Legislative Roundup: 2020 Session Ends At Noon Today
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Jennings considers comeback: Tim Jennings, once president pro tem of the state Senate, floated a trial balloon Wednesday. He said he might run for his old Senate seat, which he lost in the 2012 election.
Jennings, R-Roswell, would have to decide in March whether he wants a rematch with the man who defeated him, Sen. Cliff Pirtle.
Pirtle, R-Roswell, represents District 32, covering parts of Chaves, Eddy and Otero counties.
In an interview at the Capitol, Jennings said he also has thought of running for mayor of Roswell. But that office does not open for nearly two Read More
New Mexico Health Care Access Bill Wins Final Approval
STATE News:
House Bill 100 increases access to high-quality health care
SANTA FE – House Bill 100, increasing access to and affordability of health insurance for New Mexico families, passed the Senate floor with a vote of 28-14 Tuesday and today the House concurred.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement:
“Access to high-quality and affordable health care is a non-negotiable priority of my administration. Passage of House Bill 100 will provide healthcare coverage for more New Mexicans by giving New Mexico’s health insurance exchange the tools it needs to ensure
Bill To Relocate State Fire Marshal’s Office Passes House
House Democrats News:
SANTA FE — Tuesday, House Bill 386, helping better serve rural and remote communities by making location and organizational changes to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, passed the House.
Sponsored by Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces), the bill seeks to better equip our invaluable emergency managers and to promote public safety by moving the Fire Marshal’s Office to the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM).
House Bill 386 mirrors Senate Bill 245 sponsored by Sen. William Burt (R-Alamogordo) who has long worked on this issue.
The State Fire Read More
Senate Corporations And Transportation Committee Tables PRC Overhaul Bill … All But Ensuring Its Death This Session
A state Senate committee tables PRC Reform HB 11 Tuesday night at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican
A state Senate committee tabled a bill Tuesday night that would overhaul the Public Regulation Commission, all but ensuring its death this session.
The bill, which would dramatically alter the structure of the state commission that regulates utility companies in the state, had been gaining momentum after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham backed it and the House approved it by a narrow margin Sunday.
The legislation would shift nearly
Legislative Roundup: 2 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Another cup of java, please: State Sen. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, was sipping a cup of coffee during a Senate Indian and Cultural Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday morning, but maybe he needed a second one.
First, Sharer tried to table Senate Memorial 44, which would re-create a 400 Years of Freedom, Restrictions and Survival exhibition that opened at the state fair last summer. It aims to raise awareness about the scourge of slavery.
“I’m not interested in spreading more hatred around,” Sharer said.
The memorial’s sponsor, Sen. Antoiniette Sedillo-Lopez, Read More
Secretary Groginsky Announces Open Application For Early Childhood Education And Care Department Advisory Council
Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky
STATE News:
SANTA FE – Today, Early Childhood Education and Care Department Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky announced the formation of ECECD’s Advisory Council.
The Council – created by Senate Bill 22 in the 2019 Legislative Session – will include stakeholders from across the early childhood community, including eligible providers, community organizations, educators, employee representatives, and staff from the Legislative Finance Committee and the Department of Finance and Administration.
“New Mexico has extraordinary early Read More
Santa Fe New Mexican: Ringside Seat
Sen. Bill Tallman
By MILAN SIMONICH
The New Mexican
Talk about reversal of fortune. After 10 years of defeats, proponents of spending part of a $19.7 billion state endowment for early childhood education saw their proposal rescued Monday from the legislative graveyard.
The Senate Rules Committee cut in half the amount of money the program would receive. But the committee also gave the revamped proposal life as the legislative session heads into its final three days.
Two Democrats who had previously opposed the measure — Sens. Bill Tallman of Albuquerque and Clemente Sanchez of Grants — saved Read More
Bill Creating Path To Import Drugs From Canada Sent To Gov
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Courtesy/The Governor’s Office
By MICHAEL GERSTEIN
The New Mexican
A bill that would create a potential pathway for New Mexico to import prescription drugs from Canada is now on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law.
The House unanimously approved Senate Bill 1, which calls for the state to create a plan for Canadian drug imports, late Sunday night in a 68-0 vote after the Senate previously passed the measure. The governor expressed support for the proposal in a statement Sunday night.
“This measure received Read More
House To Decrease Technical Parole And Probation Numbers
Rep. Antonio ‘Moe’ Maestas
By PHILL CASAUS
The New Mexican
The House late Saturday night approved legislation by a wide margin meant to decrease the number of people on parole or probation going back to prison on technical violations for issues like missing a drug test or an appointment with a parole officer.
In a 47-17 vote, CQ with some Democrats voting against the measure, the House approved a new version of a bill sponsored by Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, D-Albuquerque and a handful of other lawmakers. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham vetoed a similar bill last year after it cleared both the House Read More
New Transparency Rule SR 2 Passes Immediately Allowing News Media And Public To Film In Senate Committee Meetings
Sen. Jeff Steinborn
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Sen. Jeff Steinborn passed Senate Rule Two (SR 2) Saturday on a unanimous vote of 40-0 to allow the media and public to film and take pictures during committee meetings of the State Senate.
The previous Rule, which SR 2 replaced required someone to have to seek and obtain permission of Senate Committee Chairs in order to film.
In previous years citizens and members of the press and public have been occasionally denied the opportunity to film or take photos during committee meetings.
It was the third time Steinborn has passed a Rule change in a legislative Read More
Crafting Of State Budget Could Go Down To Wire
By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican
There was a sign on a key Senate panel’s door Monday morning with underlined writing in all caps.
“House Bill 2 will not be heard today,” it read.
The General Appropriations Act, also known as the main budget bill for New Mexico state government, had been on the Senate Finance Committee’s agenda for Monday but would now have to continue awaiting action, as it has for nearly since two weeks since the House passed it.
“We don’t have the amendments ready,” Committee Chair Sen. John Arthur Smith told The New Mexican. “It’s not an easy process when you have this many amendments.” Read More
Legislative Roundup: 3 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Temper, temper: Tensions flared between two Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday during a discussion of Senate Bill 98, which deals with compliance with minimum wage laws on public works projects.
The verbal dust-up took place between the sponsor, Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, and Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, a member of the committee, over how best to define public records requests regarding employee wages.
Testy exchanges of dialogue and accusations of making faces dominated the conversation for a few moments, and Read More
Democracy In Action: Los Alamos Democrats Hold Pre-Primary
Democrats from Ward C cast ballots for their delegates to the NM Pre-Primary Convention Saturday at Fuller Lodge. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
Democrats sign in at the County Pre-Primary Convention Saturday afternoon at Fuller Lodge. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com
By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post
bjgordon@ladailypost.com
Democrats gathered to hear from state candidates and elect delegates to the Democratic Pre-Primary Convention Saturday at Fuller Lodge.
Voting party members numbered 87, Los Alamos County Democratic Party Chair Cat Ozment said. Read More
Constitutional Amendment Asking Voters To Approve Historic Opportunity For New Mexico’s Kids Passes Senate Committee
HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:
House Democrats Champion Initiative to Lift Generations of Children out of Poverty
SANTA FE – Today, a Constitutional Amendment that would invest tens of millions of dollars every year into the success of New Mexico’s kids, passed the Senate Rules Committee.
House Joint Resolution 1, sponsored by Rep. Antonio “Moe” Maestas (D-Albuquerque), and Rep. Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque), is a constitutional amendment that uplifts New Mexico’s kids through increased distributions from the $20 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) for quality early childhood education Read More
House Passes Public Regulation Commission Overhaul Bill
PRC Chief of Staff Jason Montoya
By MICHAEL GERSTEIN
The New Mexican
After three hours of debate, the House passed legislation late Sunday that would dramatically alter the structure of the state commission that regulates utility companies in New Mexico following frustration from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and other elected officials over how it has functioned.
In a 36-34 vote, the House approved a plan to shift nearly every division within the Public Regulation Commission to another state agency that is under the authority of the governor. It also would make the PRC chief of staff a position Read More
State Republican Party: Progressive Democrats Red Flag Bill Violates New Mexicans Constitutional Rights
From the Republican Party of New Mexico:
ALBUQUERQUE — Last night’s New Mexico House passage of SB5, known as the Red Flag bill, is the latest example of how left-leaning Democrats are tearing away at the fabric of our great state.
By a vote of 39-31, the House snatched away New Mexicans’ Constitutional rights. This legislation, allowing authorities to confiscate firearms if they feel a homeowner may be a threat to himself or others, clearly violates peoples’ 2nd Amendment rights, due process and search and seizure protocol. The bill is essentially a progressive Democrats’ Read More
Senate Bill 137 To Remove Barriers For Professional And Occupational Licenses Moves To House Floor
Scene of the House Commerce & Economic Development Committee Friday at the Roundhouse. Courtesy/NMDT
NM Dream Team News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The House Commerce & Economic Development Committee passed SB 137 Friday with a unanimous vote.
The proposal looks to remove professional and occupational licensing barriers in our state and extend access to ALL New Mexicans, regardless of immigration status.
The bill, which passed the Senate floor with a unanimous vote last week, now moves to the House floor and is expected to be heard soon. If passed, SB 137 will move to the Governor’s desk for final Read More
Happy Presidents’ Day 2020!
The White House. Courtesy/history.com
HISTORY News:
Today is Presidents’ Day, a federal holiday celebrated annually on the third Monday in February.
Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers.
While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a Read More
Legislative Roundup: 4 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Search and seizure bill advances: The Senate voted 39-0 Sunday to approve Senate Bill 270, which would allow for the sealing and saving of electronic information not relevant to a criminal investigation just in case that information could come in handy with subsequent investigations into the same issue. The bill also allows for the destruction of such evidence if it is not tied to the parameters of the search warrant of the case. The bill, introduced by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Renewable Read More
Vendors Cash In At The Roundhouse
Jewelry vendor Daniel Ronquillo, center, with his cart of wares Thursday roaming the halls of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Luke E. Montavon/SFNM
By DANIEL J. CHACON
The New Mexican
Marian Mendez-Cera traveled to the Roundhouse from Albuquerque to support a proposed bill this week but ended up spending a few bills of her own along the way.
“I came for advocacy, and I’m leaving with earrings,” she said about her unexpected shopping trip.
While most people go to the state Capitol during a session of the Legislature to meet with lawmakers, support or oppose legislation or just to watch democracy Read More
