Senate announces committee posts

Alaska Senate President-elect Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, announced committee assignments for the incoming 26th Legislature on Jan. 13, including several of interest to the oil industry.

Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, plays a major role in many of those committees.

McGuire will co-chair the Senate Resources Committee with Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage. The committee includes Stevens; Sen. Hollis French, D-Anchorage; Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Rural Mat-Su/Chugiak; Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka; and Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai.

McGuire will also chair the Special Committee on Energy, which includes Stedman; Wielechowski; Sen. Albert Kookesh, D-Angoon; and Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel.

McGuire will also chair the Special Committee on World Trade and State Federal Relations. Committee members include Stevens, French, Hoffman and Wielechowski.

Sen. Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, will chair the Legislative Budget & Audit Committee, a joint House and Senate committee that includes Stedman; Hoffman; Huggins; Sen. Linda Menard, R-Wasilla; and Sen. Donald Olson, D-Nome, as the alternate.

Olson will join Kookesh and Sen. Kevin Meyer, R-Anchorage, on the joint House and Senate Committee on Regulatory Review.

The legislative session begins on Jan. 20.

—Petroleum News