Legislators Ask AG to Expand Investigation of Controversial Lease Award
New Mexico Roundhouse
STATE News:
SANTA FE—A group of 14 state legislators, prompted by information learned in the Senate Rules Committee (SRC) this week, sent a letter to the Attorney General Thursday requesting that the office expand its investigation of the controversial lease award to The Downs Racetrack & Casino.
The letter, signed by eight senators and six representatives, is based upon statements made public from three former and current State Fair Commissioners, all Republican appointees of Gov. Susana Martinez. Current State Fair commissioner Kenneth “Twister” Smith, Read More
Senate Passes Legislation to Help State Permanent Fund
State News:
With bipartisan support, the Senate passed legislation Saturday that, if voters approve, will allow state investors to take greater advantage of a burgeoning global economy, which throughout the last decade has proven to outperform current investment strategies required by law.
Senate Joint Resolution 4 (SJR4) seeks to let voters decide whether to amend the state constitution to remove the current 15 percent cap on what can be invested on international securities. Since the cap on foreign investment was put into place in 1992, the global economy has grown tremendously and New Read More
‘Helping Our Middle Class Entrepreneurs’ Act Introduced
U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham
U.S. HOUSE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-1, has introduced the Helping Our Middle Class Entrepreneurs (HOME) Act (H.R. 4052), legislation to support small businesses and encourage entrepreneurship.
Specifically, the bill would simplify the income tax filing process for small business owners who operate primarily out of their homes by creating a permanent $1,500 standard home office deduction. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, home-based enterprises make up 52 percent of all small businesses.
Currently, Read More
Bill to Crack Down on Rampant Copper/Metal Theft Unanimously Passes House
Rep. Bobby Gonzales
NM HOUSE News:
Legislation allows for arrest, prosecution, and sentencing for disruption of Communications and Utilities
SANTA FE—A bill that criminalizes the theft of or intentional damage to communications and utilities, including copper theft, has passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 60-0.
House Business and Industry Committee Substitute for House Bill 239 (Disruption of Communications and Utilities) as amended, sponsored by Rep. Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales, D-Taos, makes it a crime if the theft or damage creates a public safety hazard or causes Read More
Skandera Fails to Receive Confirmation Recommendation
Hanna Skandera
NM SENATE News:
SANTA FE–Hanna Skandera failed to receive a favorable recommendation for confirmation as New Mexico’s Public Education Department Secretary in a Senate Rules Committee hearing today.
A motion for “No Recommendation” stalled in a 5-5 vote. A motion to recommend her confirmation to the full Senate failed on a 4-6 vote. Another motion to reject her confirmation was made but failed to receive a second. The effect of the tie vote means that the full Senate will not consider her nomination for confirmation.
Rules Chair Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Bernalillo, did not take public Read More
Today Marks 129 Presidents’ Days
Happy Presidents’ Day:
Presidents’ Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government.
Traditionally celebrated Feb. 22—Washington’s actual day of birth—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 Read More
Steinborn Introduces Bill to Study Water Conservation
Rep. Jeff Steinborn
STATE News:
Legislation Brings Together Top Water Programs at NMSU and UNM to Study Best Water Conservation Ideas Across the Globe
SANTA FE—In an effort to develop new ideas to better conserve our limited water resources, Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Dona Ana, has introduced House Memorial 83 to conduct a significant far reaching study. HM 83 (Assess Best Water Conservation Practices) would bring together the New Mexico State University Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) and University of New Mexico Utton Transboundary Resources Center (UTRC) to “conduct Read More
Legislation Passed to Address Kirtland Fuel Spill
Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton
NM HOUSE News:
SANTA FE–The New Mexico Congressional delegation is being asked to fund and assemble an independent task force of experts to address the Kirtland Air Force Base bulk fuel spill cleanup—the largest toxic spill into a public water supply in U.S. history (Associated Press 2012).
House Consumer and Public Affairs Substitute for House Joint Memorial 13, sponsored by Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo-19), was passed Friday in the House of Representatives by a vote of 39-16.
The findings are to be reported by November 2014 Read More
Jobs Bill Gets Unanimous Vote in House
Speaker of the House W. Ken Martinez
NM HOUSE News:
SANTA FE–The pledge to create jobs in New Mexico has picked up steam in the House of Representatives. House Bill 273a (Economic Development Grant & Program), an initiative put forth by the bipartisan interim Jobs Council, passed the House on a vote of 67-0.
HB 273a creates a grant program that allows the Economic Development Commission (EDC), which is attached to the Economic Development Department (EDD), to make grants to local economic development organizations.
The grants will be used to hire economic development professionals Read More
Bill to Establish Bilingual Seal Passes House
House Majority Leader Rick Miera
NM HOUSE News:
SANTA FE–Legislation that would cement New Mexico’s reputation as the nation’s leader in bilingual multicultural education has passed the House of Representatives with a unanimous vote 67-0.
House Bill 330 “Diploma Seal of Bilingualism,” sponsored by House Majority Leader Rick Miera, D-Bernalillo establishes a State Seal of Bilingualism-Biliteracyon New Mexico Diplomas of Excellence. It honors graduates who are proficient in speaking and writing a language other than English.
Several school districts and individual Read More
Ranchers May Sign up for Farm Bill Drought Disaster Aid within 60 Days
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture will soon enable livestock producers to sign up for disaster assistance, which the senators helped to pass in the Farm Bill earlier this month.
The assistance is being expedited—signups will begin in 60 days—at the request of Udall, Heinrich and several other senators from western states, where producers have been struggling with several years of drought. The program provides assistance to ranchers who experienced grazing and livestock losses due to natural disasters Read More
Senate Finance Approves Substitute Budget Bill
NM SENATE News:
SANTA FE–A substitute bill for the General Appropriations Act (SB 313), which proposes a $6.2 billion budget package, was approved by the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) and is now on its way to the Senate Floor for debate.
The substitute bill was presented to SFC Sunday with an amended proposal of $17.5 million appropriated to the Department of Education for the Administration’s education reforms. The budget has an increase from last fiscal year of 5 percent in spending and a reserve of 8.7 percent.
The committee’s action to propose a budget is in response to the stalemate within Read More
Senate Passes Minimum Wage Constitutional Amendment
Sen. Richard C. Martinez
STATE News:
SANTA FE—In a 24-17 vote, Senate Joint Resolution 13 (SJR 13), which proposes a constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage in New Mexico, has passed the Senate. The resolution will now be making its way to the House Floor.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Richard C. Martinez, D-Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval & Santa Fe, said he couldn’t be happier that his fellow senators recognized the importance this resolution carries.
“Raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do and passing this resolution is a great thing for the people of New Mexico who will Read More
Amendment Would Cover Fund Gap in Hospital Solvency Bill
Sen. Tim Keller
LEGISLATIVE News:
SANTA FE—Earlier this week, the Senate Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) passed a substitute bill for three senate bills focused on hospital solvency. The bill allows counties to impose an excise tax of 1/12 percent of gross receipts and requires that no action for collection of claims shall be allowed against any patient deemed indigent.
SPAC Chairman, Sen. Ortiz y Pino, D-Bernalillo said that no one was completely happy with the substitute bill, which represented a compromise.
“But there is still a bit of a gap of about $10 million that we’re hoping the state Read More
Tom Church Confirmed as NMDOT Cabinet Secretary
Tom Church
STATE News:
SANTA FE–The State Senate unanimously confirmed Tom Church Friday as the Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Church was appointed as Cabinet Secretary-Designate by Gov. Susana Martinez in April 2013.
Church has extensive experience in the NMDOT. The many roles he’s served in at the department include chief of staff, deputy secretary of business and financial operations, deputy director of administrative services and quality management bureau chief.
“Secretary Church has demonstrated his knowledge and expertise in the transportation Read More
Officials Comment on Radiation at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
Operators prepare drums of contact-handled transuranic waste for loading into transportation containers. Courtesy/energy.gov
STATE News:
CARLSBAD—U.S Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich issued the following statement after an air monitor detected higher than usual radiation levels around 11:30 p.m. Friday on the underground levels of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad:
“We are in close contact with officials at the Department of Energy and WIPP, and we will continue to monitor the situation as more information becomes available. The safety of WIPP personnel Read More
House Highlights from Saturday, Feb. 15
STATE News:
House Highlights from Saturday, Feb. 15:
On the Floor
● House Bill 330, Diploma Seal of Bilingualism sponsored by House Majority Leader Rick Miera (D-Bernalillo-11), has passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 67-0. HB 330 provides for a State Seal of Bilingualism-Biliteracy on New Mexico Diplomas of Excellence for graduates who are proficient in speaking and writing a language other than English. HB 330 requires the Public Education Department to adopt rules to establish criteria for students to earn the state seal of bilingualism-biliteracy. It now heads to the Senate. Read More
Stand Up Against Violence Toward Women
‘I want to see a world where those who commit gender crimes are treated with outrage while those who survive are treated with empathy and respect. I want a world where the media and social norms reinforce how wrong it is for a man to take advantage of a woman’s space, mind or body. Where boys and men are taught to behave and stand up for their sisters, friends and partners, and girls/women are taught that they can go where they want, wear what they want and be who they are without fear of attracting the ‘wrong kind of attention.’ I want a world where all creatures on this planet are respected, Read More
State Fair Director Avoids Subpoena
Dan Mourning. YouTube PrintScreen/Rob Nikolewski
STATE News:
SANTA FE–New Mexico State Fair Director Dan Mourning avoided a threatened subpoena from Senate Rules Committee (SRC) Chair Linda M. Lopez, D-Bernalillo, by showing up to a Thursday morning hearing.
After a string of absences, Mourning finally spoke about State Fair business, specifically the ongoing issue of the controversial racetrack and casino lease awarded to the Downs at Albuquerque.
Two previous SRC hearings left glaring gaps of information about the State Fairgrounds after senators heard previous testimony Read More
Democrat Lawrence Rael Files Candidacy for Governor
Lawrence Rael officially files candidacy for Governor. Courtesy/Rael Campaign
ELECTION News:
Lawrence Rael has filed with the Secretary of State’s Office to become a Democratic candidate for governor of New Mexico.
“Growing up in a tiny town in Northern New Mexico, in the kind of poverty too many of New Mexico’s children are battling—few would have imagined that I would be here today,” Rael said. “Before I believed in myself, I was surrounded by a community that believed in me. That’s why I believe we can be a global leader in renewable energy. I believe we can work together Read More
