Talk On South Sudan White Rock Presbyterian Friday
WRPC News:
The community is invited to hear a dinner talk on South Sudan 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21 at White Rock Presbyterian Church.
A simple meal of soup and bread will be served followed by the talk.
White Rock Presbyterian Church is at 310 Rover Blvd.
Governor Makes Historic Appointment To Appeals Court
Shammara Haley Henderson
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed Shammara Haley Henderson to fill a vacancy on the New Mexico Court of Appeals.
Henderson is a former assistant U.S. attorney who has been in private practice in Albuquerque since 2017. She is a 2007 graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law and has an undergraduate degree from American University in Washington, D.C.
She is the first African-American to be appointed to the New Mexico Court of Appeals, according to Aja Brooks, president of the New Mexico Black Lawyers Association.
Henderson also Read More
Bill Protecting Victims Of Human Trafficking Clears House
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
STATE News:
SANTA FE — House Bill 237, making important changes to current sex-trafficking and sexual exploitation statutes, has unanimously passed the House.
Sponsored by Representatives Georgene Louis (D-Albuquerque), Elizabeth “Liz” Thomson (D-Albuquerque), Matthew McQueen (D-Santa Fe), and Joseph Sanchez (D-Alcalde), the bill strengthens protections for victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children by increasing penalties and raising the age cut-off of child victims from 16 to 18.
The Read More
New Mexico State Director For ‘Trump Victory’ To Speak Thursday At Republican Party Of Los Alamos Meeting
‘Trump Victory’ State Director Leslie White
GOP News:
The Republican Party of Los Alamos meets 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 in Room 505 at UNM-LA.
The public is invited to hear from “Trump Victory” State Director Leslie White.
After the talk and a break for refreshments, all registered Republicans are invited to attend the RPLA monthly Central Committee business meeting. A light supper will be provided.
Contact: leadership@losalamosgop.com
New Mexico House Passes ‘Chop Shop’ Bill
By MICHAEL GERSTEINThe state House passed a bill Saturday to create tougher penalties for illegal New Mexico “chop shops” that dismantle stolen vehicles to sell for parts.
The lower chamber passed House Bill 156 in a 62-2 vote, which would create a new crime specifically for “chop shops” that knowingly cut up stolen vehicles to sell on the illegal market.
Rep. Abbas Akhil, D-Albuquerque, one of the primary bill sponsors, said he got together with other lawmakers after concern from his constituents with extremely high auto theft rates. National Insurance Crime Bureau data
Extreme-Risk Protection Order Bill Wins Final Approval
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement Thursday night after Senate Bill 5, “providing law enforcement officers with another proven-effective tool to proactively address the scourge of gun violence in communities all across New Mexico”, passed the House floor by a vote of 39-31:
“This is a tremendous victory for New Mexicans’ public safety. This tool will empower law enforcement to keep our communities safer. It will minimize the plain and unacceptable risks of gun violence and suicide all across New Mexico.
“Lawmakers Read More
Legislative Roundup: 5 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
No weed for non-residents: The full Senate approved a bill on Saturday night that would prohibit out-of-state residents from obtaining medical marijuana licenses in New Mexico. Senate Bill 139, sponsored by Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, was passed 33-6.
The proposal comes after a state district judge ruled last year that qualifying out-of-state residents could participate in New Mexico’s medical cannabis program. State officials and proponents of the bill argued that the Legislature made a drafting error last year when it removed the residency requirement
Senate Judiciary Committee Tables Cannabis Bill
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Joe Cervantes
By ROBERT NOTT
The New Mexican
The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted 6-4 to table a bill that would have legalized the recreational use of cannabis for New Mexicans over the age of 21.
When legislators table a bill, it almost always means it will die. And with just one week left in this year’s 30-day legislative session, it’s unlikely the bill will rise from the dead.
Two Democrats joined four Republicans in tabling the measure. The vote came around 10 p.m. Wednesday after some 90 minutes of debate on the issue.
Legislators voting Read More
New Mexico House Bill Continues Budget Battle
By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican
If legislation had taglines, this one’s might be: “How a highly technical bill became the latest partisan punching bag.”
Friday, the Democrat-controlled House Taxation and Revenue Committee approved House Bill 341, which proposes to transfer money from the state’s enormous Tax Stabilization Reserve fund into its operating reserve if the latter drops to less than 1 percent of total appropriations.
The legislation’s proponents say the measure would fix a structural issue created when the rainy-day fund was set up, and would even help the state avoid calling a Read More
Egolf To Recuse Himself From Medical Marijuana Bill Vote
House Speaker Brian Egolf
By ROBERT NOTT
The New Mexican
House Speaker Brian Egolf is recusing himself from taking part in consideration of a bill that would allow residents of other states to obtain medical marijuana licenses in New Mexico even if they don’t have a valid New Mexico driver’s license.
In a letter to Lisa Ortiz McCutcheon, the Legislature’s chief clerk, Egolf, a lawyer, said that because he is the lead counsel in an appeal of a court case tied to the bill, he will take an “abundance of caution” in recusing himself from any part of the bill’s assignments, discussion or debate.
The letter Read More
Governor Defends Passage Of ‘Red Flag’ Gun Law
Lea County Sheriff Corey Helton
…Sheriff Helton said he would rather go to jail than enforce the “red flag” law.
By ROBERT NOTT
The New Mexican
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Friday she will not abide lack of enforcement by any sheriff or other local government official who opposes a new law intended to reduce gun violence.
Her comments came during a press conference at which she defended her support of Senate Bill 5, which cleared the Legislature on Thursday and which she intends to sign into law, adding New Mexico to the list of states that have passed what are called “red flag” laws.
The Read More
Legislative Roundup: 6 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
PERA bill: A key House panel approved legislation on Friday that aims to erase the state pension system’s $6.6 billion unfunded liability. After clearing the full Senate earlier this week, Senate Bill 72, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, was passed 11-4 by the House Appropriations and Finance Committee and now heads to the House floor.
Under the proposed model, annual cost-of-living adjustments would range between 0.5 percent and 3 percent, depending on investment returns, rather than the 2 percent annual raises retirees currently get.
The bill, Read More
Bill Investing Millions In Native Students Passes House
House Appropriations and Finance Chair Patricia Lundstrom
HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:
SANTA FE — Today House Bill 4 a bill to provide the equivalent amount of the full federal Impact Aid to schools and school districts that serve Native American students, passed the House floor. Sponsored by House Appropriations and Finance Chair Patricia Lundstrom (D-Gallup) and Speaker of the House Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe), House Bill 4 seeks to address decades of imbalance in the distribution of federal education funding.
Currently, instead of distributing Impact Aid funds to the neediest districts in full, Read More
Bill 269 Protecting New Mexicans Against Domestic Terrorism Passes House Of Representatives
HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:
Defines and Lays Out Penalties for Acts of Terror
SANTA FE – Today, bipartisan-supported public safety measure House Bill 269 passed the House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil (D-Albuquerque), Rep. Natalie Figueroa (D-Albuquerque), Majority Whip Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces), and Rep. Bill Rehm (R-Albuquerque), House Bill 269 defines the crimes of terrorism, possessing a terroristic weapon, making a terroristic threat, and cyberterrorism and lays out the penalties.
House Bill 269 aims to justly penalize those who attempt to or have Read More
Scenes From CD3 Candidate Valerie Plame Event
League Lunch With A Leader Feb. 18
LWV News:
The League of Women Voters is hosting its Lunch with a Leader community event, 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 in Mesa Public Library.
Ishwarl Sollohub, a concerned citizen and political activist is working to restore American democracy by working toward a 28th amendment to the US Constitution that will reverse the effects of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United.
John Hous joins Sollohub in her presentation. They will be discussing the reasons behind the proposed 28th amendment, strategies to pursue, and how to help the Los Alamos County Council pass a Resolution.
A reminder: It is Read More
Legislative Roundup: 7 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Come fly with me: Members of the House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee voted 8-1 to give wings to a Rural Air Service Enhancement Act that would provide funds for small, rural communities that want to increase air service for tourism or worker transport.
House Bill 377, introduced by Rep. Patty Lundstrom, D-Gallup, would particularly help when it comes to transporting oil and gas industry workers employed on short-term contracts to the Permian Basin, Lundstrom said.
With just a week left to go in this year’s legislative
Simonich: Ringside Seat
By MILAN SIMONICH
The New Mexican
House Speaker Brian Egolf should know better than to mix standup comedy with his weekly news conference.
Legislators are funny enough without ad-libbing a punchline or making sport of a colleague. But Egolf, D-Santa Fe, couldn’t resist temptation.
He and all the regulars at the state Capitol have been buzzing about Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, ejecting reporter Rachel Knapp from a public meeting of the Senate Conservation Committee.
Knapp, of television station KRQE, walked into Egolf’s news briefing Tuesday with the controversy Read More
Scholarship Plan Clears Senate Education Committee
By ROBERT NOTT
The New Mexican
A scholarship plan aimed at covering all college tuition and expense costs for New Mexicans cleared yet another hurdle when members of the Senate Education Committee voted 5-2 to send it to the Senate Finance Committee.
But the bill may face deeper scrutiny once it gets there since a Legislative Finance Committee fiscal impact report says it may cost much more than the Higher Education Department estimates.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the program would cost about $35 million a year when she unveiled the proposal last year. Reacting to concerns expressed early Read More
Legislative Roundup: 8 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Decision on drug imports: Senate Bill 1, which calls for New Mexico to develop a plan for safe and cost-effective importations of wholesale medications from Canada, is awaiting final action by the House of Representatives.
The measure, which received unanimous approval from the Senate last week, comes after the Trump administration announced proposed federal rule changes to allow states to import Canadian prescription drugs.
“Importing wholesale drugs from Canada will enable prescription drugs to be sold at lower costs, saving New Mexicans money & Read More
