Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) today announced chair and committee assignments for the 2010-11 legislative session, naming John Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro) to head the new Regulated Oversight and Gaming Committee, Matthew Milam (D-Vineland) as chairman of the new Tourism and Arts Committee.

Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield) will chair the Education Committee, which Joseph Cryan (D-Union) gave up to become Majority Leader.  Pamela Lampitt (D-Cherry Hill) takes Diegnan’s place as chair of the Higher Education Committee.

Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood) to lead the Housing Committee, and Albert Coutinho (D-Newark) as the Commerce Committee chairman.   Huttle takes the chairmanship held by Oliver, while Coutinho replaces Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton), who backed Bonnie Watson Coleman for Speaker over Oliver.  Watson Coleman, the former Majority Leader, was not given a committee chair.

"These Assembly committee chairs and committee members are a talented group of leaders with the expertise needed to represent New Jersey well as we push forward on our plans to create jobs, reinvigorate New Jersey's economy and combat property taxes," Oliver said. "They will work hard and get the job done for all New Jerseyans."

Assembly Democratic Committee Assignments 2010-2011 Session:

Budget
Greenwald -- Chair
Schaer -- Vice-Chair
Barnes
Burzichelli
Coutinho
Johnson
Pou
Quigley

Consumer Affairs
Moriarty -- Chair
Vainieri Huttle -- Vice-Chair
Diegnan

Financial Institutions and Insurance
Schaer -- Chair
Spencer -- Vice-Chair
Conners
McKeon
Wisniewski

Health and Senior Services
Conaway -- Chair
Wagner -- Vice-Chair
Green
Greenstein
Quigley
Riley
Tucker

Higher Education
Lampitt -- Chair
Giblin -- Vice-Chair
Coughlin
Fuentes
Pou
Voss

Telecommunications and Utilities
Chivukula -- Chair
DeAngelo -- Vice-Chair
Egan
Mainor
Quijano

Appropriations
Pou -- Chair
Ramos -- Vice-Chair
Barnes
Chivukula
Conaway
Greenwald
McKeon
Stender

Commerce and Economic Development
Coutinho Chair
Lampitt Vice-Chair
Fuentes
Quigley
Watson Coleman

Housing and Local Government
Green --  Chair
Jasey -- Vice-Chair
Greenstein
Riley
Scalera

Law and Public Safety
Johnson -- Chair
Albano -- Vice-Chair
Evans
Moriarty
Spencer

Regulated Professions
Prieto -- Chair
Giblin -- Vice-Chair
Coughlin
Diegnan, Jr.
Voss

Regulatory Oversight and Gaming
Burzichelli -- Chair
Quijano -- Vice-Chair
Caputo

Tourism and Arts
Milam -- Chair
Conners -- Vice-Chair
Vainieri Huttle

Judiciary
Greenstein -- Chair
Quijano -- Vice-Chair
Caputo
Greenwald
Gusciora

Labor
Egan -- Chair
Evans -- Vice-Chair
Albano
Coughlin
DeAngelo
Scalera

Military and Veteran's Affairs
Conners -- Chair
Tucker Vice-Chair

Transportation, Public Works & Independent Authorities
Wisniewski -- Chair
Stender -- Vice-Chair
Giblin
Mainor
Milam
Prieto
Rodriguez
Wagner

Agriculture and Natural Resources
Albano -- Chair
Riley -- Vice-Chair

Education
Diegnan, Jr. -- Chair
Voss -- Vice-Chair
Caputo
Evans
Jasey
Moriarty
Ramos
Watson Coleman

Environment and Solid Waste
McKeon -- Chair
Gusciora -- Vice-Chair
Barnes
Lampitt
Mainor

Homeland Security and State Preparedness
Scalera -- Chair
Johnson -- Vice-Chair
Burzichelli
Prieto

Human Services
Vainieri Huttle -- Chair
Rodriguez -- Vice-Chair
Coutinho
Fuentes
Tucker
Wagner

State Government
Stender -- Chair
Conaway -- Vice-Chair
Schaer