CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — Long-time West Virginia House of Delegates leader Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, was elevated this week to the position of Deputy Speaker, a post shared by House Speaker Pro Tempore Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell.
“Our education team didn’t use the previous session adjournment as a reason to stop working on solutions to the major issues we know our communities across the state are facing, so we didn’t want to disrupt that work going into this session, but it became clear right away that our Committee will keep working hard on their efforts to improve education,” Ellington said. “Speaker Hanshaw had been looking for someone to put in the second Deputy Speaker position after the resignation of now-Secretary Kelly, and I’m honored to serve in that lineup.”
Ellington, first elected to the House in 2010, served as the Health and Human Resources Committee Chairman for the 82nd, 83rd and 84th Legislatures. He has been Chairman of the Education Committee since the 84th Legislature.
“Dr. Ellington is a long-respected member of this body, and his dedication to bettering the education West Virginia children receive is to be commended,” said House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay. “Many of us have leaned on him for his counsel, but now in this new role we will be relying on him for even more input and counsel in a wider area of policy.”
Delegate Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, who previously served as Education Committee Vice Chairman will serve as Committee Chairman going forward. Delegate Chris Toney, R-Raleigh, will serve as Education Committee Vice Chairman.
