Rio Arriba County Commission Chair and Senator-Elect Leo Jaramillo will be sworn in Thursday morning. Courtesy photo

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

District 5 State Senator-Elect Leo Jaramillo is slated to be sworn in at 10 a.m. Thurday morning by District Court Judge Jason Lidyard. Jaramillo was notified by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Tuesday afternoon that his term will begin immediately.

“I want to thank Governor Luhan Grisham for appointing me to this role today,” Jaramillo told the los Alamos Reporter. “I am excited to work as an advocate for the people of District 5 as their state senator and I appreciate the call to start the job now.”

Jaramillo said he is looking forward to joining all his new and returning colleagues in the legislature and “striving to rebuild our economy, support our communities in need, and help every New Mexican recover from the devastating effects the pandemic has had on our lives”.

Sen. Richard Martinez resigned earlier this month citing concerns about COVID-19. Local governments in Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Los Alamos Counties all recommended Jaramillo’s appointment when Martinez resigned.

A letter from Los Alamos County Council Chair Sara Scott to Governor Lujan Grisham was approved at the Council’s Dec. 15 meeting. The letter stated that Jaramillo’s immediate appointment would allow his to immediately engage on pressing issues and effectively prepare for the upcoming legislative session by participating in meetings and caucuses occurring this month.

Thursday’s ceremony will be closed to the public but Jaramillo told the Los Alamos Reporter that it will be aired live on his Facebook page.