House Unanimously Passes Bill To Better Protect Seniors
Lead Sponsor Rep. Joseph Sanchez D-Alcalde
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Wednesday, the House of Representatives unanimously voted Wednesday to advance legislation updating the state’s Silver Alert notification system that alerts the public about missing seniors.
House Bill 197, would broaden the scope of the program to allow Silver Alerts for anyone over the age of 50 who displays signs or symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, cognitive decline, or impairment. Currently, only individuals who show a “clear indication” of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms Read More
New Mexico’s IPRA Overhaul Bill Would Add Fees And More Exemptions For Public Records
Sponsor Rep. Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad
By CARINA JULIG
During a legislative session heavily focused on public safety, a bill that would limit the public’s access to police records as part of a major overhaul of state open records law is set to be considered.
House Bill 497, or “Inspection of Public Record Act Change” sponsored by Rep. Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad, would also add fees to many records requests, extend the timelines agencies have to respond and make it more difficult for requesters to seek damages for violations of the law, among other changes.
The bill was introduced on Feb. 20 and Read More
House Passes 15 Bills In Productive Day
NMDP News:
SANTA FE — March 11, in a lengthy floor session, the House of Representatives passed 15 bills, ranging from efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change and expand access to housing and healthcare to legislation that would protect the rights victims of sexual abuse.
“As we enter the final stretch of the legislative session, we have some long days ahead in the People’s House,” House Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Albuquerque) said. “We’re rolling up our sleeves to continue delivering on our promises to make our communities safer, protect the well-being of our kids and families, and Read More
Key Senate Committee Scrutinizes Paid Leave Bill Without Sponsors In The Room
Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Members of the powerful Senate Finance Committee raised several issues Wednesday about a controversial paid leave proposal that would affect most employers in New Mexico, expressing concerns about startup costs and an unidentified revenue stream for a key provision that would cost upwards of $193.5 million a year.
With just a week and a half left in the legislative session to pass House Bill 11 — which proponents laud as a boon to New Mexico workers that’s been years in the making and opponents slam as a hefty Read More
New Mexico Law Protecting Native Students’ Right To Wear Tribal Regalia Headed To Governor’s Desk
IAD News:
SANTA FE — Native American students in New Mexico moved one step closer to freely expressing their cultural heritage at graduation ceremonies after Senate Bill 163 cleared a crucial legislative hurdle in the House, drawing praise from tribal leaders and legislators across the state.
“Our department is happy to have brought forth this legislation in partnership with our sister agency and our legislative sponsors, as this is an important victory for New Mexico’s Native students and their families,” IAD Cabinet Secretary Josett Monette said. “Graduation is a major milestone, and Read More
Republican Party To Host ‘The Good, Bad, And Ugly Of 2025 New Mexico State Legislature’ With Harry Montoya March 29
By LISA SHIN
Chair
Republican Party of Los Alamos
As a small business owner and health care provider, I have been closely watching the following bills of our 2025 Legislative Session:
- House Bill 11: Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. Liberal economist Harry Holzer has noted, “A mandatory paid leave policy might well lead employers to begin discriminating in hiring against less-educated women in the child-bearing ages.” Indeed, both California and New Jersey’s paid family leave programs resulted in a 8-9% decline in the employment rate for young women. We should not be surprised if those with
Mayor Tim Keller Announces Bid For Reelection: ‘Tough Times Require Strong, Consistent Leadership’
From Mayor Tim Keller Re-election Campaign:
ALBUQUERQUE—Mayor Tim Keller has officially announced his candidacy for another term as Mayor of Albuquerque, aiming to strengthen efforts in tackling crime, revitalizing the city, and delivering lasting solutions to homelessness.
“At City Hall, we are relentless problem solvers, tackling Albuquerque’s toughest challenges head-on every day. We hear your concerns about long-standing local issues, compounded by the turmoil from Washington, D.C. That’s why now, more than ever, Albuquerque needs an experienced fighter who will protect Read More
What A Catch: New Mexico Bipartisan Game Commission Reform Secures Final Passage, Awaits Governor’s Signature
State Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo
By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
State Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, can finally rest easy.
Probably.
After hours of debate Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 42-26 to pass Senate Bill 5, a bipartisan proposal to reform the State Game Commission, which oversees hunting and fishing regulations and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
The proposal secured approval from the Senate on March 1. The bill now heads back to the Senate to concur with amendments made in the House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee Read More
County Shares Capital Project Details At Open House
Los Alamos County Projects Manager Sobia Sayeda shares the status of her projects during a capital improvement project open house held Monday night at Fire Station No. 4. Sayeda explained her projects include the new Fire Station No. 3. The pre-design for the new station is done and an application for a minor rezone will be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Another capital improvement project Sayeda is working on is the HVAC and general renovation at the Betty Ehart Senior Center. General renovation, she said, includes updating windows and doors. A third project Sayeda is focusing Read More
New Mexico Senate Floor Wrap For March 11
NMSD News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Senate convened for a floor session March 11, 2025. Business conducted Tuesday:
Alleviates Social Work Licensing Shortage
Passing unanimously (36-0), Senate Bill 105 allows licensed out-of-state social workers to practice in New Mexico by enacting the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact. The Compact would facilitate interstate services, both in-person and telehealth, increasing New Mexicans’ access to critical services.
“As a longstanding advocate to improve child wellbeing and make sure our social services are meeting our communities’ Read More
Democrats Assail GOP Branding Of Juvenile Justice Bill As ‘Homicide Scholarship’
Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
The state of New Mexico has garnered attention for its Opportunity Scholarship, which covers full tuition and fees for eligible students pursuing higher education.
The state may be now known for a new type of scholarship, or at least that’s the term floating around the Roundhouse.
According to some Republicans, Democrats in the Legislature are trying to reward juvenile delinquents with a — get ready for this — “homicide scholarship.”
Moments before the House passed a juvenile justice bill Read More
Heinrich, Klobuchar Press USDA On Trump’s Plans To Fire Forest Service Workers Responsible For Wildfire Prevention & Watershed Restoration
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, pressed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Trump’s plans to fire an additional 7,000 Forest Service workers responsible for wildfire prevention and watershed restoration.
“We write with strong concerns regarding reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture may terminate an additional Read More
Luján, Boozman Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation To Increase Organ Donations And Save Lives
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 11, U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and John Boozman (R-AR) reintroduced the bipartisan Honor Our Living Donors (HOLD) Act to make it easier for living donors to give the ultimate gift by expanding eligibility for donor compensation to cover wages, travel, child care, and caregiver expenses associated with donation. Each day, 17 Americans die while waiting for an organ transplant, with many of these patients suffering from kidney failure and undergoing costly and painful dialysis treatments. This bill will help people get off the waitlist and Read More
Legislative Roundup: 12 Days Remaining In Session
Bayleigh Garcia, center, writes in her notepad while seated in the House gallery at the state Capitol with her group from Santo Domingo Pueblo Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The group spent the morning visiting lawmakers and touring the Roundhouse. Photo by Matt Dahlseid/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican:
Popcorn and a beer: Cheers to independent theaters.
The Senate gave two thumbs up Tuesday to a proposal to create a special independent theater dispensing license that would allow independent theaters to serve beer and wine to customers during movie screenings or other events.
Alcohol consumption Read More
Lawmakers Sign Off On Forest Thinning Study
By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Sen. Michael Padilla paraphrased Billy Joel before the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee Tuesday: “Of course, we didn’t set the [fire].”
“That was a song, wasn’t it?” he added. “Back in the ’80s?”
Fire is part of the life cycle of New Mexico’s forest, the senator noted. One could even say it’s been always burning, since the world’s been turning.
But Padilla, D-Albuquerque, argued that’s no reason for New Mexico to delay in thinning Read More
Lobbyist Disclosure Bill Advances — Minus Cap On Lobbyist Spending On Legislators
By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico lawmakers want to have their cake and eat it, too.
At least that was the chatter in the Capitol hallways Monday after the Senate Rules Committee voted 6-3 to endorse a bill designed to shine a brighter light on lobbying activities in the state after the panel stripped a House floor amendment many interpreted as capping lobbyist spending at $50 per day per legislator during a legislative session.
Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, who is sponsoring House Bill 143, said in an interview afterward the measure focuses on disclosure, not spending Read More
House GOP: ‘Democrats Are Falling Short’ As Clock Winds Down On Session
Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
With less than two weeks left in the 60-day legislative session, House Republicans sounded the alarm Monday on what they characterized as Democrats’ inaction on crimefighting bills and other legislation New Mexicans have been demanding.
“It’s really unfortunate that we’re asking you to be with us here today when we’re 48 days into a legislative session,” Rep. Rebecca Dow, R-Truth or Consequences, told a group of reporters at a news conference hosted by the House GOP Read More
House Passes Bill To Help Solve Cold Cases In New Mexico
NMDP News:
SANTA FE — March 10, the House of Representatives passed legislation to help law enforcement solve cold cases in New Mexico, by a unanimous vote.
House Bill 340 would allow the DNA of deceased individuals who were arrested for a felony, but passed away before being charged, to be entered into the federal CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) database. The individual’s DNA could then be reviewed to see if it is a match on any unsolved cases.
This legislation comes on the heels of the 16th anniversary of Albuquerque’s West Mesa murders. Feb. 2, 2009, the bodies of 11 young women were discovered Read More
Legislative Roundup: 13 Days Remaining In Session
The Santa Fe New Mexican Staff:
PED overhaul bill gets a chance: Less than a week after the state Senate unanimously confirmed Mariana Padilla as New Mexico’s latest education secretary, the body advanced a resolution on Monday that would eventually remove her position.
Senate Joint Resolution 15, which has earned bipartisan support, passed the Senate on a 27-15 vote, with most opposing votes coming from Democrats uneasy with overhauling the state education system’s leadership structure.
SJR 15 calls for a constitutional amendment to remove the New Mexico Public Education Department Read More
New Mexico Gun Supporters Rally At Roundhouse Against Proposed Restrictions
Armed with an AR-style rifle, Jared Diesburg, center, of Albuquerque joins fellow gun rights advocates during a pro-Second Amendment rally on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the Roundhouse, hosted by the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association and New Mexico Firearms Industry Association as state legislators debate placing restrictions on certain semi-automatic gas-powered guns. Jim Weber/The New Mexican
By ANDRÉ SALKIN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
About 40 gun rights supporters gathered outside of the Roundhouse on a snowy Saturday to express their opposition to gun control measures being Read More
