Sen. Elizabeth Steiner and Rep. Tawna Sanchez, both D-Portland, again will co-chair the Joint Ways & Means Committee in the 2023 Legislature. Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, and Rep. Susan McLain, D-Hillsboro, will co-chair the joint Transportation and Interstate 5 Bridge committees. Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, and Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Happy Valley, will co-chair the Joint Semiconductors Committee. The joint committee on gambling regulation is being dissolved, but Rep. John Lively, D-Springfield, will lead the House committee.

Among other committee chairs appointed by Senate President-designate Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, and House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis: Senate Energy and Environment, Sollman; Senate Finance and Revenue, Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone; Senate Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs, Sen. James Manning, D-Eugene; House Behavioral Health and Health Care, Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland; House Early Childhood and Human Services, Rep. Lisa Reynolds, D-Beaverton; House Education, Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville; and House Higher Education, Lively.

Three Republicans are co-chairs: Sen. Fred Girod of Lyons, Ways & Means Capital Construction Subcommittee; Rep. Greg Smith of Heppner, Ways & Means General Government Subcommittee; and Rep. Kim Wallan of Medford, Public Records Subcommittee of Legislative Counsel.

In other news, veteran legislative assistant Vicki Olson is now administrative director for Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer.

Jason Hanson, director of compliance at the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, is moving to the Oregon Department of Corrections to become superintendent of the Columbia River Correctional Institution and South Fork Forest Camp.

Adam Meyer has joined the Office of State Fire Marshal as legislative and outreach coordinator. He comes from the Oregon Department of Forestry, where he served in the Fire Protection Division in policy and planning and as ODF’s legislative coordinator. As OSFM prepares to become a full-fledged department independent of the Oregon State Police, the agency has hired Jose Macias as chief financial officer. He was budget director for the Department Education.

Betty Stansbury is retiring June 30, 2023, as director of the Oregon Department of Aviation. Gov. Kate Brown appointed Stansbury in 2019. Applications for the position had been due Dec. 25 (yes, on Christmas) but the deadline has been extended to Jan. 15.

Brown appointed judges Stephen Bushong and Bronson James to the Oregon Supreme Court, Judge Megan Jacquot to the Oregon Court of Appeals, and Bryan Francesconi and Rima Ghandour to the Multnomah County Circuit Court.

With Gov.-elect Tina Kotek set to be sworn in Jan. 9, the new Governor’s Office is recruiting for a deputy legislative director, deputy general counsel,government accountability attorney, climate energy policy advisor, communications director, press secretary, events manager, strategic communications specialist and digital media manager.