Brackish water: The Senate Finance Committee passed a bill Thursday that would, among other things, provide funding to study the state’s potential to tap into brackish water.

“This is very much necessary for us to move forward in this area,” said John Rhoderick, director of the Water Protection Division at the New Mexico Environment Department. “Brackish water is an untapped resource that we would be remiss in not studying … as a resource to assist us with our water needs across the state.”

Senate Bill 493, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, would appropriate $60.5 million total, including $50 million to the Office of the State Engineer, $5.5 million to the Environment Department and $2.5 million each to the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and New Mexico State University. 

State Engineer Mike Hamman said the bill is “a critical aspect of the future of New Mexico to fully explore and understand the extent and availability of our brackish water aquifers throughout the state.”

Hamman called the bill “a good start in this direction.”

Camilla Feibelman, executive director of the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter, testified against the bill.

“We agree that our water agencies and institutions need adequate funding to provide the necessary research and oversight for alternate sources of water, including brackish water,” she said. “However, this bill is too broadly written. It needs more specificity regarding brackish water treatment and use.”

House concurs on gun bill: The House of Representatives voted 34-28 Wednesday night to concur with a Senate amendment to a much-debated gun storage bill that has been approved by both chambers. House Bill 9 now goes to the governor.

Under the bill, a gun owner would be liable if the firearm is stored “in a manner that negligently disregards a minor’s ability to access” the weapon. Supporters have dubbed the bill the Bennie Hargrove Act, in honor of a 13-year-old Albuquerque boy who was shot and killed at his middle school in 2021 by another student who took a gun to school.

The Senate amendment would make an exception for situations in which adults authorize the use of guns for legal hunting or recreational purposes.

Third reading: The Senate passed a flurry of bills on third reading Thursday.

They include:

• Senate Bill 275, which would increase motor vehicle registration fees.

“The current registration fees on passenger vehicles and trucks have been in effect since” March 2004, said Sen. Bobby Gonzales, D-Ranchos de Taos, who sponsored SB 275.

Since that time, he said, the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s construction costs have gone up significantly.

• Senate Bill 388, which amends existing statute to raise the minimum age at which a child may be held in custody or detained to 12 from 11.

“The consensus is that 11 years old is too young to be placed in a juvenile prison system,” said the sponsor, Sen. Bill O’Neill.

• House Bill 127, which would increase the statutory minimum salary for educational assistants from to $25,000 $12,000.

Sen. Leo Jaramillo, D-Española, a former teacher, said educational assistants do “so much” for teachers in the classroom.

“I want to thank you for bringing their salaries up and for ensuring that we’re looking out for them,” he told Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, who is among the sponsors of HB 7.

Two or three wheels, five bucks: Members of the House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee unanimously voted to approve Senate Bill 396, which increases registration fees for two- and three-wheel motorcycles to $20 from $15 as of July 1. 

The bill’s fiscal impact report says there were 56,790 registered motorcycles in New Mexico in fiscal year 2022, which means more than $327,000 in new revenue. Those fees would end up in the motorcycle training fund. SB 396 next goes to the House Taxation and Revenue Committee.

Quote of the day: “Indian.” —Sen. Benny Shendo, D-Jemez Pueblo, responding to Republican Rep. Jason Harper’s question about which type of motorcycle Shendo preferred, “Harley-Davidson or BMW?”