Washington State House Republicans chose Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, to serve as the ranking Republican on the House Environment and Energy Committee.
House Republicans released the member committee assignments for the upcoming 2019 legislative session Friday. Shea, an attorney and military veteran, will also continue to work on judiciary issues as a member of the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee.
“More and more we see our civil liberties and religious freedoms under attack from all sides,” Shea said. “It is an honor to continue in this leadership role as we work to preserve liberties and freedoms that so many of us hold dear.”
Shea will begin serving his sixth two-year term in the state House of Representatives in January. He has a Bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Gonzaga University, where he graduated with honors from Gonzaga School of Law.
The announcement comes nearly a month after Shea lost his position as the caucus chair for the House Republicans. Shea was replaced by Paul Harris of Vancouver after the 2018 midterm elections.
That came after Shea released his controversial biblical guide to war, titled “Biblical Basis for Warfare.” The four-page document references 14 different points, including how to stay within God’s will during a war, ways to know it is time to fight, things one needs to create a “Holy Army,” qualification of a warrior, exemptions from military service and rules of war.
The 2019 legislative session begins Monday, Jan. 14 and is scheduled to last 105 days.