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Ways and Means chair outlines priorities, rules and staff as committee opens
Summary
At its opening meeting the Ways and Means Committee’s chair emphasized stewardship of state revenues, prioritized education and gaming oversight, listed subcommittee leadership and staff, and set rules for testimony and timeliness.
The chair of the Ways and Means Committee opened the panel’s first meeting of the legislative session with introductions of members and staff and a call for procedural discipline, saying the committee manages large-scale state resources and should operate efficiently.
"We handle $50,000,000,000 in state and local revenue," the chair said, underscoring the fiscal scope the committee will oversee and the impact of its decisions on state services. She framed education as a central focus and noted the committee’s responsibility for the gaming industry.
The chair named subcommittee leaders for key policy areas — K–12 education, early childhood and special education, childcare, local revenues, state revenues and gaming — and reviewed staff assignments. Policy analyst Stan Ward was listed for local revenues (shared across committees); George will cover revenues and gaming; Alastair will cover K–12 and early childhood issues; Sarah Hartman is the committee’s chief of staff; clerks Haley Clem and Autumn Grant and receptionist Elena Matos were introduced; and legislative fellows Nya Norton and John v Parsai will support subcommittees.
Vice Chair (unnamed) offered support for the chair and the panel’s work, saying her "door is open, at least figuratively," and encouraging members to reach out for assistance.
The chair set several procedural rules: members should be seated at the scheduled start time so hearings begin promptly; members should keep questions brief; staff will not print hearing packets for members (members must provide their own materials); and witnesses choosing to testify must commit ahead of time to either virtual or in-person testimony because staff cannot switch formats on the day of hearings. On hearings generally, the chair said: "For bill hearings, if a bill has been heard by us before, that bill will be sponsor only," adding she may call a full hearing if substantive changes are presented.
She also announced jurisdictional changes: election law will move to the Government, Labor and Elections Committee and horse racing will move to the Appropriations Committee. The chair asked subcommittee chairs to meet immediately after the session in the Committee Conference Room and said she will schedule a meeting with minority party members to touch base on committee business.
The meeting concluded after logistical reminders and scheduling; the chair said the next briefing is expected Tuesday and then adjourned the committee.
