(RALEIGH) -- Granville County Rep. Jim Crawford, one of five House Democrats to support the Republican-drawn budget, will now have a more active role in crafting the state spending plan.

House Speaker Thom Tillis announced that Crawford and Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, have been named co-chairs of the House Appropriations Committee.  Crawford previously served as a budget writer when Democratic leadership. It’s the first committee chairmanship for Democrats since Republicans took control earlier this year.
 
The budget committee is losing Rep. Jeff Barnhart, who is stepping down at the end of the month. Barnhart, R-Cabarrus, will go to work for McGuire Woods, a top lobbying firm.
 
The House Banking Committee will temporarily be without a chairman. The vacancy is caused by the departure of Rep. Johnathan Rhyne, R-Lincoln.  Tillis said he’ll announce the committee’s top post at a later time.