For most members of the Dorchester delegation, this year’s House committee assignments are nothing to sneeze at. Even so, Rep. Russell Holmes of Mattapan says, the lack of black members in leadership positions is concerning.

“I’m not asking anymore. This is really a demand. My statement is to leadership and the party in general. When you look at the most reliable Democratic vote, the black vote is the strongest,” Holmes told the Reporter. “The African-American vote is the bedrock and foundation of the modern-day Democratic Party. We want our due respect.”

House Speaker Robert DeLeo passed out committee assignments on Feb. 26 – weeks later than anticipated due to storms interrupting the normal legislative schedule. Rep. Evandro Carvalho, whom DeLeo called a “rising star” in a late February speech, was appointed to the committees on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, Economic Development, and Emerging Technologies, Judiciary, and Transportation.

“I’m particularly going to focus on the economic development of the district to make sure our interests are adequately represented,” Carvalho told the Reporter on Wednesday. He did not speak to Holmes’s concerns about the lack diversity representation in leadership positions.

“I think assigning 160 members from all across the state with each member with different issue priorities is a daunting task each session, but especially this year when a number of high profile committee chairs have moved on from House,” said Rep. Dan Cullinane. He has been named to the committees on elder affairs, financial services, and health care financing.

“Looking at representatives Hunt, Carvalho, and myself,” said Cullinane, “we have a voice on financial services, we have myself and Rep. Hunt serving on health care financing, and Rep. Carvalho is on consumer protection. We all have the experience in and around government to handle this workload and deliver for our constituents.”

For his part, Hunt was named to the committees on health care finance and election laws. “I got to stay on both committees that I requested so I’m happy,” he said.” Hunt was also named to the committee on consumer protection, a spot “near and dear” to him as an attorney.