Bryant to use input from 11 policy committees

JACKSON — Gov.-elect Phil Bryant has created 11 policy committees to provide input on the key issues facing Mississippi, and to assist in building core policy agenda items for the upcoming legislative session in January.

The policy committee structure will be chaired by Mark Garriga, former chief of staff for Gov. Kirk Fordice, and each of the 11 committees will be led by a chair including experts from all across Mississippi from the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

The chairs of the policy committees are: Agriculture/Forestry — Cindy Hyde-Smith, state senator and agriculture commissioner-elect; Budget — Dr. John Kelly, city administrator, City of Gulfport; Education — Charles McClelland, chairman, State Board of Education; Energy — David Gates, president, Atmos Mississippi; Government Accountability — Hoopy Stringer, former Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration executive director; Health Care — Dr. Randy Easterling, president, Mississippi State Medical Association; Information Technology — John Hairston, CEO and COO of Hancock Bank; Jobs — Glenn McCullough, chairman of Advance Mississippi, former director of the Tennessee Valley Authority; Public Safety — Toby Trowbridge, sheriff, Madison County; Regulatory — Ron Aldridge, executive director, Mississippi National Federation of Independent Businesses; and, Tourism — Billy Hewes, state Senate Pro-Tem.

The 11 policy committees will meet at a summit to be held in Jackson Dec. 15.