Boyd to chair House Commerce Committee

Representative Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, was appointed to chair the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday.

Boyd is “thrilled” at the appointment to the committee, which oversees subcommittees such as Insurance and Banking, Energy and Utilities, and Tourism and Gaming, among others.

Boyd said conversations about the position unfolded during the past week before the formal announcement was made Tuesday.

The Commerce Committee isn’t new to Boyd; he served on the committee for two years prior to the appointment.

“I’m very grateful the speaker asked me to do it,” Boyd said. “I’m happy to be in a spot where I can have a positive impact.”

The position opened when former chairman Rep. Jose Felix Diaz resigned from the House to run for a seat in the state Senate.

His latest charge will take him away from his position as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. Another representative, Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, was appointed to take the chairmanship, Boyd said.

Boyd is also listed as a member of the House Rules and Policy Committee.

Boyd will be in the position until his term ends in November 2018.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Boyd to chair House Commerce Committee."