Lawmakers offer no timeline to select Ways and Means Committee chairperson

Lawmakers work to select a new chair of the House Ways and Means Committee as state agencies and other groups prepare their budgets for next year's legislative session.

The House Ways and Means Committee is tasked with writing the first draft of Indiana’s two-year budget. Agencies or organizations that receive money from the biennial budget will often make their case to that chairperson.

Legislative leaders will replace Rep. Tim Brown (R-Crawfordsville), who has served as the chair of the committee since 2012. House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said there are a lot of conversations going on about that committee, but did not give a timeline for that selection.

“Obviously, as many of you know who have been around this building, I care a lot about that committee. And I have some experience in that committee,” Huston said. “And I feel like we’ve got a good group of people that are interested in it. And I’m talking to those people and we’ll make a decision.”

Before becoming speaker of the House, Huston served as co-chair of the Ways and Means Committee after Brown was in a serious motorcycle accident at the end of 2018.

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Brown is one of a handful of Republican lawmakers who announced their retirement after they were drawn into legislative districts with other Republicans.

Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.

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