 Former House Speaker Craig DeRoche considered not seating Johnson in the state House because of his felony criminal record, but the Highland Park Democrat was sworn in and seated by January 2007.While serving in the State House, Johnson was named Chair of the "Detroit Caucus", which is composed of the twelve State Representatives and five State Senators whose districts include Detroit.He was also Chair of the House Committee on Regulatory Reforms and sat on the Health Policy, Energy and Technology, Banking and Financial Services and Public Employee Health Care Reform committees.