Joint Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight committee names new chair and vice chair

The Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight elected Representative Bob Lewis as chair and Senator Kelli Warren as vice chair, and affirmed a ranking minority member, during a committee meeting where several members were absent for other conference committee meetings.

The committee, which alternates leadership between the House and Senate, received a nomination for chair from Representative Resmond, who said he had spoken to Lewis and that Lewis was aware of the nomination. Representative Hoffman seconded the nomination. The presiding officer asked, “Can we just by acclamation have Representative Lewis appointed as the chairperson?” and the committee affirmed the appointment by acclamation.

Senator Titus nominated Kelli Warren for vice chair; Senator Corson seconded the nomination. The presiding officer announced that, by affirmation, Warren was the new vice chair.

For the ranking minority member position, the transcript records a nomination by Senator Corson of Representative Joelle Ahoy, seconded by Representative Schlingen Seapen. Later in the same sequence the presiding officer announced, “by affirmation, Representative Hoye will be the ranking minority member.” The transcript therefore records an inconsistency between the name nominated and the name announced as affirmed; the committee confirmed a ranking minority member by affirmation during the meeting.

The presiding officer noted that Lewis was not present at the meeting and asked whether she should continue to preside until a vice chair was present. The committee proceeded with other business after the leadership votes.

No formal roll-call vote totals were recorded in the transcript for these leadership elections; each appointment was made by acclamation or affirmation as recorded in the meeting text.

The committee moved next to discussion of interim study proposals.