Newly elected New Hampshire House Speaker Shawn Jasper is planning to announce committee chairs for the upcoming legislative session.
Jasper, a Republican who won the speakership largely with support from Democrats, has promised to appoint only Republicans to serve as chairs and vice chairs. He will announce his appointments Thursday. The House has 21 committees, ranging from criminal justice and public safety to health, human services and elderly affairs.
All legislation first goes to a committee, which studies it and makes a recommendation on whether the full House should kill, further study or pass it. Committee chairs can exercise significant influence over policy and the Legislature often supports committee recommendations.
Republicans who favored Rep. Bill O'Brien for speaker are not recognizing Jasper or his majority leader as the Republican leaders.
