As was promised by Senate President Troy Jackson, the presiding officers of the Maine Senate and House announced committee assignments for the recently sworn in 130th Legislature this afternoon. This is roughly a week and half earlier than usual and makes the task of choosing relevant sponsors for legislation potentially more effective. These appointments, to “Joint Standing Committees,” will generally be locked-in for the next two years and will have immense policy implications. Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) and House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) made the appointments with the input of the all the members and the recommendations from the House and Senate Republican Leaders.

As was the case last session, there are Democratic majorities in both chambers and thus all joint committees are co-chaired by a Senate Democrat and a House Democrat. Several committee chairs remain the same as they were in the 129th, but there are also significant changes due to term limits, and thus new members, and a handful of incumbents losing re-election.

This afternoon’s committee appointments are as follows, with the Senators listed as the first three assigned committee members:

Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

James F. Dill, Chair (D-Penobscot)
Chloe S. Maxmin (D-Lincoln)
Russell Black (R-Franklin) 
Margaret M. O’Neil, Chair (D-Saco)
David Harold McCrea (D-Fort Fairfield) 
H. Scott Landry, Jr. (D-Farmington)
Laurie Osher (D-Orono)
Randall C. Hall (R-Wilton)*
Thomas H. Skolfield (R-Weld) 
Susan Bernard (R-Caribou)
Jeffrey Allen Gifford (R-Lincoln)
Joseph F. Underwood (R-Presque Isle)
William D. Pluecker (I-Warren)

Appropriations and Financial Affairs

Catherine E. Breen, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Donna Bailey (D-York)
Paul T. Davis, Sr. (R-Piscataquis)
Teresa S. Pierce, Chair (D-Falmouth)
John L. Martin (D-Eagle Lake)
Patricia Hymanson (D-York)  
Jessica L. Fay (D-Raymond) 
Barbara A. Cardone (D-Bangor)
Kristen Sarah Cloutier (D-Lewiston)
H. Sawin Millett, Jr. (R-Waterford)* 
Amy Bradstreet Arata (R-New Gloucester)
Patrick W. Corey (R-Windham)
Justin Fecteau (R-Augusta)

Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Susan A. Deschambault, Chair (D-York)
Mark W. Lawrence (D-York)
Scott W. Cyrway (R-Kennebec)
Charlotte Warren, Chair (D-Hallowell)
Victoria E. Morales (D-South Portland)
Lois Galgay Reckitt (D-SouthPortland) 
Braden Sharpe (D-Durham)
Grayson B. Lookner (D-Portland)
Richard A. Pickett (R-Dixfield)* 
Danny Edward Costain (R-Plymouth)
Shelley Rudnicki (R-Fairfield)
Daniel J. Newman (R-Belgrade)
William D. Pluecker (I-Warren)

Education and Cultural Affairs

Matthea Daughtry, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Joseph Rafferty (D-York)
David C. Woodsome (R-York)
Michael F. Brennan, Chair (D-Portland) Rebecca J. Millett (D-Cape Elizabeth) 
David Harold McCrea (D-Fort Fairfield) 
Janice S. Dodge (D-Belfast)
W. Edward Crockett (D-Portland) 
Suzanne M. Salisbury (D-Westbrook)
Paul A. Stearns (R-Guilford)*
Heidi H. Sampson (R-Alfred)
Sheila A. Lyman (R-Livermore Falls)
Timothy M. Roche (R-Wells)

Energy, Utilities and Technology

Mark W. Lawrence, Chair (D-York)
Eloise A. Vitelli (D-Sagadahoc)
Harold “Trey” L. Stewart, III (R-Aroostook)
Seth A. Berry, Chair (D-Bowdoinham) 
Scott W. Cuddy (D-Winterport)
Nicole Grohoski (D-Ellsworth)
Christopher J. Kessler (D-South Portland) 
Stanley Paige Zeigler, Jr. (D-Montville) 
Barbara A. Wood (D-Portland)
Nathan J. Wadsworth (R-Hiram)*
Chad Wayne Grignon (R-Athens) 
Steven D. Foster (R-Dexter) 

Environment and Natural Resources

Stacy Brenner, Chair (D- Cumberland)
Anne M. Carney (D- Cumberland)
Richard A. Bennett (R-Oxford)
Ralph L. Tucker, Chair (D-Brunswick)
Lydia C. Blume (D-York)
Lori K. Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach)
Stanley Paige Zeigler, Jr. (D-Montville)
Victoria W. Doudera (D-Camden)
Arthur L. Bell (D-Yarmouth)
Jeffrey P. Hanley (R-Pittston)*
Chris A. Johansen (R-Monticello)
Beth A. O'Connor (R-Berwick)
William R. Tuell (R-East Machias)

Health and Human Services

Ned Claxton, Chair (D-Androscoggin)
Joseph Baldacci (D- Penobscot)
Marianne Moore (R-Washington)
Michele Meyer, Chair (D-Eliot)
Margaret Craven (D-Lewiston) 
Anne C. Perry (D-Calais)
Colleen M. Madigan (D-Waterville) 
Holly B. Stover (D-Boothbay) 
Samuel Lewis Zager (D-Portland)
Kathy Irene Javner (R-Chester)* 
Abigail W. Griffin (R-Levant)
Jonathan M. Connor (R-Lewiston)
Michael H. Lemelin (R-Chelsea)

Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services

Heather B. Sanborn, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Stacy Brenner (D- Cumberland)
Harold “Trey” L. Stewart, III (R-Aroostook)
Denise A. Tepler, Chair (D-Topsham) 
Heidi E. Brooks (D-Lewiston)
Gina M. Melaragno (D-Auburn)
Poppy Arford (D-Brunswick)
Richard A. Evans (D-Dover-Foxcroft)
Kristi Michele Mathieson (D-Kittery)
Joshua Morris (R-Turner)*
Mark John Blier (R-Buxton)
Jonathan M. Connor (R-Lewiston)
Tracy L. Quint (R-Hodgdon)

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

James F. Dill, Chair (D-Penobscot)
Glenn “Chip” Curry (D-Waldo)
Russell Black (R-Franklin)
H. Scott Landry, Jr., Chair (D-Farmington)
John L. Martin (D-Eagle Lake)
Roland Danny Martin (D-Sinclair) 
Robert W. Alley, Sr. (D-Beals)
Allison Hepler (D-Woolwich)
Timothy S. Theriault (R-China)* 
Peter A. Lyford (R-Eddington)
Lester S. Ordway (R-Standish)
Richard G. Mason (R-Lisbon)
Cathy R. Nadeau (R-Winslow)

Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business

Glenn “Chip” Curry, Chair (D-Waldo)
Louis Joseph Luchini (D-Hancock)
Scott W. Cyrway (R-Kennebec)
Tiffany Roberts, Chair (D-South Berwick)
Sarah Pebworth (D-Blue Hill) 
Kyle R. Bailey (D-Gorham) 
Valli D. Geiger (D-Rockland) 
Tavis Rock Hasenfus (D-Readfield)
Susan Bernard (R-Caribou)* 
Susan M. W. Austin (R-Gray)
John Andrews (R-Paris)
John E. Ducharme III (R-Madison)
Amanda N. Collamore (R-Pittsfield)

Judiciary

Anne M. Carney, Chair (D- Cumberland)
Heather B. Sanborn (D-Cumberland)
Lisa M. Keim (R-Oxford)
Thom Harnett, Chair (D-Gardiner)
Christopher W. Babbidge (D-Kennebunk) 
Lois Galgay Reckitt (D-South Portland) 
Stephen W. Moriarty (D-Cumberland)
Erin R. Sheehan (D-Biddeford)
David G. Haggan (R-Hampden)*
Kathy L. Downes (R-Bucksport)
Laurel D. Libby (R-Auburn)
Jennifer L. Poirier (R-Skowhegan)
Jeffrey Evangelos (I-Friendship)
Rena D. Newell (the Passamaquoddy Tribe)

Labor and Housing

Joseph Rafferty, Chair (D-York)
David R. Miramant (D-Knox)
Stacey K. Guerin (R-Penobscot)
Michael A. Sylvester, Chair (D-Portland)
Scott W. Cuddy (D-Winterport)
Sarah Pebworth (D-Blue Hill)
Traci Gere (D-Kennebunkport)
Amy J. Roeder (D-Bangor)
Richard T. Bradstreet (R-Vassalboro)*
Joshua Morris (R-Turner)
Dwayne W. Prescott (R-Waterboro)
Gary A. Drinkwater (R-Milford)
Sophie B. Warren (I-Scarborough)

Marine Resources

David R. Miramant, Chair (D-Knox)
Chloe S. Maxmin (D-Lincoln)
Kimberley C. Rosen (R-Penobscot)
Joyce “Jay” McCreight, Chair (D-Harpswell) 
Robert W. Alley, Sr. (D-Beals) 
Lydia C. Blume (D-York)
Allison Hepler (D-Woolwich)
Genevieve McDonald (D-Stonington)
Lydia V. Crafts (D-Newcastle)
Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor)* 
Sherman H. Hutchins (R-Penobscot)
Peggy Jo Stanley (R-Medway)
James E. Thorne (R-Carmel)

State and Local Government

Joseph Baldacci, Chair (D- Penobscot)
Ned Claxton (D-Androscoggin)
Kimberley C. Rosen (R-Penobscot)
Ann Higgins Matlack, Chair (D-St. George)  
Mark E. Bryant (D-Windham)
Donna R. Doore (D-Augusta)
Sean C. Paulus (D-Bath)
Lynn H. Copeland (D-Saco)
William R. Tuell (R-East Machias)*
Frances M. Head (R-Bethel) 
Kathy L. Downes (R-Bucksport)
Randall Adam Greenwood (R-Wales)
Walter N. Riseman (I-Harrison)

Taxation

Benjamin M. Chipman, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Matthea Daughtry (D-Cumberland)
Matthew Pouliot (R-Kennebec)
Maureen Fitzgerald Terry, Chair (D-Gorham)
Benjamin T. Collings (D-Portland)
Lori K. Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach)
Ann Higgins Matlack (D-St. George)
Joseph C. Perry, Sr. (D-Bangor)
Melanie F. Sachs (D-Freeport)
Theodore Joseph Kryzak, Jr. (R-Acton)* 
Bruce A. Bickford (R-Auburn)
Jeffrey P. Hanley (R-Pittston)
Meldon H. Carmichael (R-Greenbush)

Transportation

G. William Diamond, Chair (D-Cumberland)
Benjamin M. Chipman (D-Cumberland)
Bradlee T. Farrin (R-Somerset)
Roland Danny Martin, Chair (D-Sinclair) 
Mark E. Bryant (D-Windham)
Bruce A. White (D-Waterville) 
Kevin J. M. O’Connell (D-Brewer)
Lynn A. Williams (D-Bar Harbor)
Michael D. Perkins (R-Oakland)* 
Richard M. Cebra (R-Naples)
Wayne R. Parry (R-Arundel)
Dustin Michael White (R-Mars Hill) 
Thomas H. Martin, Jr. (R-Greene)

Veterans and Legal Affairs

Louis Joseph Luchini, Chair (D-Hancock)
Susan A. Deschambault (D-York)
Bradlee T. Farrin (R-Somerset)
Christopher James Caiazzo, Chair (D-Scarborough) 
Joyce “Jay” McCreight (D-Harpswell)
John L. Tuttle, Jr. (D-Sanford)
Morgan J. Rielly (D-Westbrook)
Laura D. Supica (D-Bangor)
Barbara A. Wood (D-Portland)
MaryAnne Kinney (R-Knox)*
Matthew A. Harrington (R-Sanford)
Patrick W. Corey (R-Windham)
Josanne C. Dolloff (R-Milton Township) 

Government Oversight Committee

Nathan L. Libby, Chair (D-Androscoggin)
Donna Bailey (D-York)
Eloise A. Vitelli (D-Sagadahoc)
Lisa M. Keim (R-Oxford)
Jeffrey L. Timberlake (R-Androscoggin)
Richard A. Bennett (R-Oxford)
Genevieve McDonald, Chair (D-Stonington)
Margaret M. O’Neil (D-Saco)
Holly B. Stover (D-Boothbay)
Kathleen R. J. Dillingham (R-Oxford)*
H. Sawin Millett, Jr. (R-Waterford)
Amy Bradstreet Arata (R-New Gloucester)

*Ranking Republican member