There will be plenty of fresh faces in room 413 of the Capitol Building when the House Education committee convenes for its meeting of the 2017 legislative session.
Only five of the 15 committee members served on House Ed. last year, with six of the 10 new committee members being freshmen legislators, as well.
House Education meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:45 a.m. with Rep. Timothy Johns serving as Committee Chair for the first time after two years as Vice Chair.
Let’s get to know the committee members:
Rep. Timothy Johns (District 31) takes the reigns as Chair of the education committee after two years as Vice Chair. An attorney from Lawrence County, Rep. Johns enters his third term as a legislator, which has seen him serve on the Ed. committee each of his five years, as well as on the Judiciary Committee, where he will serve as Vice Chair.
Rep. Thomas Holmes (District 14) will serve as Vice Chair of the House Education committee. Rep. Holmes, a retired educator with 40-years of experience, begins his third year in the legislature, as well as on the education committee. He will serve on the Health and Human Services Committee, as well.
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. Rep. Brunner rejoins the education committee after previously serving six years on it in his first stint in the House. This marks Rep. Brunner’s 11th year in the legislature, during which he will also serve as Vice Chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Blaine Campbell (District 35) the third term legislator from Rapid City is serving his fifth year 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) comes to the Capitol for her first year of legislative service. Rep. Frye-Mueller owns and operates Roger Frye’s Paint and Supply in Rapid City. She will also serve on the Transportation committee.
Rep. Bob Glanzer (District 22) joins the legislature for his first term of service. A retired banker from Huron, Rep. Glanzer brings a background in education to the House Ed. committee having previously taught business education classes at Wessington Springs High School. He will also serve on the Ag and Natural Resources committee.
Rep. Taffy Howard (District 33) begins her legislative career in 2017 with a spot on the education committee, as well as the taxation committee. Rep. Howard is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force who has been business partners with her husband in several local ventures and rental properties in Rapid City.
Rep. Jason Kettwig (District 4) comes to Pierre for his first year of service in the legislature. Hailing from Milbank, where he serves as City Administrator, Rep. Kettwig is a member of the South Dakota National Guard and has 21 years of military service. Along with his duties in House Ed., he will serve on the local government committee.
Rep. Sean McPherson (District 32) enters the 2017 session as first time legislator out of Rapid City. Rep. McPherson, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, is a high school Bible teacher at Rapid City Christian School. In addition to his work on House Education, Rep. McPherson will serve on the House Health and Human Services committee.
Rep. Ray Ring (District 17) returns to House Ed. after a two year hiatus, during which time he served on the Appropriations committee. Rep. Ring, a former University of South Dakota Economics Professor, enters 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 who comes to Pierre for his first 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) rejoins the House Education committee to start his third term as a legislator. Rep. Stevens previously served on the committee in 2013 and 2014 before moving over to the House Judiciary and State Affairs committees. A former Yankton School Board Member, Rep. Stevens will also serve as Chair of the Judiciary committee and on the Legislative Procedure committee.
Rep. Craig Tieszen (District 34) reaches the House after eight years in the Senate. Rep. Tieszen will join House Education with a bevy of experience, including his service on the Blue Ribbon Task Force in 2015, which introduced the half cent sales tax proposal that increased teacher salaries. In addition to being on House Ed., Rep. Tieszen will serve on the GOAC, Judiciary and Retirement Laws committees.
Rep. Burt Tulson (District 2) returns to Pierre for his seventh year as a legislator, all of which he has served on the House Ed. Committee. Rep. Tulson, who has experience as a substitute teacher, also sits on the Local Government Committee, in addition to the education committee.
Rep. Larry Zikmund (District 14) returns for his third year in the legislature, all of which have seen him sit on House Ed. 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.