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Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5), who has only been on the D.C. Council since being elected in a special election in May, was picked by Council Chair Phil Mendelson yesterday to serve as the legislature’s ceremonial second-in-command, the chairman pro tempore.

While the position confers little actual authority, it’s a highly coveted title to have. For years the role was filled by Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), one of the longest-serving members of the council, before being replaced by Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) in January 2011.

After former Chair Kwame Brown resigned earlier this year, Cheh led the council briefly as it picked a successor; during that debate, Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large) led an unsuccessful and wholly memorable charge to claim the title, but lost out to outgoing Councilmember Michael Brown (I-At Large).

Mendelson made the announcement along with the usual reshuffling of council committee assignments that happens ahead of the start of a new council session. In big news, Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large) was picked to head the new Education Committee, which hasn’t existed as a stand-alone for the past six years. He fought for the committee two years ago, but Brown decided to keep it under the umbrella of the Committee of the Whole. Catania was the only councilmember to attend all four recent community meetings on a proposal to close 20 schools.

In other shifts, Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) will lead the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, while Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) will head up the powerful Committee on Economic Development. McDuffie will take charge of the Committee on Government Operations, where he will be able to move stalled legislation on campaign finance reform.

One thing that didn’t change—and won’t seemingly ever change—is the oversight of the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, which will again remain with Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). Some of Graham’s colleagues have complained that he has kept oversight over the city’s liquor laws even while he has chaired committees that have nothing to do with booze. Currently, for example, he chairs the Committee on Human Services, even as the Committee on Public Services and Community Affairs—chaired by Councilmember Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7)—would be the more logical place to keep liquor oversight.