Rep. Doug Ervin Selected to Chair House Small Business Committee

JEFFERSON CITY – House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, today selected Rep. Doug Ervin, R-Kearney, to serve as chair of the House Small Business Committee for the 95th General Assembly. Rep. Ervin also served as chair of the committee for the 93rd and 94th General Assemblies.

“Rep. Ervin has done an outstanding job in leading this committee during the course of the last four years. He is the only choice to continue to serve as chair and I have every confidence in his abilities,” said Speaker Richard. “Our small businesses are the lifeblood of Missouri’s economy and we must do everything we can to ensure they are given every opportunity to grow and thrive. I know Doug will be a strong voice for Missouri small businesses as his committee addresses the issues they face.

The House Small Business Committee considers and reports upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the establishment, growth, development, expansion, retention and operations of small businesses in the State. As chair of the committee, Rep. Ervin will preside over committee hearings and be responsible for all legislation referred to the committee.

“It’s an honor to be able to continue my service as chair of this committee and I thank Speaker Richard for the opportunity,” said Rep. Ervin. “During this current economic downturn, it is vital that we find ways to promote job creation and provide opportunities for our small businesses to grow and expand. I look forward to working with the members of my committee to address the issues faced by our small business owners as we work to revitalize our economy.”

In addition to his chairmanship responsibilities, Rep. Ervin was selected as the Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on Children and families. He was also appointed to the Healthcare Transformation Committee and Ways and Means.

The Healthcare Transformation committee is tasked with covering such issues as consumerism in health care, transparency, health banking, the role of information technology in health care, patient safety, and examining the cost drivers in health care.

The Ways and Means committee is a new assignment and one that I am particularly looking forward to. This committee considers bills and all matters relating to taxes, tax credits, revenue and public debt, and the administration of the taxation and revenue laws.