Legislative Roundup: 43 Days Remaining In Session
The Santa Fe New Mexican:
Training for regents: University and college regents in New Mexico would undergo 10 hours of training in the first six months of their term under a bill headed to the full Senate.
Senate Bill 19, which was unanimously approved by the Senate Rules Committee on Friday, requires the Higher Education Department to develop and provide the 10 hours of training to regents at all New Mexico postsecondary education institutions.
According to the bill, the training includes:
- Two hours covering the state constitution and state statute pertaining to postsecondary education.
Some Support, Some Have Reservations On Complex Criminal Competency Bill In New Mexico House Judiciary Committee
Rep. Christine Chandler
House Judiciary Committee Chair
By NICHOLAS GILMORE
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Members of the House Judiciary Committee appear ready to support a bipartisan proposal to change the state’s criminal competency laws as part of a larger package of public safety measures.
If approved when the committee takes up the bill next week, House Bill 4 will head to the floor of the state House of Representatives, having cleared its second House committee.
The bill would provide a process for evaluations of competency as well as dangerousness that can be used to order involuntary commitment Read More
New Mexico Lawmakers Claim Intimidation, Bullying By Opponents Of Paid Family And Medical Leave
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
The battle over a contentious paid family and medical leave proposal is heating up and getting personal, with two Democratic lawmakers accusing opponents of the measure of bullying and intimidation tactics to get them to vote against the bill.
The two lawmakers are both members of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, where House Bill 11 is scheduled to be considered next.
The committee chair, Rep. Doreen Gallegos, D-Las Cruces, and Rep. Art De La Cruz, D-Albuquerque, said they were targeted Read More
Los Alamos County Council To Hold Work Session Feb. 11
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Council Work Session is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 in Fire Station No. 3 at 129 N.M. 4 in White Rock.
The meeting is open to the public. For convenience, the following Zoom meeting link and/or telephone call in numbers may be used for public viewing and participation:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85448619994
Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on current location):
+1 346 248 7799 or + 1 346 248 7799 or + +1 669 444 9171 US or + 1 719 359 4580 or +1 720 707 2699
Webinar ID:
854 4861 9994
Tax Exemption For Military Veterans Headed To House Floor
Lead sponsor Rep. Art De la Cruz
SANTA FE — Legislation to improve property tax exemptions for military veterans is now headed to the House Floor after unanimously passing the House Taxation and Revenue Committee today.
House Bill 47 would increase the existing property tax exemption of $4,000 up to $10,000 and allow additional exemptions for veterans with service-related disabilities. If passed by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor, the increase would go into effect for the 2025 tax year, with the disabled veteran exemptions going into effect the following year.
“The men Read More
Tough-On-Fentanyl Bills Move Forward At Roundhouse In Santa Fe And U.S. Capitol In Washington
Rep. Charlotte Little
By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Bills toughening penalties for fentanyl trafficking moved forward today in both the Roundhouse and the U.S. Capitol, dividing Democrats between tough-on-crime advocates and those who don’t think stiffer sentences address the root causes of the crisis.
In Santa Fe, House Bill 16, sponsored by state Rep. Charlotte Little, D-Albuquerque, passed the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee on a 6-3 vote. House Democrats who voted against the bill posed questions about the implications and efficacy of slapping Read More
Health Care Authority Urging Lawmakers To Support House Bill 131 To Protect Vulnerable New Mexicans
HCA News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Health Care Authority is urging lawmakers to support House Bill 131 to strengthen background checks for caregivers and help ensure the safety of those under their supervision.
HB131, sponsored by Rep. Elizabeth “Liz” Thomson, Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, Rep. Kathleen Cates and Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez scheduled for a hearing today in the House, Health and Human Services Committee at the Roundhouse.
The bill proposes additional criminal offenses that would disqualify an applicant from being hired as a caregiver.
These new crimes include:
- Animal cruelty
Los Alamos Federated Republican Women Seek Submissions For 2025 U.S. Constitution Essay Contest
LAFRW News:
Submissions are being sought for the annual U.S. Constitution Essay Contest, sponsored by the Los Alamos Federated Republican Women (LAFRW). The contest is designed to challenge students to learn more about the Constitution and to express original, thoughtful ideas in essay writing.
Essays are judged on how completely and clearly the ideas are stated and supported. Grammar, spelling and punctuation are also considered. This year fourth and fifth graders are asked to submit a poem or art. Judging is blind.
Winners receive cash awards:
- High School: $300;
- Grades 6-8: $200; and
New Mexico State Land Office Confident Royalty Rate Hike Will Prevail With Senate Finance Leader’s Support
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard in her office in downtown Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark
By Alaina Mencinger and Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard is optimistic her yearslong effort to raise New Mexico’s oil and gas royalty rate on the top tracts of land is finally poised for success.
The current legislative session marks the fourth time in recent years her agency has advocated for royalty rate increases, which she says are falling behind private land leases and neighboring states like Texas — costing the state tens Read More
Op-Ed: Time To Recognize Vital Contributions Of K-12 Classified Educators And Pay Them Fairly
By WHITNEY HOLLAND
President
American Federation of Teachers New Mexico
Our K-12 public schools cannot function without classified staff. Bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, educational assistants, secretaries, and countless others keep our schools running. Every student, parent, and even lawmakers have a story about how a classified educator has impacted their life in a positive way. Yet too often, these essential employees are overlooked and underpaid, struggling to make ends meet while providing critical services to our students, families, and communities. Classified Read More
Heinrich Sounds The Alarm On ‘DOGE’ Risk To National Security & American Privacy
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Feb. 6, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, pressed the White House on the risks of allowing unvetted “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) staff and representatives to access classified and sensitive government materials. In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Heinrich sounded the alarm on the risk DOGE poses to our national security and Americans’ privacy.
In the letter, Heinrich, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), and several colleagues demanded Read More
House Dems Shore Up Support For Trade Port Measure After Committee Stall
By Esteban Candelaria
The Santa Fe New Mexican
House Democrats rallied support for a bill to create trade ports in New Mexico after the measure stalled in its second committee Wednesday.
House Bill 19, sponsored by several Democrats — including Rep. Patricia “Patty” Lundstrom, D-Gallup — would allow the state to enter into partnerships with private companies to create trade ports near travel infrastructure, such as interstate highways, railroads and airports.
At a news conference Wednesday at the state Capitol, Lundstrom described those trade ports as essentially industrial Read More
Gun Safety Legislation Headed To House Floor
NMDP News:
SANTA FE — Legislation to enhance New Mexico’s “Red Flag Law” is now headed to the House Floor, after passing the House Judiciary Committee (HJC) by a vote of 7 to 4 vote today.
House Bill 12 would make it easier for law enforcement to use the Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Orders to temporarily suspend access to firearms for those deemed a threat to themselves or others. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Joy Garratt (D-Albuquerque) and Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), and Senators Katy Duhigg (D-Albuquerque) and Heather Berghmans (D-Albuquerque). It would make the process easier Read More
Amendments To ‘Red Flag’ Law Pass House Judiciary Committee
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement after House Bill 12, Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order (ERPO) Changes, cleared the House Judiciary Committee in a 7-4 vote on Wednesday:
“By eliminating the 48-hour waiting period and requiring immediate firearm relinquishment, we’ll better protect our law enforcement officers and our communities. This revision to existing law closes a dangerous gap that puts lives at risk. I commend the House Judiciary Committee for their swift action on this legislation, and I strongly urge both chambers to act with Read More
Panel OKs Proposed Constitutional Amendment Paving Way For Lawmaker Salaries
By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
As a student in Española Public Schools, Democratic state Sen. Leo Jaramillo predicted the future.
“In the fourth grade, Leo Jaramillo stood up and probably said, ‘I will win an election one day to help the people of Española Valley’ — because I wanted to help those who helped me,” he told fellow members of the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday morning.
He was no stranger to donated Christmas gifts and food bank distributions as a child, said Jaramillo, the committee’s vice chair.
He later learned New Mexico Read More
Heinrich, Moran Introduce Legislation To Create Pathways To Stable Careers, Expand Access To Apprenticeships & Technical Education
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the Apprenticeship Pathways Act, legislation to create pathways to high-demand careers for high school students by expanding access to apprenticeships and technical education. Heinrich introduced the bill with U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).
Apprenticeships and technical education offer a direct path to acquiring in-demand skills, and early exposure to industries can encourage more students to pursue careers in those professions. Expanding apprenticeship programs for high school students can Read More
Legislative Roundup: 44 Days Left In Session
The Santa Fe New Mexican:
Data privacy and immigration enforcement: Dozens of immigrant rights advocates packed into a Thursday afternoon Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee meeting to show their support for a bill prohibiting public employees from disclosing personal information for the purpose of federal immigration enforcement.
Senate Bill 36, sponsored by Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, would also require state agencies in contracts with companies to sell personal information — such as driver’s license records — to secure guarantees from those companies Read More
Ringside Seat: Give These Two Bad Bills A Fast Burial
By MILAN SIMONICH
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Contrary to popular mythology, useless legislation isn’t only a strain on paper-pushers at the state Capitol. These measures can be dangerous.
That’s the case with two bills before the Legislature. Backers of both proposals claim they would be good for consumers, and they are happy to spread false information to advance that theme.
I’ll deal first with House Bill 59, a poorly written, badly researched measure. Rep. Doreen Gallegos called the bill “clear as mud” after it was presented to the committee she chairs.
The proposal would exempt tech Read More
New Mexico Governor’s Organized Crime Commission Apprehends Suspected Human Trafficker
Yajair Lizzet Lara, AKA Lara Mendez
From the Office of the Governor:
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- Albuquerque arrest strikes blow against organized crime
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SANTA FE – A multi-agency law enforcement team arrested a woman suspected of leading a major human trafficking operation in Albuquerque, marking a critical breakthrough in the fight against organized crime in New Mexico.
Agents with the Governor’s Organized Crime Commission partnered with New Mexico State Police and the U.S. Border Patrol to arrest Yajair Lizzet Lara, AKA Lara Mendez, on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Lara is considered one of the top five human traffickers Read More
State Finance And Administration Dept. Releases Capital Outlay Appropriation Data Highlighting Current Balances
DFA News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) releases updated capital outlay appropriation balances for 2025 Legislative Session.
The state currently has a $2.24 billion balance in earmarked funding and a $3.26 billion balance in capital outlay, including statewide and legislative appropriations. The total capital funding balances are $5.5 billion. Capital Outlay projects move at a steady 25% of expenditures yearly. The state spends the oldest capital outlay funds first, then the new funds as they are appropriated and awarded. As the funding pool Read More
