Md. House Speaker Makes Leadership Appointments

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Maryland House Speaker Michael Busch is announcing new leadership appointments.

Busch, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, appointed Del. Maggie McIntosh on Wednesday to chair the House Appropriations Committee. McIntosh, a Baltimore Democrat, has chaired the Environmental Matters Committee since 2003. Del. Norman Conway, a Democrat who previously led the Appropriations Committee, was defeated in the general election.

Busch says Montgomery County Del. Kumar Barve will chair a newly designated Environment and Transportation Committee.

The speaker says Montgomery County Del. Anne Kaiser will take Barve's place as the House majority leader. And Del. Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, will oversee state higher education policy.

Democrats lost seven House seats in the election. There will be 91 Democrats and 50 Republicans in the House when the Legislature convenes in January.