COEUR d'ALENE - Legislative committee assignments were doled out Thursday in Boise with key leadership positions going to local lawmakers.

Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, landed a highly coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee, while Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene, is now the vice-chairwoman of the House Local Government Committee.

Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, was named vice-chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, will serve as vice-chairman of the Senate Resources and Environment Committee, and Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, landed the chairmanship of the House Business Committee.

Here is how the rest of the assignments played out by legislative district:

* District 4

Sen. Mary Souza now sits on three Senate committees: Agricultural Affairs, Education and Judiciary and Rules.

Malek also landed a seat on the House Local Government Committee and that chamber's Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.

Sims will also sit on the House Judicial, Rules and Administration Committee, and the State Affairs Committee.

"I am very excited about my assignments," Malek said Thursday afternoon. "Those were all my top choices."

Malek said he is particularly excited to get a seat on the Appropriations Committee as the only House Representative from North Idaho on the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee. The House Appropriations committee meets jointly with the Senate Finance Committee to fund all projects in Idaho.

"I am going to vigorously represent all of North Idaho's interests on that committee," he said, adding that it was hard for him to give up a seat on the Health and Welfare Committee. "But there is still a lot of health care policy that goes through JFAC."

Souza and Sims could not be reached for comment Thursday.

* District 3

Aside from his vice-chair position, Sen. Bob Nonini landed a spot on the Senate Education Committee.

Rep. Ron Mendive, R-Post Falls, was assigned to the House Education Committee, the Resources and Conservation Committee and the Environment, Energy and Technology Committee.

Rep. Don Cheatham, R-Post Falls, was assigned to the House Local Government Committee, the State Affairs Committee and Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.

Contacted in Boise Thursday, Nonini said he is pleased with his two committee assignments.

"Those are the two committees I requested," he said, adding he has spent the last 10 years in the House and Senate working in those areas.

Nonini said he was ready for a third post on the Agricultural Affairs Committee, but he was more than happy to step aside so a fellow senator from southern Idaho could be seated on that committee.

Cheatham said he was "tickled pink" with his assignments.

"I am optimistic," he said, referring to his first organizational session in Boise. "I amazed at the amount of cooperation there is down here. It's a welcome contrast to the bickering at the federal level."

Mendive could not be reached for comment.

* District 2

Vick will also join the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee and the Transportation Committee.

Rep. Eric Redman, R-Athol, landed a position on the House Local Government Committee, Commerce and Human Resources and the Health and Welfare Committee.

Aside from Barbieri's new chairmanship, he was given seats on the House Local Government Committee and the State Affairs committee.

"I am happy that they accommodated those requests," Barbieri said, referring to his chairman post.

As for the other assignments, he said they are the same committees he sat on last year, and he is pleased that he will be able to continue working in those areas.

Redman said he would have liked to have had a seat on the Business Committee because he has been in business for 44 years, but otherwise he is pleased with the results.

"Obviously, you take what leadership gives you," he said.

Redman said he did request his Health and Welfare Committee assignment because of his knowledge and experience with Medicaid and Medicare.

"I have a hunch it will be a lot of work, but that is why I am down here," he said. "I think I am going to be able to handle it."

Vick could not be reached for comment.