ONTARIO — Committee assignments for Oregon House of Representatives for the 2022 legislative session were announced on Tuesday by Paul Hove, Speaker of the House.

District 60 Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, was appointed to four House policy committees. He will serve as the vice chairman of the Agriculture, Land Use, and Water Committee; as well as a member of committees on human services, education, and environmental and natural resources.

2022 marks Owens third legislative session.

Owens was appointed to the House District 60 seat in January of 2020 to replace Lynn Findley, who was appointed to the District 30 Senate position. The shuffling of seats was necessary as then-Sen. Cliff Bentz, R-Vale, decided to leave his role as an Oregon lawmaker and run for the Second District Congressional seat left open by former U.S. Rep. Greg Walden.

Owens was then elected to his seat by voters in May of 2020.

House District 60 encompasses Baker, Grant, Harney and Malheur counties as well as a portion of Lake County.

The 2022 Legislature will convene on Feb. 1 and will be 35 days, as it is an even-numbered year.