Vice Chair: State Rep. Brian Lorenz, R-Powell

Education (K-12)

Chair: State Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, R-Ashtabula

Vice Chair: State Rep. Mike Odioso, R-Green Twp.

Energy

Chair: State Rep. Adam Holmes, R-Nashport

Vice Chair: State Rep. Roy Klopfenstein, R-Haviland

Financial Institutions

Chair: State Rep. Scott Oelslager, R-North Canton

Vice Chair: State Rep. Justin Pizzulli, R-Franklin Furnace

General Government

Chair: State Rep. Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth

Vice Chair: State Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman

Government Oversight

Chair: State Rep. Thomas Hall, R-Miami Twp.

Vice Chair: State Rep. Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville

Health

Chair: State Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland

Vice Chair: State Rep. Kellie Deeter, R-Norwalk

Insurance

Chair: State Rep. Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek

Vice Chair: State Rep. Meredith Craig, R-Wayne Twp.

Judiciary

Chair: State Rep. Jim Thomas, R-Jackson Twp.

Vice Chair: State Rep. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon

Local Government

Chair: State Rep. Angie King, R-Celina

Vice Chair: State Rep. Matthew Kishman, R-Minerva

Medicaid

Chair: State Rep. Jennifer Gross, R-West Chester

Vice Chair: State Rep. Tim Barhorst, R-Fort Loramie

Natural Resources

Chair: State Rep. Don Jones, R-Freeport

Vice Chair: State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, R-Columbiana

Public Insurance and Pensions

Chair: State Rep. Bob Peterson, R-Sabina

Vice Chair: State Rep. Michelle Teska, R-Clearcreek Township

Public Safety

Chair: State Rep. Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison

Vice Chair: State Rep. Kevin Miller, R-Newark

Small Business

Chair: State Rep. Haraz N. Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg

Vice Chair: State Rep. Levi Dean, R-Xenia

Technology and Innovation

Chair: State Rep. Thad Claggett, R-Licking County

Vice Chair: State Rep. Heidi Workman, R-Rootstown

Transportation

Chair: State Rep. Bernie Willis, R-Springfield

Vice Chair: State Rep. Jack Daniels, R-New Franklin

Veterans and Military Development

Chair: State Rep. Tracy Richardson, R-Marysville

Vice Chair: State Rep. Ty Mathews, R-Findlay

Ways and Means

Chair: State Rep. Bill Roemer, R-Richfield

Vice Chair: State Rep. David Thomas, R-Orwell

Workforce and Higher Education

Chair: State Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp.

Vice Chair: State Rep. Kevin Ritter, R-Washington County

Rules & Reference

Chair: Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima

Vice Chair: Speaker Pro Tempore Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville