Political News

Bill Shines Light On Legislature’s Budget Process

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
NMFOG News:
 
SANTA FE ― Five New Mexico legislators are sponsoring HB 635, a bill introducing transparency into the budget making process and holding lawmakers accountable for how taxpayer dollars are allocated and spent.
 
“The current budget will be in excess of $7 billion and it is more important than ever that lawmakers be more transparent about how taxpayer dollars are spent,” NMFOG Executive Director Melanie J. Majors said. “HB 635 is a positive step to make the Legislature’s process to produce a state budget more transparent. Historically the budget has been drafted behind
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Bill To Fund New Chapter For NM Passes HAFC

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― Monday, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee passed House Bill 2. The General Appropriations Act of 2019 contains a total recurring appropriations of $7 billion, a 10.8 percent increase over Fiscal Year 19.
 
“I am very proud of what this committee has been able to do and for passing the budget,” said Chairwoman of House Appropriations and Finance Committee, Rep. Patricia Lundstrom (D-Gallup). “The House Appropriations and Finance Committee touches the life of everyone in New Mexico. At the end of the day this bill funds our core governmental functions.
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Public Lands Rally In Santa Fe Wednesday

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
NMWF News:
 
The New Mexico Wildlife Federation is joining other conservation groups in holding its annual Public Lands Rally Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the state Capitol in Santa Fe.
 
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has been invited to speak. The rally also will feature tribal leaders, hunters, anglers and others.
 
Many plan to protest against the scheduled March 28 auction of energy leases on 11,000 acres of public and ancestral tribal lands in New Mexico, including more than 10,000 acres in the Greater Chaco region.
 
Members also will showcase the delivery
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Legislative Roundup: Feb. 19

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
Kenneth Walter with the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs talks to Kevin Lancaster of the Legislative Council Service Monday about an exhibit on Ft. Stanton during History Day at the Capitol. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican

Tiffanie Owen with the Dept. of Cultural Affairs talks to Daniel Betancourt, 5, and Mariana Betancourt, 6, about a Lincoln County exhibit Monday at History Day at the Capitol. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican

 
SFNM News:
 
Days remaining in session: 25
 
Immigration enforcement: A poll conducted for two advocacy groups
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HB 647 Would Limit Cap On Property Tax Hikes

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
State Rep. Matthew McQueen
 
By SARAH HALASZ GRAHAM
Can a 16-word edit to a state statute resolve one of Santa Fe’s most vexing property tax questions?
 
State Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, hopes so.
 
McQueen last week introduced a bill that proposes to amend an 18-year-old law that critics say has allowed corporate owners of apartment complexes and nursing homes plus some wealthy homeowners to receive thousands of dollars in property tax breaks each year.
 
The bill, McQueen said, came in response to a Feb. 10 story in The New
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Student Liaisons To School Board Visit Roundhouse

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
Los Alamos High School student liaisons to the LAPS Board of Education are on the floor of the House of Representaives today hosted by Rep. Christine Chandler of Los Alamos, center. The students did not miss school today during their visit to the state capitol because they were off for Presidents Day. Students include seniors Sonyia Williams and Priscilla Marquez and Juniors Justin Pena, Ogden Berry, Zoe Butler and Ethan Rushton. Photo by Kurt Steinhaus

LAHS students attend the Senate and House Education committees and participate in debates about institutional materials; they also met with Read More

Letter To The Editor: Presidents Day Lament II

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
By WILLIAM MEAD
Los Alamos
 
“This Presidents Day is a day of mourning for the presidency of the United States, which has been hijacked by someone who defies the Constitution, refuses to be president of all the people, and continuously degrades, denigrates, and diminishes the American presidency.” – Robert Reich, UC Berkeley
 
On this occasion last year, I explained why I mourn for America under Trump’s presidency (link). This year, I’ll add a few of Trump’s most serious new gaffes.
  • Placement of Brett Kavanaugh on the US Supreme Court;
  • Mistreatment of refugees at our southern
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Governor Establishes PERA Solvency Task Force

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
 
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today ordered the creation of a Public Employees Retirement Association Solvency Task Force.
 
The governor, in an executive order, established the makeup of the task force and directed members to immediately begin identifying reasonable and measured changes to contributions and benefits that will both prevent the need for more significant changes in the future and address the liabilities associated with the state’s pension plans.
 
“I expect diligent, expedient work from this group
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Trap Free New Mexico Issues Call To Action

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019

This owl is the latest victim caught in a trap and Trap Free New Mexico has issued a call to action asking people to voice their support for HB 366 to get dangerous, cruel, and indiscriminate traps and poisons off New Mexico public lands. Courtesy/TFNM

TFNM News:

It’s time to act … HB 366 (Roxy’s Law) has not been scheduled for its next hearing yet, but it’s time to start reaching out to members of the House Judiciary Committee.

Trap Free New Mexico is asking everyone to send the committee members at the state legislature an email asking them to support HB 366, which will get Read More

New Mexico Commissioner Of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard On ‘Raise The Rate’ Hearing

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 19, 2019

Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard

STATE News:

SANTA FE – HB 398, the “Raise the Rate” Bill failed Friday in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee.

Commissioner Stephanie Garcia released the following statement after the vote.

“It is a sad day when wealthy special interests win out to the detriment of our kid’s futures. The Land Office, with Rep. Lente, proposed HB 398 to raise an additional $1-2 billion dollars for the beneficiaries of the Land Grant Permanent Fund over the next 30 years, which would have a profound impact on the future of New Mexico and of our public schools. Read More

House Committee Passes $462M Infusion For Education

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 18, 2019
Courtesy image
 
By ROBERT NOTT
 
 
The House Education Committee on Saturday unanimously advanced a bill that would appropriate $452 million in new public school funding in the coming fiscal year for at-risk students in New Mexico and millions more for small schools.
 
The action comes as lawmakers and the governors are drafting an overall state budget for fiscal year 2020 that includes a $400 million to $500 million infusion for education to help fulfill a state District Court ruling in a lawsuit that says New Mexico has shortchanged several groups
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Luján, Schatz Reintroduce Legislation To Create Public Health Care Option

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 18, 2019
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján
 
CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) reintroduced the State Public Option Act, bicameral legislation to create a Medicaid-based public health care option to strengthen the Affordable Care Act by providing Americans with a new high-quality, low-cost choice when purchasing health insurance.
 
“Democrats are hard at work developing solutions to strengthen the ACA, expand health coverage, and drive down health care costs for the American people,” Luján said. “A state
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Bill To Raise Minimum Wage Heads To Senate

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 18, 2019
HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:
 
SANTA FE ― Thursday, a bill to increase the minimum wage passed the House Floor. House Bill 31, as amended, sponsored by Rep. Miguel Garcia (D-Albuquerque) and Rep. Joanne Ferrary (D-Las Cruces), would increase the minimum wage in phases, remove the minimum wage exception for tipped workers, and provide an annual cost-of-living increase indexed to inflation beginning in 2022.
 
House Bill 31 includes an amendment to allow for the tipped credit for the next three years so workers, restaurant owners, and customers can adjust to the wage increase.
 
Raising
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Udall, Heinrich, Luján Secure Additional $50 Million To Keep Southwest Chief On Track

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 18, 2019
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján have announced that their bipartisan measure to provide an additional $50 million in federal funding to help maintain Amtrak train services along the established, long-distance passenger rail route of the Southwest Chief was signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) appropriations bill.
 
The Udall-Heinrich-Luján measure would provide resources for maintenance and safety improvements
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Armstrong Bill To Support Firefighters With PTSD Passes House Health And Human Services Committee

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 17, 2019

The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

 

STATE News:

  • Bill declares PTSD a disease that may result from firefighter duties

HB 324, Rep. Debbie Armstrong’s legislation to establish Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a disease that—when diagnosed in a firefighter without previous health issues—can be presumed to have been caused by the firefighter’s service, Wednesday unanimously passed the House Health and Human Services Committee.

 

“Yes, our firefighters are heroes, but they are also human,” Armstrong said. “We ask so much of them—from running Read More

MOWW Meeting Features Sig Hecker Tuesday Feb. 19

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 17, 2019

Dr. Sigfried Hecker

MOWW  News:

This month’s meeting of the Miitary Order of the World Wars is Tuesday, Feb. 19. Guest speaker Dr. Sigfried Hecker, with present “A conversation About Global Nuclear Issues”, during which he will briefly summarize nuclear issues around the globe and then take questions to elaborate on those issues of greatest interest to the attendees.

Dr. Hecker is a professor emeritus at Stanford University. He served as the fifth director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The meeting is at the Los Alamos Research Park in the 2nd floor conference room. The Los Alamos Read More

Legislative Roundup: Feb. 17

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 17, 2019
By The New Mexican:
 
Days left in session: 27
 
Helping kids read: The House Education Committee unanimously voted in favor of two initiatives designed to help children learn how to read.
 
House Bill 449 would appropriate over $4 million to the Northeast Regional Education Cooperative in Las Vegas, N.M., to create a five-year literary initiative involving tutors, professional development opportunities for educators, community reading events and free books to ensure children from prekindergarten to the 12th grade are reading at grade level.
 
House Bill 182 would
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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall Recruits Summer Interns For His Office In Washington, D.C.

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 17, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall invites New Mexico college students interested in gaining legislative or communications experience to apply forsummer internships in his Washington, D.C. office.
 
During the upcoming summer internship program, Udall’s office in Washington, D.C., will host two five-week summer internship sessions: May 28 to June 28, and July 1 to Aug. 2. There also may be limited availability for students who prefer an internship for the full summer, May 28 to Aug. 2. Udall’s office also will offer a scholarship
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Mesa Public Library Hosts Talk On Racism Thursday

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 17, 2019
Dr. Sherri Burr
 
LIBRARY News:
 
Dr. Sherri Burr will give a talk entitled “Race and Racism in the New Millennium: The Economic Impact of Unconscious Bias,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, upstairs at Mesa Public Library.
 
Burr is the Regents Professor Emerita of UNM School of Law, and the author of several books. The talk is part of Mesa Public Library’s Authors Speak series, and is supported by the New Mexico Humanities Council. The Humanities Council describes her talk as follows:
 
“As the domestic and international economy evolves, so too has the discriminatory impact of
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