State lawmakers serving parts of Hall County have now received their committee assignments for the 2017 legislative session, which kicked off Jan. 9.
Most of the local Senate and House representatives kept their committee assignments from last year while also adding new designations for 2017.
Sen. Butch Miller, R-Gainesville, is once again serving as a senior floor leader for Gov. Nathan Deal and has added new special oversight committees to his long list of responsibilities, including for MARTA, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and the World Congress Center. Miller will continue to serve on the Senate appropriations, banking and financial institutions, ethics, regulated industries and utilities, and rules committees.
Sen. John Wilkinson, R-Toccoa, will chair the agriculture and consumer affairs committee this year and will serve as the vice chairman on the education committee. He will continue to be a member of the appropriations and natural resources committees, while serving as an ex-officio member of the rules committee.
Rep. Lee Hawkins, R-Gainesville, has added vice chairman of the insurance committee to his responsibilities in the House this year and was also appointed to serve on the rules committee. He will continue to be a member on appropriations, health and human services, insurance and regulated industries committees.
Rep. Emory Dunahoo, R-Gillsville, has added vice chairman of information and audits to his committee assignments this year and will continue serving as vice chairman of the state properties committee. He will also continue to serve as a regular member on agriculture and consumer affairs; banking; and game, fish and parks.
Rep. Timothy Barr, R-Lawrenceville, has added general government to his list of committees, which includes appropriations, code revision, health and human services, motor vehicles and natural resources and environment.
Finally, first-term Rep. Matt Dubnik, R-Gainesville, who takes over for Carl Rogers, has been named to three committees: game, fish and parks; higher education; and interstate cooperation.