Familiar faces will fill the Capitol Building’s room 413 in the morning hours when the House Education committee meets during the 2018 legislative session.
Nearly all 15 committee members that served on House Ed. last year return to the committee. Rep. Marli Wiese will take Rep. Craig Tieszen’s seat on the committee after his tragic death in November. Rep. Doug Barthel will replace Rep. Taffy Howard, who will be serving on the House and Joint Appropriations Committees.
House Education meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:45 a.m. with Rep. Timothy Johns serving as Committee Chair for the second consecutive year.
Let’s get to know the committee members:
Rep. Timothy Johns (District 31) continues as Chair of the education committee after his inaugural year as leader. An attorney from Lawrence County, Rep. Johns enters the second year of his third term as a legislator, which has seen him serve on the Ed. committee each of his five years, including two years as Vice Chair. Additionally, he will serve as Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Thomas Holmes (District 14) will serve his second consecutive term as Vice Chair of the House Education committee. A retired educator with 40-years of experience, Rep. Holmes in his third year in the legislature, which has seen him serve each year on the education committee. He will serve on the Health and Human Services and Retirement Laws committees, as well.
Rep. Doug Barthel (District 10) debuts in the legislature following his appointment by Gov. Dennis Daugaard to the position this fall. The former Sioux Falls Police Chief will join the education committee and the judiciary committees in the House side.
Rep. Thomas Brunner (District 29) the veteran legislator from Butte County is no stranger to House Ed. having served as Chair of the committee in 2011 and 2012. This session marks his seventh year of service on the committee. Rep. Brunner enters his 12th year in the legislature in 2018, during which he will also serve as Vice Chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Blaine Campbell (District 35) this is the sixth year the third term legislator will serve on the education committee. Rep. Campbell, a subcontractor from Rapid City, also serves on the Health and Human Services Committee.
Rep. Julie Frye-Mueller (District 30) begins her second year of legislative service and as a member of the House’s education committee. She will also serve on the Transportation committee. Rep. Frye-Mueller owns and operates Roger Frye’s Paint and Supply in Rapid City.
Rep. Bob Glanzer (District 22) returns for the second half of his first term of service in the legislature. Rep. Glanzer has a background in education having taught business education classes at Wessington Springs High School. He will also serve on the Ag and Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Jason Kettwig (District 4) is back for his second year in the legislature and with the education committee. Hailing from Milbank, where he serves as City Administrator, Rep. Kettwig is a member of the South Dakota National Guard. Along with his duties in House Ed., he will serve on the local government committee.
Rep. Sean McPherson (District 32) enters the 2018 session as a second-year legislator. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Rep. McPherson will sit on the House Education and Health and Human Services committees. He is a Senior Pastor in Rapid City.
Rep. Ray Ring (District 17) will sit on the House Education committee for the fourth year. The former University of South Dakota Economics Professor continues his third term in the legislature where he will serve on the Taxation committee, as well.
Rep. Jamie Smith (District 15) is a former teacher and coach returns to Pierre for his second year as a legislator. Currently a realtor in Sioux Falls, Rep. Smith will also serve on the House Local Government committee.
Rep. Mike Stevens (District 18) starts his fourth year on the House Education committee, having previously served on the committee in 2013, 2014 and 2017. He is a former Yankton School Board Member. Rep. Stevens will also serve as Chair of the House Judiciary committee and on the House and Join Legislative Procedure committees.
Rep. Burt Tulson (District 2) is set to serve his eighth year in Pierre as a legislator, all of which he has served on the House Ed. Committee. Rep. Tulson, who has experience as a substitute teacher, will also serve as Vice Chair of the Local Government Committee.
Rep. Marli Wiese (District 8) makes her debut on the House Education committee in her second year in the legislature. Rep. Wiese was appointed by Gov. Daugaard to the legislature at the start of last year’s session and will serve on the taxation committee in addition to House Ed.
Rep. Larry Zikmund (District 14) marks his fourth year in the legislature – all of which have seen him sit on House Education – in 2018. Prior to his service in the legislature Rep. Zikmund served three S.D. Governors as the State Director of Adult Vocational and Technical Education. He will also serve as Vice Chair of the Commerce and Energy committee.