Measure Amending Private College Disclosures Clears House
STATE News:
SANTA FE — The House of Representatives passed House Bill 17 Thursday to require private post-secondary institutions in New Mexico and online to disclose to every prospective student the total estimated cost of attendance for the prospective student’s program, as well as data about average future earnings for the student.
House Bill 17 will assist students in making the most cost-efficient enrollment decisions when choosing to attend private post-secondary institutions including nonprofit and for-profit institutions and significantly cut down on predatory recruitment Read More
Reporter Kicked Out Of Senate Committee Meeting
Scene from the public committee meeting Thursday during which state senators kicked a television reporter out, telling her she was not allowed to film the hearing. Courtesy/New Mexican
By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican
State senators kicked a television reporter out of a public committee meeting Thursday, telling her she was not allowed to film the hearing.
Rachel Knapp, who covers the Legislature for KRQE-TV, was filming the Senate Conservation Committee’s deliberations on a hazardous waste bill when Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez interrupted the meeting to ask the reporter Read More
House Passes Measure To Protect Pregnant Worker Jobs
NMDP News:
SANTA FE — The House of Representatives passed House Bill 25 Thursday, the Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act, sponsored by Rep. Gail Chasey (D-Albuquerque), and Sen. Liz Stefanics (D-Cerrillos), that requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers so they may continue to work.
The Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act would ensure that women and other pregnant employees can continue to earn a living while maintaining a healthy pregnancy and being reassured of their job security.
House Bill 25 amends the Human Rights Act to include protections for pregnant Read More
House Taxation And Revenue Committee Tables Bills Aimed At Exempting Social Security Tax
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican
The House Taxation and Revenue Committee tabled two bills Friday that proposed to eliminate or reduce the state’s tax on Social Security income.
Key legislators had previously voiced support for House Bills 29 and 77, and the majority of public attendees who spoke favored it at Friday’s committee hearing. Yet Democratic and Republican legislators alike said they were worried about altering the tax without having a plan in place to replace the revenue that would be lost.
“You can’t have Read More
Honoring Women’s Right To Vote With Musical
Members of the Los Alamos League of Women Voters gather Thursday for League Day at the Roundhouse with Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler, center, to celebrate New Mexico’s vote to ratify the 19th Amendment 100 years ago this month. Courtesy photo
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks to an enthusiastic audience of Read More
House Committee Hears Probation & Parole Reform Bill
Chief Public Defender Ben Baur
Lawmakers continued to tussle Friday over a bill aimed at saving the state $40 million a year by reducing the number of parolees who are re-incarcerated over technical violations such as testing positive for drugs or missing appointments with their probation officers.
House Bill 263 is a much tinkered with version of a bill that passed both houses with bipartisan support last year, but was vetoed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham at the behest of Attorney General Hector Balderas and the state’s district attorneys, who said they hadn’t
Legislative Roundup: 13 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Free lunch for more kids: A measure that would provide $650,000 to cover the breakfast and lunch copays for more than 12,000 public school students in New Mexico who qualify for reduced-price meals through a federal program received unanimous support Friday from lawmakers on the House Education Committee.
House Bill 10, introduced by Reps. Willie Madrid, D-Chaparral, and Melanie Stanbury, D-Albuquerque, and backed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, would both create a safety net for low-income families and protect public school districts and charter schools Read More
Extreme-Risk Protection Order Legislation Clears Senate
STATE News:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday issued the following statement 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 Senate floor by a vote of 22-20.
“If we have in front of us the means to save even one life, the life of one of our neighbors, a member of our extended New Mexico family, we must take it up. With Senate Bill 5, we do, and we are.
“The senators voting yes today showed courage and backbone. All of New Mexico owes them thanks
Democratic Party Of Los Alamos County Meets Monday
DPLA News:
The Democratic Party of Los Alamos County meet 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb 10 in Building 6 at UNM-LA.
The featured speaker is Pat Davis, an Albuquerque City Councilor and Chair of the Governor’s cannabis legalization working group.
The featured speaker for the Monday, March 9 meeting is State Auditor Brian Colón.
Note the following change in location for meetings in summer 2020:
- May, July and August the Los Alamos Democrats will meet the usual day and time, 6:30 p.m. second Monday in the White Rock Public Library; and
- The meeting in June is canceled.
Legislation To Combat Elder Abuse Passes Committee
HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:
A Task Force Would Study and Make Recommendations for Penalties for the Abuse of Senior Citizens and Adults with Disabilities
SANTA FE − House Memorial 10 sponsored by Rep. Deborah Armstrong (D-Albuquerque) today passed the House Health and Human Services Committee.
The memorial seeks to address the growing incidence of elder abuse and abuse of adults with disabilities. It directs the non-profit Senior Citizens Law Office to convene a task force to study abuse, especially financial, and recommend civil and criminal penalties to be enacted.
“Elder abuse – financial Read More
Legislative Roundup: 14 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
Tell us what it costs: The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Thursday that would require private colleges to disclose the total estimated cost of attendance to prospective students.
House Bill 17, sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, and Rep. Liz Stefanics, D-Cerrillos, is aimed at helping students make cost-efficient enrollment decisions and avoid “predatory recruitment practices”.
“Too many students are left with little choice but to go into untenable debt or give up on attending college because they don’t believe Read More
Senate Committee Passes ‘Red Flag’ Legislation
Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces
By ROBERT NOTT
The New Mexican
So-called “red flag” legislation narrowly cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday by a vote of 6-5.
Senate Bill 5, also known as the Extreme Risk Firearm Protection Order Act, now moves to the Senate floor for consideration.
It would allow law enforcement officers to petition for a court order to take away a person’s firearms. A judge would require the person to give up their guns for 10 days — an order that could be extended to one year — if probable cause is found that the person poses a threat to themselves or others.
The Read More
New Mexico House Passes $7.6 Billion Spending Plan
From left, Republican Reps. Kelly Fajardo of Los Lunas, Jim Townsend of Artesia, Rod Montoya of Farmington and Jason Harper of Rio Rancho announce an alternative state budget plan Wednesday that calls for less spending and higher reserves than legislation set to be considered by the full House. Photo by Jens Gould/The New Mexican
By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican
The state House approved a $7.6 billion budget bill Wednesday, after Republicans criticized it and proposed an alternate plan during a floor debate.
The House passed House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Act of 2020, by a vote of 46-24 Read More
Legislative Roundup: 14 Days Remaining In Session
Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:
The bill, please: One thing state lawmakers love to do is introduce legislation. Wednesday, the midway point for this year’s 30-day session, also was the last day for legislators to file bills for consideration.
As of 5 p.m., they had filed over 725 bills, memorials and resolutions — many of which are unlikely to make it to a committee hearing, let alone pass through both chambers of the Legislature. The session ends at noon Feb. 20.
Makes census to me: The House of Representatives voted 68-0 Wednesday to approve Senate Bill 4, which appropriates a one-time Read More
Senate Committee Passes Amended Bill For Brain Trauma Study
Sen. Jeff Steinborn
By DANIELLE PROKOP
The New Mexican
Brain injury survivors, advocates and doctors say countless patients in the state have struggled for years to get adequate treatment and support following a stroke or blow to the head.
Now they’re asking the New Mexico Legislature to study the gaps in care in an effort to build a better treatment system.
The Senate Public Affairs Committee passed an amended version of Senate Bill 88 Tuesday, which would earmark $150,000 for the state Department of Health to contract a study on existing resources for treating traumatic brain injuries Read More
Human Services Department: $1.535 Million For Primary Care Graduate Medical Education … Seeking Applicants
HSD News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced Tuesday the availability of $1.535 million for primary care GME programs in New Mexico.
The funding addresses the urgent need of increased healthcare access and primary care physician workforce expansion. The department is soliciting applicants for first-year residency positions in New Mexico.
Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2020 and more information, including the Request for Application, can be found at: https://www.hsd.state.nm.us/gme-expansion.aspx.
“Healthcare workforce expansion Read More
Stewart Bill To Help Educators Better Teach Reading Unanimously Passes Senate Education Committee
SENATE News:
SB 74 Creates Voluntary Professional Development, Targets Young At-Risk Students
The Senate Education Committee today unanimously passed Sen. Mimi Stewart’s bill to create a voluntary professional development program to help teachers better work with students learning to read.
“When a child learns to read, the world opens up to them,” Stewart said. “Having taught reading myself for years, though, I know that students and educators face many hurdles. By creating this unique literacy education learning opportunity for teachers, we will help teachers master the most up-to-date
Sean Williams Announces Run For Los Alamos County Council
Sean Williams
Democratic Candidate for County Council
POLITICAL News:
As a local small business owner, I know firsthand many of the struggles the business community endures. As a resident of Los Alamos County, I know firsthand the frustration of having two blighted downtowns. As a homeowner, I sympathize deeply with those unable to find homes of their own.
These problems are complicated, but they can be overcome. We can have vibrant commercial centers in both Los Alamos and White Rock, full of restaurants, shops and services. We can have residential density where it’s appropriate, while preserving Read More
Spending Plan To Increase Pay For New Mexico’s Teachers
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
A key House budget panel met Saturday to review a spending plan that offers higher K-12 teacher pay raises and more money for early childhood services than suggested by the Legislative Finance Committee.
The House Appropriations and Finance Committee reviewed a spending proposal that includes about $61 million more than recommended by the LFC, coming close to midway between Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s and the LFC’s competing budget plans, which featured a $132 million
Governor Remarks On Unanimous Senate Confirmation Of Elizabeth Groginsky As State’s First-Ever Secretary Of New Early Childhood Education And Care Department
Elizabeth Groginsky
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement this afternoon after the New Mexico Senate unanimously confirmed Elizabeth Groginsky’s appointment as the state’s first-ever secretary of the new Early Childhood Education and Care Department:
“Today is a great day for New Mexico children and families and an important day for our administration’s concerted effort to improve childhood well-being in New Mexico. Elizabeth Groginsky has already earned the respect of the early childhood community in New Mexico – as underscored Read More
