Today, Delegatses Dave Pethtel and Ben Queen were sworn into the House of Delegates.

Pethtel, D-Wetzel, was sworn in at 10 a.m. as the delegate of the 5th District.

He was sworn in by House Clerk Stephen J. Harrison. Pethtel was elected to his first term in the House of Delegates in 1988 and has collectively served over 20 years.

Pethtel is a retired school teacher and graduated with an M.A. from West Virginia University.

At 12:30 p.m., Queen was sworn into the House of Delegates by House Speaker Tim Armstead.

Queen will be representing the 46th District. At age 21, he is one of the youngest to serve in the West Virginia Legislature and a Fourth generation public official.

Queen was accompanied by his father, Mike Queen, mother, Paula Carter, aunts, Christy Thompson and Leslie Pruitt, and girlfriend, Hannah Griffith.

Delegate-elect Zack Maynard (R-Lincoln) took the oath of office alongside his wife Brittany this evening in a ceremony in the House Chamber.  Surrounded by family, friends and supporters, Delegate Maynard was administered the oath by Chief Judge of the Twenty-Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Jay M. Hoke.

Maynard, of Harts in Lincoln County, graduated from WVU Tech with a business management degree. He represents the 22nd District in the House of Delegates which contains parts of Boone, Lincoln, Logan and Putnam counties.

The 2017 West Virginia Legislature’s session’s opening day in January 11, 2017 and the first day of the 2017 Regular Session is February 8th, 2017. 

Delegate Ray Hollen took the oath of office Saturday. He is a Republican and will represent District 9 in Wood and Wirt counties.

“We need to get the drug situation under control,” Hollen said.

With a background as former military and the West Virginia State police, the drug epidemic is at the forefront of his thoughts but Hollen said he is also interested in bringing more jobs to the state.

Delegate Riley Moore made it official by being sworn in Saturday.

Many of his family and friends were by his side as was his aunt, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. Moore is a Republican and will occupy the 67th District.

In a joint swearing-in ceremony, Delegates Steve Westfall, R-Jackson, and Martin Atkinson, R-Roane, took their oaths of office.

Westfall said he is eager to get back on the education committee to pass some bills that were introduced last year, hoping to have more luck this time around. 

“I’m very proud to be re-elected, and am hoping to be back on education and back on finance. It’s going to be a tough year,” he said.

Atkinson, winning his first election since being appointed to former Delegate Bob Ashley’s seat, said he’s anxious to get started.

“I’m excited to be here, excited to get to work,” he said.

Delegate Andrew Robinson, D-Kanawha, was sworn in Friday by Judge John D. Beane with a special guest appearance by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and first lady Joanne Tomblin.

“I’ve been honored to know the governor and for him to spend an hour with us to see my swearing is a great honor”; Robinson said. “The state’s in a place where we can take a couple different roads and to have the opportunity to be a part of that is very exciting.”

Robinson said he was excited to get to work and happy to see the team of faces who worked so diligently to get him elected.

Friday morning marked the first swearing in ceremony of the upcoming 2017 regular Legislative session. Delegate Rodney Miller, D-Boone, was sworn in by West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Robin Davis. Miller was elected to represent the 23rd District.

A two-term sheriff in Boone County, Miller said he has some experience working with members of the Legislature on behalf of numerous sheriff organizations. Now on the other side of things, Miller said his one motivation for running was his children.

“My most motivating factor for me to run is my children,” he said. “I thought I could contribute.” Miller’s son and daughter are attending West Virginia University and Marshall University, respectfully. Having retired as the sheriff, Miller said he just wants to be able to make West Virginia a better place in a new capacity. “I think we could get a lot of work done, if we could just get everybody to work,” he added.