State Rep. Mary Whiteford has been named co-chair of a temporary panel that will place Michigan House legislators on certain committees for the 2021-22 term – using their experiences and priorities to help cultivate a tailored approach for residents the Legislature serves.

The Committee on Committees will work with both incoming and returning representatives to determine best fits for committee assignments. Whiteford, who will entering her third term in the Michigan House, will head up the committee with state Rep. Mike Mueller, of Linden.

“By considering things such as policy priorities, professional expertise and personal life experience, we can formulate legislative committees that are highly effective in serving the needs of people throughout the state,” said Whiteford, of Casco Township. “This work is extremely important in laying out the best way forward for Michigan.”

House Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth made public the appointments to the Committee on Committees and the Policy Action Plan Committee on Tuesday. Both will have large roles in the makeup of the 101^st Michigan Legislature.

Rep. Whiteford serves the 80^th District in the Michigan House, which includes the cities of Allegan, Fennville, Otsego, Plainwell, Saugatuck and parts of Holland and South Haven. She also represents the village of Douglas and the townships of Allegan, Casco, Cheshire, Clyde, Fillmore, Ganges, Gun Plain, Heath, Hopkins, Laketown, Lee, Manlius, Martin, Monterey, Otsego, Overisel, Salem, Saugatuck, Trowbridge, Valley and Watson.

Rep. Whiteford serves on the House Health Policy Committee and the House Appropriations Committee for the current legislative term. As part of her appropriations responsibilities, Whiteford also chairs the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee and serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Joint Capital Outlay.