JACKSON — Rep. Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia, was recently appointed to the House Appropriations Committee and the Legislative Budget Committee.

Cockerham replaces Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, who was sworn in as Mayor of Vicksburg on June 30.

“I am pleased to appoint Rep. Cockerham to fill this position on the House Appropriations Committee and the Legislative Budget Committee,” Speaker Philip Gunn said. “Through her work as chairman of the House Energy Committee, Rep. Cockerham has been invaluable to the House leadership team. I know she will be an effective member of these committees as they address state budget issues.”

As a member of these committees, Cockerham will play an active role in crafting the state’s budget.

The Legislative Budget Committee is a starting point for the budget crafting process. Once a year, members meet with representatives from all the state agencies who present their estimated budget needs for the next fiscal year.

“I am mindful of the many cost issues we are faced with like education, health care, and corrections to name a few,” Cockerham said. “As House Energy chair, I am excited about our country and state’s energy future and the impact it is having on my district in Southwest Mississippi. I will approach my new assignments with God at the center of my thought process and the humbleness that my parents remind me of daily.”

Cockerham represents a portion of Adams County.