Rep. Cox becomes chairman of Labor and Industry Committee

State Rep. Jim Cox (R-Berks/Lancaster) was appointed last week to serve as chairman of the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee.

The Labor and Industry Committee works on legislation related to the workforce and business including the Child Labor Law, the Uniform Construction Code, the Prevailing Wage Act, apprenticeship and job training, workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation.

“We want to enact policies, procedures, and programs to ensure Pennsylvania has a competitive business climate and a workforce that is prepared to acquire and keep good-paying, family-sustaining jobs,” Cox said. “We want to see employers and employees succeed in Pennsylvania.”

The latest session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly was sworn into office on Tuesday.

The House is comprised 110 Republicans, 91 Democrats, and two vacancies while the Senate is comprised of 29 Republicans and 21 Democrats.

Forty-three House members and seven senators were sworn into their first term with ages ranging from 25 to 81.

Nine new chairmen of yet-to-be-announced committees will take over positions left vacant by veteran lawmakers retiring.

The General Assembly swore in a record 62 women, but 34 other states have a higher percentage of women, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures data. Women are 25.3 percent of Pennsylvania’s legislators.