New Mexico Legislative Modernization Measures Pass House
Lead Sponsor Rep. Matthew McQueen (D-Galisteo)
STATE News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that would allow voters to take steps to modernize the State Legislature.
HJR 1, which passed by a vote of 59-4 would update the length of the state’s legislative sessions. Rather than alternating between 30- and 60-day sessions, this measure proposes 45-day sessions each year. Under HJR 1, there would be no restriction on the types of bills that could be considered in any given session, and veto overrides could be considered for bills from the previous sessions, Read More
Video: Councilor Ryn Herrmann Recaps Feb. 25 Meeting
Los Alamos County Councilor Ryn Herrmann presents a recap of Tuesday’s council meeting. Video by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com Read More
Statewide Plastic Bag Ban Clears House Panel
By Esteban Candelaria
The Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexicans use at least 330 million plastic bags every year, according to the state Environment Department and New Mexico Recycling Coalition.
But they don’t always throw them away properly.
Rogue plastic bags blow in the wind to all corners of the state — clogging waterways, littering the sides of roads and getting eaten by livestock — representing one of the biggest sources of litter in New Mexico, according to supporters of a piece of legislation that would crack down on plastic waste.
House Bill 392, which would place a statewide ban on single-use Read More
‘Promises Made, Promises Kept’: Lujan Grisham Signs Crime, Behavioral Health Bills Into Law
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, left center, sits with Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, left, Benjamin Baker, public safety adviser, right center, and House Speaker Javier Martínez, far right, along with other state lawmakers, Cabinet secretaries, law enforcement officials and community members, to sign public safety and behavioral health bills into law Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
It’s rare for New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice David Thomson to make an appearance at the Roundhouse.
“I am Read More
Luján Reintroduces Bill To Strengthen Safeguards That Prevent Public Officials From Using Power For Political Gain
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Hatch Act Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Act. This legislation strengthens Congressional oversight of the Hatch Act, particularly in instances when the Office of the Special Counsel decides to forgo enforcement. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is an original cosponsor of the legislation. Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“The Hatch Act is designed to prevent public officials from using their Read More
Legislative Roundup: 22 Days Remaining In Session
The Santa Fe New Mexican Staff:
Senate demands new leaders for WNMU: Senators on Friday called on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to hasten her selection of new regents to govern the embattled Western New Mexico University.
During Friday’s floor session, senators criticized Lujan Grisham’s delay in appointing new regents after all but one resigned in recent months. The board stepped down amid significant political pressure — including from the governor — following allegations of improper university spending involving former president Joseph Shepard.
“One single student regent is writing Read More
Lawmakers Consider First Step In Establishing Española Lowrider Museum
State police Officers Matt Broom and Alex Rodriguez take a look Tuesday at Joan Medina’s 1987 Pontiac Grand Prix as part of Lowrider Day at the Capitol last month. Photo by Gabriela Campos/The Santa Fe New Mexican
Arthur “Low Low” Medina, of Chimayó, takes a picture of Steve and Vicki Garcia’s 1963 lowrider Chevy Impala outside of the State Capitol on Lowrider Day Tuesday, Feb. 11. 2025. Photo by Gabriela Campos/The Santa Fe New Mexican
By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Andres Valdez’s love for lowriders is a lasting one.
It began when Valdez, an Española native, was a child, Read More
Legislative Roundup: 23 Days Remaining In Session
The Santa Fe New Mexican:
New representative takes oath of office: Rep. Martha Garcia, a former Cibola County commissioner who was appointed Wednesday to represent House District 6, took the formal oath of office Thursday.
Garcia, a Democrat from Pine Hill, will serve the remainder of the legislative session, representing parts of Cibola and McKinley counties.
“We’re so glad to have you. We are complete,” said Rep. Jenifer Jones, R-Deming, welcoming her new colleague to the House.
Education oversight overhaul advances: Michael Jordan played his last game. The crew members of the Space Read More
Newest Multi-Use Trail In Los Alamos County Has Opened!
Los Alamos resident Brenda Fleming, center, snips the red ribbon to ceremoniously open the Urban Trail for business Wednesday afternoon. Front row, from left, Public Works Director Eric Martinez, Los Alamos County Council Chair Theresa Cull, County Deputy Manager Juan Rael and County Councilor Ryn Herrmann, far right, also take part in the ceremony. The celebration was held on the boardwalk, the signature feature of the Urban Trail project near the Canyon Road tennis courts. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
A large crowd gathers Wednesday afternoon just outside the Canyon Road Read More
Robinson: DOGE’s Undisciplined Flunkies Know Nothing Of Government
By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2025 New Mexico News Services
In the who-what-when that’s the architecture of news stories, it’s usually the who that’s most important and the how that’s least important. But in recent federal firings, I find the how equally compelling.
Consider the slash and burn of Elon Musk and his DOGE groupies at the National Nuclear Security Administration, an agency of the Department of Energy.
NPR pieced together an account from interviews with fired employees. They were shut out of their email accounts before learning they were fired. Some were not notified they were Read More
Denish: Building A Barn
By DIANE DENISH
Corner To Corner
Building a Barn takes a carpenter or a legislature.
I was reminded recently of a quote by former U.S. House Speaker Sam Rayburn: “Any Jackass can tear down a barn. It takes a carpenter to build one.”
In a recent Senate Rules committee on Feb. 17, Senate Joint Resolution 6, sponsored by Sen. Michael Padilla (D-Bernalillo) had its first committee hearing. This is the Early Childhood Trust Fund Constitutional Amendment. If approved by voters in the next general election, SJR6 will mandate the fund be spent only on prenatal and early childhood programs and services Read More
NM Delegation Reintroduce Slate Of Tribal Water Rights Settlements Legislation
NM DELEGATION News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are reintroducing a slate of Tribal water rights settlement bills they are pushing to pass in this Congress.
The full slate of Tribal water rights settlements legislation includes:
- The Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Rights Settlements Act;
- The Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act;
- The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act; and
- The Navajo Nation Rio San José Water
Gessing: State Gets Richer, You Get Poorer
By PAUL GESSING
President
Rio Grande Foundation
New Mexico’s Legislature continues to meet in Santa Fe. Sadly, it continues along the same trajectory it has been on in recent years where the government spending grows while also keeping more of our money and (often) adding an ever-increasing number of taxes for us to pay.
For starters, the House recently passed a budget that increases spending across all areas of New Mexico government. An amendment was offered by Republicans to rebate a portion of the money ($600 each) to average New Mexicans. The plan was rejected by Democrats.
That’s by no means Read More
Luján, Klobuchar, Agriculture Committee Democrats Press USDA On Indiscriminate Layoffs
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and all Committee Democrats in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to explain recent mass layoffs at the Department. The Senators asked how many USDA employees were fired and for a breakdown by state, agency, job position, and veteran status—all details the Administration has not provided to date.
In a letter to Secretary Read More
Baby’s First Bond? Competing Bills Would Set Aside Money For New Mexico-Born Children
Alexandra Alarcon with her children during an early Easter celebration last weekend at Fort Bayard. Photo by Alexandra Alarcon
By Esteban Candelaria
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Alexandra Alarcon, a Silver City single mother of three, lives day to day.
Juggling her daughters’ schooling, sports and her own work, the 33-year-old said saving for her children’s futures is a challenge.
But a $6,000 baby bond her youngest daughter, Adryan Raye, received last year as part of a statewide pilot program was like a weight lifted off Alarcon’s shoulders.
“It’s such a relief,” she said of the bond, Read More
Senate Passes Bill To Take Over Water Regulation
By Alaina Mencinger
The Santa Fe New Mexican
“Whiskey’s for drinking, water’s for fighting.”
A cliche, perhaps, but it rang true Wednesday night as state senators butted heads over the impact of a major overhaul of New Mexico’s water regulations.
Some Republican senators questioned whether Senate Bill 21 went too far and could harm economic development. But bill sponsor Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said the measure maintained a 50-year “status quo” by mirroring federal protections that were in place for decades — at least Read More
Governor All But Guarantees Special Session Later This Year To Deal With Federal Funding Cuts
‘When you have such wild swings at the federal level, states have to be in a position to respond to any number of things, so I am predicting right now that when the federal budget, whatever that is, occurs, we’re going to need a special session by October just to deal with health care and to keep our rural hospitals open,’ Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. Photo by Daniel J. Chacón/The New Mexican
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
ALBUQUERQUE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told members of Albuquerque’s business community Wednesday Read More
Governor Appoints Martha Garcia For House District 6
Martha Garcia
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the appointment of former Cibola County Commissioner Martha Garcia of Pine Hill to fill the vacant seat in House District 6.
District 6 includes parts of Cibola and McKinley counties, including the Village of Milan, the Pueblo of Zuni, and parts of the Navajo Nation.
“I’m proud to appoint Martha Garcia, whose proven leadership as a former Cibola County Commissioner and clear qualification as a district resident make her the right choice to serve the people of House District 6,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said.
The Read More
Bill Tightening Red Flag Gun Law Passes House
By Esteban Candelaria
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Imagine a scenario.
Amid concerns from a loved one that a person with a gun is unstable and may hurt themselves or others, a judge has granted local law enforcement an “extreme risk firearm protection order” under New Mexico’s so-called red flag law, allowing police to take that weapon away.
But that person has 48 hours to hand over their guns under current law. and now knows their loved one turned them in. As a result, lawmakers pushing a bill to revise the state’s red flag law say that family may be at even greater risk of being hurt.
“We’re putting people Read More
Stansbury Votes Against Harmful GOP Budget Resolution
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) released the following statement after voting “no” on the GOP’s proposed budget resolution:
“This budget resolution is one of the greatest heists in American History—as the GOP loots vital and life-saving programs to pay for permanent tax breaks for billionaires.
“I voted ‘no,’ and will continue to vote against any resolution that will harm working Americans. Cutting more than $1 trillion in funding for vital programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and food assistance is unacceptable. Read More
