Rep. Henderson going strong, excited to lead as new committee chair
Idaho state Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, who was appointed chairman of the House Business Committee a day after he celebrated his 90th birthday, is excited about his new role. “The composition of the whole committee includes a number of experienced legislators, so I think if I can give it effective leadership, that it’s going to be a very productive committee,” Henderson said. He said he’ll be bringing proposals to help boost existing Idaho companies, including possible new investment tax credits. “We’ll be looking for new ideas,” Henderson said. You can read my full Sunday column here.
When the House, near the close of its organizational session last week, took note of Henderson's birthday and offered to sing "Happy Birthday" to him, he wasn't there. That's because he was over at the state Department of Commerce, meeting on economic development initiatives.
Becoming a committee chair "was not a burning ambition with me," Henderson said, but he said he wasn't surprised by the appointment; he was in line for the post, as the vice-chair of the panel. "I'm pleased to be there," he said. "It's going to satisfy a legislative ambition," he said, "to help the Idaho economy grow and diversify, from when we were just agriculture, timber and mining."
