Dean Cannon Names House Committee Chairs

With the House meeting in special session on Tuesday and with 40 new members taking their seats, incoming Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, named committee chairs on Monday morning.

Committee chairs must be fair and honest brokers in the process, must show discernment, and must be students of public policy, wrote Cannon in the memo sent out to House members. A chair must take the time to listen to opposing sides of important issues and guide the committee to focus on quality legislation. A chair should also be a mentor and guide to the subcommittee chairs and to the members within the committee structure. With that in mind, I am announcing the following appointments as committee chairs, all of whom have proven their leadership skills and earned my full trust and faith through consistency, hard work, and good decision-making.

Cannon named Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, to head up Economic Affairs. With a lengthy service as chancellor of Flagler College and the higher ed appropriation committees, its no surprise to see Rep. William Proctor, R-St. Augustine, chairing the Education Committee. As he starts his third term in the House, Rep. Stephen Precourt, R-Winter Garden, will lead the Finance & Tax Committee. Rep. Robert Schenck, R-Spring Hill, who is also starting his third term, will head up Health & Human Services. Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, will take over the Judiciary Committee -- while Snyder is not an attorney, he did have a career in law enforcement, including serving as a director of law enforcement with the Martin County Sheriffs Office. Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who should be speaker after the 2012 elections, will handle Redistricting. Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, will lead State Affairs.