By CONNIE MABIN Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) - House Speaker Tom Craddick said Tuesday he plans to establish a special committee to study skyrocketing health care costs in state government and hopes to set up a panel to study changes to ethics rules.

The health committee will look all state programs to try to get a handle on rising prescription drug and other medical costs, a big reason why the state is facing a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall, he said.

"We haven't done anything in 10 years in ethics," Craddick said after speaking to a gathering of the Texas Association of Business. When asked what changes he foresees, Craddick said, "I've got a whole list," but didn't specify.

Craddick has been forced to defend his own ethics since becoming speaker this session.

Consumer groups have accused Craddick of giving special treatment to a West Texas utility his daughter lobbied for. He also was accused by a state official of pushing legislation to qualify the daughter for state health insurance.

Craddick denies wrongdoing.

The special committees would be in addition to the "standing committees" such as appropriations, education and public health that hear various bills filed by the 150 House members and 31 senators. Last session there were 36 such committees.

Craddick, the first Republican speaker in modern history, promised prominent assignments to legislators from both political parties and said there would be 16 new chairs. He hopes to announce the appointments Thursday.

"You're going to see some shocking things this week when we do appoint the committees," he said. "We are going to spread the leadership across the House and include everybody."

Republicans control the House 88-62. There are 35 new lawmakers.

Representatives earlier this month changed rules to allow Craddick to appoint members to the powerful Appropriations Committee without considering senority, fueling Democrats' fears that they will be cut out of the budget-writing process.

On Tuesday, Craddick promised "an almost completely new Appropriations Committee," saying the panel would include younger members as lawmakers deal with a budget shortfall of at least $9.9 billion.

That's a move Rep. Talmadge Heflin, R-Houston, the likely chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he's been hoping for.

"There is a freshness when people come in," Heflin said. "You're not supposed to know anything, so you're free to ask questions."

In 2001, when Democrats had a 78-72 House majority, 17 of the 27 appropriations members, including the chairman, were Democrats. All were veterans.

Craddick also said the House would likely repeal the state's school finance system known as Robin Hood because it takes money away from property-wealthy districts and distributes it to poorer schools.

But Craddick did not guarantee that would happen before the end of the regular session June 2, and he didn't promise an alternative.

Many lawmakers promised to fix the system during their campaigns. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst also has vowed the Senate would study solutions.

"If we don't do it during the regular session I think the groundswell across the state is going to be so heavy that there is going to be a special session before the next election," Craddick said.