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Dowling appointed to four state House committees for upcoming legislative session

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After being sworn in to his third term as state representative for the 51st Legislative District last week, Rep. Matt Dowling, R-Uniontown, was appointed to four House committees.

He will serve on the Judiciary, Liquor Control, State Government and Urban Affairs committees.

“So much important work is done at the committee level, as all bills are referred there first after being formally introduced,” Dowling said. “We are the first members to review the bills and have the opportunity to gather more information through public hearings and/or amending the bills as needed to get them in the best shape for further consideration by the full House.

The Judiciary Committee focuses on a variety of public safety issues, including crime victim protections and sentencing guidelines. Last session, the committee took strides toward criminal justice reform, opening the door for people who committed offenses long ago but never re-offended to be able to move forward in their personal and professional lives. This is also the committee to which any firearms laws would be sent for review.

“The Judiciary Committee is one of the busiest and hardest-working committees in the House,” Dowling said. “I’m proud of the work we did last session and look forward to continuing our mission to improve public safety in our commonwealth. And as always, I remain committed to protecting our Second Amendment rights.”

Another committee likely to be extra busy this session is the State Government Committee. Among other things, it is the committee through which election-related policies are handled.

“We are committed to ensuring the accuracy and security of our elections, and to restoring public confidence in those elections,” Dowling said.

The committee also handles issues such as proposed amendments to the state Constitution, lobbyist disclosure, campaign finance and regulatory review.

The Liquor Control Committee is responsible for issues relating to the administration of alcoholic beverage licenses and the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages, and continued efforts to boost consumer convenience. The Urban Affairs Committee reviews legislation affecting the state’s largest cities including issues such as housing; urban redevelopment; economic development; land use planning and zoning; growth management; infrastructure financing; and city services such as police, fire, sewage and water.

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