A former legislator recently reassigned from a post in the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources is returning to the General Assembly, this time on new House Speaker Tim Moore's staff.
Moore announced Friday he's hired Mitch Gillespie of Marion as a senior policy adviser. He's among a dozen people on Moore's staff at the start of his two-year term.
Gillespie was in the House for 14 years before becoming an assistant environment secretary for Gov. Pat McCrory in 2013. The department announced last week Gillespie had been replaced and would be a western outreach director.
Other staff include four holdovers from former Speaker Thom Tillis' office, and two who've worked previously for Moore.
Moore's communications director is Mollie Young, who previously worked for the National Republican Congressional Committee.