House Speaker Cleans House

[May 6, 2024]

Last week, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Jason Stephens removed six committee chairs immediately, including Rep. Scott Lipps (R-Franklin) who chaired the Public Health Policy Committee. 

Lipps was first appointed chair of the Health Committee in 2019 and then in 2023 became chair of the Public Health panel when the original committee was split in two: Public Health and Health Provider Services.

This week, Stephens appointed Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon), an intellectual property attorney, as chair. Mathews is serving his first term and represents the 56th District, which encompasses a southwestern portion and central Warren County including Lebanon, South Lebanon, and Mason.

The six ousted chairs had donated to candidates for the House of Representatives who challenged Stephens-backed incumbents in the March GOP primary.