Press Release: Alaska's 21st Legislature Convenes - Representative Porter Elected Speaker

		Alaska State Legislature News from the House Majority
		Jerry Ritter (907) 465-3804 House Majority Press Secretary State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801 web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540 21st Alaska House of Representatives Convenes Representative Brian Porter Elected Speaker For Immediate Release: January 19, 1999 Contact: Rep. Brian Porter at (907) 465-3720. Juneau -- The 21st Alaska House of Representatives convened Tuesday morning and Anchorage Representative Brian Porter was unanimously elected Speaker of the House. Porter, the former Anchorage Police Chief, served as Majority Leader in the 20th Alaska Legislature. He succeeds fellow Republican Representative Gail Phillips of Homer as Speaker. Representative Joe Green of Anchorage will serve as Majority Leader of the 27-member Republican-led House Majority, and Representative Richard Foster of Nome as Majority Whip. Representatives Ethan Berkowitz and Reggie Joule will serve as Minority Leader and Minority Whip respectively. "The 21st Alaska Legislature will likely prove to be one of the most pivotal in our state's history," said Porter. "I believe this Legislature has the talent, drive, and energy to meet its responsibility and allow Alaska to move smoothly into the next," Porter said. The House also approved a list of committee assignments prepared by the Committee on Committees. The list of committee chairs and members is attached. " Because of the scale of the recent reductions in oil production and prices, this Legislature faces an awesome task we now face. Our commitment to work toward elimination of the fiscal gap will continue despite these disappointing developments," Porter said. # # # Broadcasters note: Audio comments from House Speaker, Rep. Brian Porter, are available on the Majority Actuality line, 1-800-478-6540 = Brian Porter, 182 K 21st Alaska House Standing Committee Assignments Rules Committee Cowdery, Chair Porter Green Phillips Kott Berkowitz Joule Finance Mulder, Co-Chair Therriault, Co-Chair Bunde, Vice-Chair Davis Kohring Austerman Williams Foster Davies Grussendorf Moses Health, Education, & Social Services Dyson, Co-Chair Coghill, Co-Chair Whitaker Green Morgan Brice Kemplen Judiciary Kott, Chair Green Rokeberg James Murkowski Croft Kerttula Committee on Committees Porter, Chair Green Cowdery Mulder Therriault Berkowitz Joule Resources Ogan, Co-Chair Sanders, Co-Chair Masek, Vice-Chair Harris Morgan Barnes Whitaker Joule Kapsner State Affairs James, Chair Coghill Ogan Whitaker Hudson Kerttula Smalley Labor & Commerce Rokeberg, Chair Halcro, Vice-Chair Sanders Murkowski Harris Brice Cissna Transportation Masek, Chair Halcro, Vice-Chair Hudson Cowdery Sanders Kemplen Kookesh Community & Regional Affairs Halcro, C-Chair Harris, Co-Chair Morgan Murkowski Dyson Joule Kookesh 21st Alaska House Special Committee Assignments Oil & Gas Whitaker, Chair Dyson Phillips Ogan Harris Fisheries Hudson, Chair Dyson Whitaker Harris Morgan Kapsner Smalley Military & Veterans Affairs Murkowski, Chair Coghill, Vice-Chair James Phillips Kott Cissna Croft Legislative Council Barnes, Vice-Chair Phillips Porter Cowdery Ogan Rokeberg Berkowitz Legislative Budget & Audit Phillips, Chair Therriault Bunde Davis Mulder, Alternate Croft Utility Restructuring Hudson, Chair Cowdery, Vice-Chair Kott Rokeberg Porter Davies World Trade & State & Federal Relations Barnes, Chair Cowdery, Vice-Chair Masek Phillips Green Berkowitz Joule Economic Development & Tourism Phillips, Chair Barnes Rokeberg Dyson Halcro Cissna Kerttula Ethics Kott Kookesh Porter, Alternate Berkowitz, Alternate Regulation Review James, Vice-Chair Harris