Political News

House committee likes smell of chile bill: The 2023 bill that has gotten perhaps the most attention outside of New Mexico received another favorable vote Saturday morning.

The House, Government and Indian Affairs Committee voted unanimously to advance Senate Bill 188, which is being sponsored by Sen. William Soules, D-Las Cruces, and would make the smell of roasting green chile New Mexico’s official state aroma.

“I love that we spell it with an e, which is proper, unlike Colorado, which doesn’t have real chile,” said Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo. Read More

NM Senate News:

With one week until the First Session of the 56th Legislature adjourns sine die, the Senate convened for an afternoon floor session on March 11, 2023. Through the legislation passed today the Senate is making solar energy more affordable, ensuring Medicaid recipients have transportation to medical care, and supporting programs proven to be vital for New Mexico’s youth. Additionally the Senate passed legislation which:

Commemorates New Mexico’s Views and Traditions

The Senate approved several measures to create commemorative special registration license plates, honoring Read More

Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. George Muñoz

By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
dchacon@sfnewmexican.com

The Senate Finance Committee endorsed a revised $9.57 billion spending plan Saturday that would increase the state’s spending in the upcoming fiscal year by nearly 14%.

The full Senate is expected to consider the proposed budget on the floor Sunday afternoon.

Tax rebates for New Mexicans are still on the table but what the final figure will be is still up in the air amid ongoing discussions at the Roundhouse on an omnibus tax policy bill.

Charles Sallee, deputy director for budget for the Legislative Read More

NMDP News:

SANTA FE — Friday, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed House Bill 306 with broad bipartisan support by a vote of 62-3.

House Bill 306 would prevent felons from using a loophole to gain access to firearms. The bill aligns New Mexico laws with existing federal law prohibiting and penalizing individuals who purchase and transfer firearms to felons.

“New Mexicans have sent a clear mandate to lawmakers that we must take crime seriously and we must get tough on criminals, including those that assist in skirting laws to provide illegal access to firearms,” said lead sponsor House Read More

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
dchacon@sfnewmexican.com

Every statewide elected official except the highest-ranking one — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham — would get a hefty raise this year under a bill the Senate passed today.

The decision to exclude the chief executive from a proposal to add nearly $60,000 to officials’ base salaries came amid concerns first raised late Friday the governor would be breaking the law if she signed a bill giving herself a raise.

“I see many sections of the [Governmental Conduct Act] that would be implicated and, in fact, language that would suggest Read More

By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
dchacon@sfnewmexican.com

The Senate Rules Committee endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment Friday that would pave the way for paying New Mexico’s 112 legislators a base salary.

But money — or lack of it — could lead to its demise.

Committee Chairwoman Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, warned the measure is doomed to fail if placed on next year’s ballot unless it’s backed by a well-funded campaign.

House Joint Resolution 8, which the committee passed on a 5-4 party-line vote, would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to allow for legislative salaries, as well Read More

The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

By ROBERT NOTT
and DANIEL J CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican

A bill to stop local governments from restricting abortion or gender-affirming health care is headed to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk.

The House of Representatives voted 39-29 Friday night, with the Republicans and a few Democrats opposed, to concur with some minor Senate changes to House Bill 7. Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who made protecting abortion rights a major theme of her reelection campaign last year, is expected to sign the measure.

Meanwhile, an emotional and highly charged debate Read More

Cowboys for Cancer: Both chambers unanimously approved memorials proclaiming Friday “Cowboys for Cancer Research Day”.

Cowboys for Cancer Research started in 1981 after some cowboys held a team roping benefit in memory of Alma Cohorn, who died of cancer in 1981. She was the wife of roper Kenneth Cohorn, who died of heart problems in 2019.

The money raised from the event went to the University of New Mexico’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 1999, the Alma Cohorn Memorial/C4CR Endowment was established within the cancer center to support cancer Read More

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury

STATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thursday, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01), a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, highlighted the national security concerns embedded in House H.R.140 during the bill’s floor amendment debate.

Rep. Stansbury voted to amend the legislation in a markup last week to defend the nation’s democratic elections and the First Amendment. Those amendments received no Republican votes.

Rep. Stansbury spoke out against two amendments to the bill that require New Mexico’s nearly 30,000 federal employees—and Read More

Brackish water: The Senate Finance Committee passed a bill Thursday that would, among other things, provide funding to study the state’s potential to tap into brackish water.

“This is very much necessary for us to move forward in this area,” said John Rhoderick, director of the Water Protection Division at the New Mexico Environment Department. “Brackish water is an untapped resource that we would be remiss in not studying … as a resource to assist us with our water needs across the state.”

Senate Bill 493, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, Read More