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
Senate Committee Votes Unanimously For Hospital Solvency Bill
Jerry Ortiz y Pino, chair of the Senate Public Affairs Committee
N.M. SENATE News:
SANTA FE – Wednesday, the Senate Public Affairs Committee, in a straight party line vote, passed a substitute bill for Senate Bills 314, 368 and 268, designed to allow counties to come up with funding solutions to cover Medicaid and Medicare cuts to hospitals statewide.
The compromise provides for counties to impose an excise tax of one-twelfth percent of gross receipts. A representative from the New Mexico Association of Counties said counties were in agreement with the proposal. A hospital advocate who attended Read More
Bills Improving Transparency of Legislature Clear First Hurdle
Rep. Jeff SteinbornLEGISLATIVE News:
Bills Would Require Webcasting of Interim Committees and Archiving of Session Webcasts
SANTA FE—Two pieces of legislation that would increase the accessibility and transparency of the New Mexico Legislature passed unanimously in the House Appropriations and Finance Committee last night.
House Resolution 2 (HR2), sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Doña Ana, would require that all webcasts of committee meetings and floor proceedings during the legislative session be archived. Currently, session webcasts can only be watched live which Read More
Brewery District Memorial Passes Senate Floor
STATE News:
SANTA FE–Senate Memorial 81 (SM81), which officially calls to establish a brewery district in Albuquerque, has passed the senate floor.
Breweries named in the memorial are Nexus, La Cumbre, Left Turn Distillery and Il Vicino because of their close proximity to one another. An amendment, which added Left Turn Distillery to the memorial, was later implemented. Many of the brewers were in attendance at the floor debate.
Senators Tim Keller, D-Bernalillo and Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Bernalillo, co-sponsored the memorial, saying they’re both excited and happy to see that the brewery Read More
New Mexico Congressional Delegation Supports Minimum Wage Increase
CONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Wednesday, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham announced their enthusiastic support for increasing New Mexico’s minimum wage.
The New Mexico state legislature is currently debating a measure to raise the minimum wage and provide for annual inflation increases to strengthen the economy and help lift more families into the middle class. Udall, Heinrich, Luján and Lujan Grisham also support raising the federal minimum wage.
“Increasing the minimum wage ensures families have Read More
FBI Seeks Farmington Bank Robber
FBI News:
The FBI and Farmington Police Department are looking for a man who robbed Citizens Bank, 500 West Broadway, today in Farmington.
The suspect is described as a Native American male, in his mid-20s, approximately 4’9” to 5’ tall, with a slight to medium build. He wore a white T-shirt, blue jeans, a dark watch cap and black and white tennis shoes.
Witnesses say the suspect walked into the bank at approximately 12:39 p.m. and presented the teller a note that demanded money. The teller handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the suspect.
Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence Read More
DHF Technical Products Bringing Up to 50 Jobs to Rio Rancho
STATE News:
SANTA FE—Gov. Susana Martinez today welcomed DHF Technical Products (DHF) to New Mexico from California, bringing up to 50 new jobs with an average salary of nearly $50,000 to Rio Rancho.
DHF cites New Mexico’s improved tax competitiveness and business friendly environment among reasons for the move from California to New Mexico. DHF will create 35 new jobs immediately, and up to 50 new jobs all together, in Rio Rancho.
“We are proud to welcome manufacturers like DHF to New Mexico,” Martinez said. “This company has uprooted itself from California to plant itself in Read More
NMFRW Hold 2014 Legislative Board Meeting
New Mexico Federation of Republican Women Past President Elaine Miller, left, and NMFRW 1st Vice President JoAnn Johnson preparing to enter the Governor’s Mansion in Santa Fe Friday for tea and a visit with Gov. Susana Martinez. The NMFRW held its 2014 Legislative Board Meeting last weekend during which Miller and Johnson were introduced in the House of Representatives session Friday morning. Johnson, who is the Los Alamos County assessor, introduced Lt. Gov. John Sanchez at a special luncheon Saturday. Courtesy/NMFRW Read More
Officials to Welcome California Company to Rio Rancho
Gov. Susana Martinez
STATE News:
SANTA FE—Gov. Susana Martinez will join economic development leaders at 1 p.m. today in welcoming a California manufacturer relocating to New Mexico – a move that will create up to 50 new, well-paying jobs in Rio Rancho.
The name of the company will be reveal this afternoon. The company cites New Mexico’s much-improved tax competitiveness, along with welcoming local and state governments, as among the reasons for its relocation to New Mexico. Read More
Bill Limiting Changes to High School Graduation Requirements Passes Senate Education Committee
Sen. John Sapien
STATE News:
SANTA FE–Senate Bill 307 (SB307), designed to assure that New Mexico students are given a clear idea of graduation requirements over their four years in high school, unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee. The bill now heads to the Senate Public Affairs Committee.
“This bill gives students and parents assurance that the state will not keep changing graduation requirements for students in the middle of their high school careers,” said Sen. John Sapien, D-Bernalillo and Sandoval, who co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Dona Ana.
Sen. Read More
