ST. GEORGE – State Rep. Bradley Last, R-Hurricane, was tapped last week to be chairman of the Executive Appropriations Committee, replacing Rep. Dean Sanpei, R-Provo, who resigned from his seat earlier this month after accepting a job out of state.
“While we will greatly miss Rep. Sanpei, Rep. Last is ready, willing and able to lead our Executive Appropriations Committee, and I’m excited to work closely with him in this new position,” Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes said in a statement Thursday.
Rep. Mike Shultz, R-Hooper, was appointed the committee’s vice chairman.
“I’m confident that both representatives will serve the House well and I look forward to working with them in their new respective roles,” Hughes said.
Sanpei, who previously worked as a vice president of strategy for Intermountain Healthcare, took a new job with Centura Health as a senior vice president and chief strategy officer. Taking the new position required Sanpei to relocate to Colorado. His last official day as a member of the Legislature was Friday.
The Executive Appropriations Committee oversees and approves matters related to the state’s overall annual budget, as well as budget allocations to the eight appropriation subcommittees connected to it.
Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, vice chairman of the Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, said the budget recommendations the subcommittees make from the amount allotted are submitted to the executive committee for final approval.
The executive committee also oversees the funding of spending bills passed by the Legislature, Brooks said.
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