Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington) named State Representative Butch Parrish (R-Swainsboro) as the Chairman of the House Rules Committee on Thursday. The move comes after the unexpected death of Chairman Richard Smith, who passed away earlier this month.
The Rules Committee oversees the flow of legislation from passage in committee and making the determination of what bills should be debated and voted on the House floor.
“I am proud to announce the appointment of Representative Butch Parrish as Chairman of the House Rules Committee,” said Speaker Burns. “Chairman Parrish has done an exceptional job representing his district, fighting for our rural communities, and championing policies that lift up every Georgia family—including most recently with his work to improve healthcare across our state. Through his integrity, hard work, compassion and dedication to the interests of our state, he will also carry on the indelible legacy of Chairman Richard Smith—and I am confident that Chairman Parrish will serve the Georgia House and the people of our great state extremely well in this new role.”
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named Chairman of the House Rules Committee,” said Rep. Parrish. “Throughout my time in the House, I have strived to bring an open mind, focus on the facts and deliver results for my constituents and the people of Georgia – and that’s what I intend to continue to do as Rules Chairman. I can only hope to live up to the legacy that my good friend Chairman Richard Smith left on the Rules Committee and build on the tremendous work that he accomplished here. I want to thank the Speaker and my colleagues for their vote of confidence and support, and I look forward to working with them to continue making Georgia the best place to live, work and raise a family.”
Chairman Parrish represents the citizens of House District 158, which includes Candler, Emanuel and Treutlen counties and portions of Bulloch County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1985 and has previously served as the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, as well as Chairman of the Special Committee on Healthcare.
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