Local lawmakers named to head committees

LAS CRUCES — Sens. Joseph Cervantes and Bill Soules and Rep. Bill McCamley, all of Las Cruces, and Rep. Bill Gomez of La Mesa were named committee chairmen Wednesday on the opening day of the 53rd New Mexico Legislature.

Cervantes, who is beginning his second term in the Senate after having served six terms in the House, was named as chairman of the Conservation Committee, replacing Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, who was elected as majority floor leader. Soules, who is also beginning his second term, will be chairman of the Education Committee, where he had served as vice chairman last year.

“I am honored to chair this important committee," Soules said in a prepared statement. "Getting New Mexico’s children a world-class education must be our goal, and we have no time to waste. We will work hard to provide better solutions to help schools educate every student to their full potential, and to close the achievement gap in our state. High-quality education is critical to creating opportunity for our children to compete for the jobs of tomorrow. Our state is counting on the children in our schools today for its future.”

Those were the only two changes among the Senate committee chairmanships.

The House of Representatives has new chairmen presiding over every committee, as Democrats have won back control of the chamber from Republicans. The Democrats changed the committee responsibilities back to what they had been before the Republicans took control.

McCamley was named chairman of the new Labor and Economic Development Committee. The word “labor” was not mentioned in any of the former committee names. McCamley is beginning his third term in the House.

Gomez was named chairman of the Agriculture and Water Committee. In the last session, that committee also had authority over wildlife. Gomez is beginning his second term.

Other Las Cruces lawmakers named to committee leadership posts included Angelica Rubio, chairwoman of the Enrolling and Engrossing B Committee; and Nathan Small, vice chairman of the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Rudolpho Martinez of Silver City is vice chairman of the Government Indian and Veterans Affairs Committee; and Candie Sweetser of Deming is vice chairwoman of the Agriculture & Water Committee. In the Senate, Jeff Steinborn will serve as vice chairman of the Rules Committee.