At Nuclear Deterrence Summit, Lab Directors Frame Regulatory Reform As Key To Modernization
Lab directors Thom Mason of Los Alamos and Kimberly Budil of Lawrence Livermore discuss efforts to modernize aging nuclear infrastructure and accelerate weapons development during a panel at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Arlington, Va. Photo by Marlene Wilden/ladailypost.com
By MARLENE WILDEN
Los Alamos Daily Post
marlene@ladailypost.com
ARLINGTON, VA.—Appearing together at the annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit, held Jan. 26-28, the directors of Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories said they are seizing an unusual window of regulatory reform to cut Read More
Bill To Strengthen Burglary Prosecutions Clears Senate
STATE News:
SANTA FE — A bill that updates New Mexico’s burglary laws to give prosecutors clearer tools for holding criminals accountable passed the Senate today with bipartisan support.
Senate Bill 100, sponsored by Senators Cindy Nava, Linda M. Trujillo and Rep. Andrea Romero, closes a loophole in New Mexico’s burglary law.
A July 2018 incident illustrates the urgency of the fix and the flaw in the existing law. On the evening of July 30, 2018, a man climbed over a fence into the backyard of Robert Romero’s residence in Santa Fe and made his way onto the home’s portal—a covered porch in Read More
‘We’re Running Out Of Time’: Urgency Builds For Long-Awaited Navajo Code Talkers Museum
By LILY ALEXANDER
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Advocates of Navajo Code Talkers — U.S. Marines in World War II who relayed critical messages in secret, unbreakable codes based on their Indigenous language — have been waiting seven years for a museum honoring the veterans.
Code Talkers themselves — only two still living — have been waiting far longer.
“They wanted to see this museum since 1971,” said Vern Lee, who serves on the board of the nonprofit Navajo Code Talkers Museum Inc. “That’s over 54 years ago.”
“And we’ve got nothing to show for it,” museum board Secretary and Treasurer Albert Damon chimed Read More
Bill Protecting State’s Clean Energy Progress Advances Out Of Senate Conservation Committee
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Amidst one of the driest and warmest winters on record, members of the Senate Conservation Committee passed the Clear Horizons Act, legislation that gives New Mexico a responsible plan to continue reducing climate-warming pollution while protecting family budgets, growing local jobs, and preserving the state’s unique way of life.
Sponsored by Senators Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) and Angel Charley (D-Acoma), and co-sponsored in the House by Representatives Kristina Ortez (D-Taos) and Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), Senate Bill 18, codifies New Mexico’s existing Read More
New Mexico Could Be First State To Formally Address Forced Sterilization Of Native Women
By LILY ALEXANDER
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Somewhere between 25% and 50% of Indigenous women were forcibly sterilized in the 1970s with some of the highest concentrations of procedures in New Mexico, research indicates.
Shocking as the statistics are, getting more specific data than that is tricky.
“The information gap is tremendous,” Keely Badger, a human rights advocate who has researched the issue, said Tuesday at the Roundhouse. “But there is now a global movement to bring the heinous nature of these acts, globally, to the forefront.”
New Mexico lawmakers are Read More
Gun Control Measure SB 17 Advances Through Judiciary Committee Despite Strong GOP Opposition
NMSR News:
SANTA FE — In a flagrant disregard for the Second Amendment and the rule of law, the Senate Judiciary Committee today forced passage of Senate Bill 17 (“Stop Illegal Gun Trade Act”). This extreme measure now heads to the Senate Floor, setting the stage for a costly and inevitable legal battle that taxpayers will ultimately fund.
Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte), the committee’s Ranking Member, led the opposition, dismantling the bill’s premise that targeting the rights of law-abiding citizens and small business owners will somehow deter violent crime.
“SB Read More
New Mexico House Passes $11 Billion Budget, Rejects Paying Counties With ICE Jails
Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Cruces
Chair
House Appropriations and Finance Committee
By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
At the halfway point of this year’s 30-day session, the House approved a proposed spending plan setting aside a little more than $11 billion in recurring spending with boosts in spending for a number of early childhood, health care and public safety initiatives.
House Bill 2, which currently proposes a 2.7% increase in recurring spending for the coming fiscal year, reflects an effort by legislators to make “responsible investments,” Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Read More
Legislative Roundup: 15 Days Left In Session
Rabbi Celia Surget of Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, second from right, shares a laugh with, from left, Rabbi Berel Levertov of the Santa Fe Jewish Center, Rabbi Jack Shlachter of the Los Alamos Jewish Center and Juan M. Dircie, director of the Jewish Community Relations Coalition of New Mexico, during a panel discussion as part of Jewish Community Day at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. Matt Dahlseid/The New Mexican
Santa Fe New Mexican Staff Report:
Shots, shots, shots: Typically, when lawmakers refer to a bill as a “simple” proposal, they’re setting themselves up for Read More
Interstate Doctor, Social Worker Compacts Head To Governor’s Desk
By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
A bill that would ease the process for out-of-state doctors to become licensed in the state, is headed to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk after final passage in the House in less than 10 minutes Tuesday.
The governor has already signaled her support for New Mexico joining the interstate medical compact, and said in her State of the State speech that the passage of Senate Bill 1 was one of her top priorities.
“If a qualified doctor in Colorado or Texas wants to move to New Mexico and start treating patients, this bill cuts red tape and Read More
Jobs, Clean Air Clash In Emissions Debate
By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
A former oil worker and current medical student, Carter Bakarich stood before state senators Tuesday and implored them to take action for the health of his future patients.
“Pollution from carbon fuels brings devastating costs to our communities,” Bakarich told the Senate Conservation Committee during a marathon public hearing on a contentious proposal to put New Mexico’s existing pollution reduction goals into state statute.
The health of New Mexico residents and its economic prosperity collided during more than five hours of Read More
Bill Banning Local Government ICE Detention Deals Heads To Governor
State Sen. Jim Townsend, left, talks with House Republicans John Block and Stefani Lord before a contentious Senate debate Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, at the state Capitol on a bill that would ban local governments from entering contracts to operate federal immigration detention centers. Townsend said it would leave roughly 1,000 people without employment. The Senate passed the measure, sending it to the governor. Photo by Jim Weber/The New Mexican
By CLARA BATES
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Local governments in New Mexico will be banned from contracting with the federal government to operate immigration Read More
Legislative Roundup: 16 Days Left In Session
Jessica Leija tears up a little as she talks about her son, Enrique Leija, who was murdered in 2021, during a Remembrance Memorial for Homicide Survivors hosted by New Mexico Crusaders for Justice in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Leija was one of many who attended the memorial to speak of their deceased loved ones and try to persuade policymakers to pass tougher laws against violent offenders. Jim Weber/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican:
Getting cheesy: Senators spent 20 minutes on the floor Tuesday afternoon discussing their connections to Southwest Cheese — a Clovis Read More
Reasonable Malpractice Reform Benefits Every New Mexican
By DAYMON ELY
Attorney
Former New Mexico Representative
At its heart, the debate over medical malpractice reform is not about trial lawyers or corporate profits – it is about our most basic values. Every New Mexican deserves access to quality health care. And every New Mexican deserves justice when that care falls tragically short.
Medical malpractice is rare. Fewer than 1% of medical providers are responsible for the vast majority of malpractice claims, but when tragedy strikes and a patient is harmed or killed, that patient or their family needs to know that they can get justice in a Read More
Gubernatorial Candidate Deb Haaland Officially On Ballot
Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Deb Haaland turning in ballot petitions this morning, signed by thousands of grassroots supporters across New Mexico, making her officially on the ballot in her quest to be the state’s next governor. ‘I’m in this fight because we need the right leader who can help move our state toward a future where everyone can thrive,’ she said. Courtesy photo Read More
Op-Ed: New Mexico Education Is Improving—Despite What the Rankings Say
By Sen. Bill Soules, D-Doña Ana
New Mexico District 37
For too long, the state of education in New Mexico has been judged by a single metric: proficiency. This metric is only a snapshot of literacy rates, and direct comparison of proficiency between states can be misleading. A new white paper on New Mexico student literacy demonstrates that our students are making real, measurable reading gains over time, often matching or exceeding national growth rates.
The white paper, commissioned by New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders and conducted by Evress analytics, uses Read More
Dekker: Senate Bill 177 Is A Blueprint For New Mexico’s Economic Future
By DALE DEKKER
Founding Principal & Brand Ambassador
Dekker
For decades, New Mexico has talked about economic diversification. Senate Bill 177, sponsored by Sen. George Munoz is what it looks like when we finally decide to do it.
This legislation is not a collection of disconnected appropriations. It is a strategic investment plan – one that recognizes where the global economy is heading and positions New Mexico to compete, lead, and win in that future. At its core, SB 177 acknowledges a simple truth: states that invest intentionally in innovation, talent, and infrastructure will Read More
Deb Haaland Rallies In Support Of Land Grant, Acequia Funding At Roundhouse’s Annual Acequia Day
Deb Haaland shows support for Land Grant and Acequia infrastructure at the Roundhouse. Courtesy photo
Deb Haaland Campaign:
SANTA FE — Deb Haaland, candidate for New Mexico governor, rallied in support for Land Grand and Acequia infrastructure funding alongside land grant and acequia community leaders at the Roundhouse. At the event, Haaland announced her support for House Bill 21, the Land Grant-Merced Acequia Infrastructure Act, currently under consideration in the legislature.
Deb Haaland has long been a proponent of the traditional land and water management systems which are Read More
Medical Community Opposes HB 213 Citing Patient Safety, Surgical Standards, And Proper Oversight
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Local medical students, ophthalmology residents, and doctors provided public comments cautioning policymakers that eye surgery is complex, high-risk medical care that requires physician-led training, supervision, and oversight to protect patient safety. Despite references in committee to a stakeholder compromise, no consensus exists among physicians or professional organizations regarding the expansion of laser eye surgery authority in HB 213.
HB 213 was rolled by the House Health and Human Services Committee and will be heard by the committee on Wednesday Read More
‘Leftover From A Bygone Era’ … McQueen Proposes New Mexico Legislature Changes
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Another year, another effort by Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, to change how the New Mexico Legislature does business.
Sponsored by McQueen, House Joint Resolution 6 proposes amending the state constitution to consolidate the Legislature’s alternating 30- and 60-day sessions into annual 45-day sessions.
The measure also would allow all legislation to be considered in every session, rather than limiting 30-day sessions to budget-related bills or matters that secure approval from the governor.
A similar resolution, also proposed by McQueen, Read More
Western Governors Issue Statement On Colorado River Mtg.
From the office of Gov. Lujan Grisham
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham attended a historic meeting today in Washington, D.C. with governors and representatives of seven Western states to discuss the Colorado River Compact.
The governors of New Mexico, California, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and Nevada were convened by U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgam. The governors issued the following joint statement after the meeting:
“Today’s meeting gave each governor an opportunity to explain their position with respect to the Colorado River Basin issue. All acknowledged that a Read More
