These New Mexico lawmakers were named to head legislative committees
Walter Rubel, Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative
LAS CRUCES – Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, has been named chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, replacing longtime leader John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, who was defeated in the Democratic primary last year.
Muñoz survived his own primary challenge last year, and went on to win re-election to his fourth term. He had been serving as the committee’s vice chairman.
The Finance Committee takes the lead in drafting the annual budget, and typically has the final say on any spending bills before they get to the Senate floor. New senators Crystal Diamond, R-Truth or Consequences, and Siah Correa Hemphill, D-Silver City, were both named as committee members, as were southern New Mexico senators Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces and William Burt, R-Alamogordo.