Speaker of the House-elect Alec Garnett of Denver Tuesday named Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver and Rep. Julie McCluskie of Dillon as the House Democrats’ members on the Joint Budget Committee.

This will be McCluskie’s second full term on the JBC. It will be Herod’s first, and she will become the first Black woman on the JBC from the House* since former state Rep. Wilma Webb served on the committee from 1983 to 1986.

In a statement Tuesday, Garnett said, “We have so much talent in our caucus. Rep. McCluskie’s leadership through one of the most difficult budgets in state history was a service to the body and to the entire State of Colorado. The decision to reappoint her is a no-brainier as we chart a course to rebound from the pandemic and get Colorado’s economy back on track.”

Garnett said Herod, who won her third term last week, “has been a leader since the first day she stepped into the Capitol. I’m pleased she will put her policy-making skills to work helping the people of Colorado. She’s one of the strongest voices for working families in the state, and I’m glad she will apply those skills to making sure Colorado’s economy works for everyone.”

McCluskie said that she’s honored by the selection, and to “get back to work on the JBC and to prioritize our students, teachers and critical services as we craft a budget that boosts our economy and helps Coloradans get through this crisis.”

Herod, whose first meeting as a JBC-member-elect will be Wednesday, said “being the first Black woman to serve in the role in decades only heightens how proud I am to be selected. I am eager and excited to dig into our state budget and get to work on behalf of the people of Colorado. It’s time to build back a stronger, more just and equitable economy in our state, and to ensure no one is left behind in our state’s recovery.”

Herod replaces Rep. Daneya Esgar of Pueblo, who last week was elected House Majority Leader. 

The members of the JBC for the 2021 session, in addition to Herod and McCluskie:

• Republican Sen. Bob Rankin of Carbondale, the senior member of the committee, and who has been a member since 2015;
• Republican Rep. Kim Ransom of Lone Tree
• Democratic Sen. Chris Hansen of Denver, and
• Democratic Sen. Dominick Moreno of Commerce City, who will serve as JBC chair in 2021. 

Correction: Sen. Gloria Tanner of Denver was the most recent Black woman to serve on JBC, in the 1999-2000 session.