Doctors Thank Rep. Christine Chandler For Leadership In Sponsoring, Championing HB 99 Medical Malpractice Reform
By Robert McAtee, MD
Española
By Elena McAtee, MD
Los Alamos
We would like to express our gratitude to Representative Christine Chandler for her leadership in sponsoring and championing HB 99, a long-needed step toward meaningful medical malpractice reform in New Mexico.
Throughout this process, Representative Chandler listened carefully to her constituents, thoroughly researched this complex issue, and then worked diligently to advance thoughtful
solutions. Passing this legislation required navigating significant resistance and complex competing interests, making its success Read More
National History Day Showcase Featuring Local Students’ Projects Presented By Los Alamos Historical Society
Historical Society News:
The Los Alamos Historical Society invites the community to a National History Day Showcase from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Fuller Lodge.
Community members are invited to stop by, explore student projects, including exhibit displays, websites, and documentaries, and wish participants well before they advance to the regional competition in Santa Fe.
The 2026 theme for projects is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.
National History Day is a nationwide academic program for students in grades 6-12 that promotes in-depth historical research, critical Read More
Bill To Fund New Mexico Universal Child Care Moves Ahead With Significant Cuts
By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
A bill to fund New Mexico’s lofty goal of extending free child care to all families appears to be on the fast track to the governor’s desk after the House amended and signed off on the bill.
The chamber passed Senate Bill 241 on a 37-19 vote Tuesday evening after the key House Appropriations and Finance Committee voted overnight to cut the amount the state could pull in coming years from the roughly $11 billion early child trust fund to $700 million from an originally proposed $1 billion. That move was lauded by supporters as a way of ensuring the permanent Read More
Legislative Roundup: 2 Days Left In Session
John SwiftBird and a group of local drummers sing and drum for the Environmental justice rally at the Roundhouse on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2025. The event was organized by New Mexico No False Solutions (NM NFS) in partnership with grassroots organizations statewide to call upon lawmakers to reject false climate solutions and advance policies that protect our communities, land, water, and public health. Photo by Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican Staff Report:
Regents commission: New Mexico voters will decide in November whether to create a nominating committee to vet Read More
Sponsor: Bill Banning Sale Of ‘Extremely Dangerous’ Guns Is Dead — For Now
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN AND CLARA BATES
The Santa Fe New Mexican
After being riddled with a slew of proposed amendments in a late-night committee hearing, the most contentious gun control bill of New Mexico’s 30-day session is all but dead.
One of the lead sponsors of Senate Bill 17, Sen. Debbie O’Malley, D-Albuquerque, said Tuesday the measure is unlikely to get another hearing after the House Judiciary Committee delayed a vote early Tuesday morning.
“There’s not enough time to hear it again,” she said.
“Of course, it’s disappointing that we won’t hear that bill,” O’Malley added. “But we’re going Read More
Ringside Seat: Silver-Tongued Jesse And George Of The Mumble
By MILAN SIMONICH
The Santa Fe New Mexican
As public speakers go, the late Jesse Louis Jackson was the best I ever heard. State Sen. George Muñoz might be the worst.
These two men from different worlds of politics intersected in the news this week.
Let’s start with Jackson. I once covered a crowd of 3,000 waiting outdoors on a cold, blustery day in Colorado to hear from him. It was 1988. Jackson was running late as he ran for president.
The audience shivered for 40 minutes without complaint. Secret Service agents assessed the scene and positioned themselves to protect the candidate. They referred Read More
New Mexico Healthcare Just Got Closer To Your Home: Telehealth Booths Bring The Doctor To A Library Near You
STATE News:
SANTA FE – It’s no surprise that accessing healthcare in New Mexico’s sparsely populated and geographically isolated communities is difficult. There is a vast health and broadband “desert” in this state and New Mexico State Library, together with The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, is working hard to solve this issue through telehealth booths at public libraries.
Designed to fit within a public library space, these 7 x 7 x 10-foot standalone booths are soundproof, private, ADA compliant, and equipped with a computer connected to high-speed internet. Community Read More
Los Alamos Federated Republican Women Seeks Entries From Students For 2026 U.S. Constitution Essay Contest
LAFRW News:
The Los Alamos Federated Republican Women (LAFRW) is seeking entries from students for its 2026 U.S. Constitution Essay Contest.
Since 2015, local students have been winning cash for their essays. The U.S. Constitution Essay Contest is designed to challenge students to learn more about the U.S. 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. The judging is blind.
Students in grades 4-12 who reside in or attend school Read More
Dannemann: The Quiet Influence Of Legislative Committee Chairs
By MERILEE DANNEMANN
Triple Spaced Again
Some years ago, New Mexico’s Senate Judiciary Committee had the nickname Fernando’s Hideaway. The nickname came from a song called “Hernando’s Hideaway,” published in 1954, from a Broadway musical comedy called “The Pajama Game.” The song, with an enticing tango rhythm, is still a staple in the musical repertoire.
Hernando’s Hideaway was “a dark, secluded place, a place where no one knows your face.” The nickname Fernando’s Hideaway was based on committee chairman Senator Fernando Macias, Las Cruces Democrat. It was given because some bills assigned Read More
Video: Councilor Hand Discusses Work Session
Los Alamos County Councilor Melanee Hand discusses the Feb. 10 work session. Video by Kirsten Laskeyladailypost.com Read More
Bill lifting Statute Of Limitations For Some Child Sex Crimes Passes New Mexico Senate
Bill Sponsor Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma
By NATHAN BROWN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
A bill that would remove the statute of limitations for some of the most serious acts of child sex abuse passed the state Senate overwhelmingly Friday, with some recent events providing fodder for supporters’ arguments.
“The last time we looked at this law, we didn’t know what was happening at Zorro Ranch,” said Sen. Angel Charley, D-Acoma, who sponsored the bill, referring to the southern Santa Fe County property once owned by Jeffrey Epstein. “The last time we looked at this law, we didn’t know what we know now.” Read More
Legislative Roundup: 7 Days Left In Session
Rep. Cristina Parajón, D-Albuquerque, center, speaks with Rep. Mark Duncan, R-Farmington, left, and House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, during the House floor session on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Matt Dahlseid/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican Staff Report
Budget battle: The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to take up New Mexico’s $11.1 billion spending plan Saturday.
Sen. George Muñoz, a Gallup Democrat who chairs the committee, said the panel made some 356 changes to the version of House Bill 2 passed by the House.
The revised spending plan proposes a 2.65% increase Read More
New Mexico Senate Passes Universal Child Care
Bill Sponsor Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup
STATE News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Senate voted Thursday to pass legislation establishing universal child care while protecting the program’s accessibility for working families across the state.
Senate Bill 241, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz (D-Gallup) and approved on a 25-15 vote, would provide child care to New Mexico families without mandatory co-pays except under specific economic conditions such as inflation or declining oil revenues. If economic triggers are met, co-pays would begin only for families earning above 600% of the Read More
New Mexico STABLE $25 Match Incentive Extended Throughout 2026
State Treasurer Laura M. Montoya
From the State Treasurer’s Office:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico State Treasurer’s Achieving a Better Life Experience (NM STABLE) program is announcing the extension of its $25 match incentive offer for new accountholders.
NM STABLE is an award-winning savings and investment vehicle designed to allow New Mexicans with disabilities to save for disability-related expenses without losing eligibility for public benefits such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
New NM STABLE accountholders who open any NM STABLE account and deposit at least $25 Read More
State Broadband Officials Tout Investments, Push For Affordability Program
Jeff Lopez, director of the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access, reviews his notes in between presenters during Broadband Day at the state Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Ramah has just a handful of restaurants and few paved roads.
But it’s also home to some 240 miles of fiber internet cables—with plans to add 175 more miles of the connective cables soon, said Margaret Merrill, owner of Oso Internet Solutions, a broadband company that serves Ramah in Western New Mexico and surrounding communities. Read More
New Mexico Senate Passes Initiative To Address Critical Shortage Of Healthcare Professionals
STATE News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Senate Democrats marked the passage Feb. 11 of Senate Bill 14 on the Senate Floor, a piece of legislation aimed to significantly expand the state’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program to attract and retain healthcare providers in underserved communities across New Mexico.
Sponsored by Senators Martin Hickey (D – Albuquerque) and Natalie Figueroa (D – Albuquerque), SB 14 has received strong bipartisan support throughout the legislative process, passing unanimously through both the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee (10-0) and the Read More
Sen. Gonzales: Protecting Northern New Mexico’s Land, Water, And Communities From Wildfire
By Sen. Bobby Gonzales
District: 6
Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe & Taos
In northern New Mexico, wildfire is not an abstract threat—it is something we have lived through, endured, and are still recovering from.
Communities across Taos, Mora, San Miguel, and Colfax counties know this all too well. The Hermits Peak–Calf Canyon Fire burned hundreds of thousands of acres, displaced families, damaged acequias, destroyed grazing lands, and forever altered watersheds that our villages and pueblos rely on. The scars remain visible today—not just on the land, but in the lives of the people who
Legislative Roundup: 8 Days Left In Session
Jordan Garcia, alongside students from West Las Vegas, dance to La Bamba while practicing for their performance later in the day outside of the Capitol building on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Capital outlay bill: The Senate Finance Committee Thursday morning unanimously approved a bill to rein in the problem of billions of dollars going unspent in capital outlay.
House Bill 247, sponsored by Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, limits reauthorizations for capital projects.
A growing backlog of projects and unspent funds has been a concern Read More
New Mexico Environment Department Addresses Repeal Of EPA Endangerment Finding
NMED Secretary James Kenney
NMED News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Secretary James Kenney issued the following statement today regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s repeal of its “endangerment finding” — a policy that has served as the bedrock for federal environment and health advancements for decades:
“Today, the federal government destroyed decades of established policies grounded in hard science recognized by the American and global scientific community. As a science-based organization working to help New Mexicans breathe cleaner air Read More
New Mexico’s Law Makers Facing Medical Malpractice Bill With Higher Caps For Big Hospitals
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico lawmakers are moving forward with a new version of a medical malpractice overhaul bill that would limit the amount jurors could award in punitive damages but includes a higher cap for large hospital systems than other providers.
The House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously Wednesday evening to approve House Bill 99 after stripping an amendment that would have left punitive damages uncapped for corporate hospitals. The bill still has to make it through a House floor vote, as well as the Senate Read More
