OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma House Speaker-elect Kris Steele has announced the chair and vice-chair appointments to more than two dozen House committees.

The Shawnee Republican said Tuesday that Earl Sears of Bartlesville will head the powerful House Appropriations and Budget Committee that is involved in writing the state budget. Republican Scott Martin of Norman will serve as vice-chairman. Committee chair positions typically last for two legislative sessions - in this case 2011 and 2012.

Among the other chairmanships are Reps. Fred Jordan of Jenks to the Judiciary Committee, T.W. Shannon of Lawton to the Transportation Committee and Ann Coody of Lawton to the Common Education Committee.

Steele named Democratic Reps. Jabar Shumate of Tulsa, Wes Hilliard of Sulphur, Purcy Walker of Elk City, and R.C. Pruett of Antlers to vice-chair posts.