New Mexico’s Legislative Council on Friday afternoon named Ethan Watson as the next director of the Legislative Council Service, the state Legislature’s nonpartisan legal research and bill-drafting agency.
The bipartisan Legislative Council, which includes many high-ranking state lawmakers from both parties, selected Watson over three other candidates following a roughly three-hour meeting in closed executive session. Other candidates included current LCS Assistant Director Randall Cherry, State Personnel Office Director Dylan Lange and a third interviewee from Montana.
Watson, who has served as Albuquerque city clerk for six years, told Source NM on Monday he is “excited” to take charge of LCS. In addition to drafting bills and conducting legal research, the LCS oversees the Roundhouse; administers legal cases and ethics complaints brought by or against the Legislature; and responds to public records requests…