SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The first female to oversee New Mexico’s multibillion-dollar mineral resources is proposing to do away with gender-specific pronouns such as “he,” ’’his” or “him” in state agency rulebooks.
Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard says her agency will hold a public hearing Friday in Santa Fe on the proposed changes. Gender-specific pronouns would be replaced by more neutral or specific references.
Garcia Richard says current agency rules use male pronouns throughout to refer to her position. She says it’s no surprise that some written wording has grown outdated at the 120-year-old agency.
The commissioner has final say on the language changes.
The State Land Office oversees energy leases across about 14,000 square miles (36,000 square kilometers) of state trust land to help fund schools, universities and hospitals.
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