Healthcare

Luján Statement On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Legislation To Halt All Lethal Trafficking Of Fentanyl

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U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on the March 14 Senate passage of the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act:

“The fentanyl crisis has taken far too many innocent lives and has devastated communities across New Mexico and the United States. The bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act will give law enforcement the tools necessary to combat the fentanyl crisis, keep fentanyl off our streets, and help protect New Mexico communities.

“This legislation is a critical step toward protecting our communities Read More

Robinson: New Mexico Doctors – ‘We Are Exhausted And Demoralized’

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By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services

Five progressives killed the medical malpractice bill.

You might say the trial lawyers got their money’s worth. You might say it’s late in the session and everybody’s getting tired and cranky. You could even observe that the strife of national politics has haunted this legislative session. It would all be true.

But there’s another element that’s more troubling, and that’s denial and willful ignorance.

New Mexico doesn’t have enough doctors. It’s a national problem, but it’s worse here. In recent years New Mexico was the ONLY state Read More

Dannemann: The Trial Lawyer Argument Is Bogus

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By MERILEE DANNEMANN
© 2025 by Merilee Dannemann

In New Mexico, there aren’t enough doctors. There aren’t enough nurses. There aren’t enough hospitals, especially in small towns. There aren’t enough patients paying full price for their healthcare and too many on Medicaid.

You probably already know this. We talk about it all the time.  

Two other factors contribute to this crisis. One is the presence of private for-profit ownership of hospitals and the other is our high rate of malpractice insurance.

But one of these two issues is claiming to be the solution to the other one, and that is pure nonsense. Read More

House Passes Environmental Protection, Clean Energy Bills

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Lead Sponsor Rep. Joanne Ferrary (D-Las Cruces)

STATE News:

SANTA FE — Friday, the House of Representatives passed key legislation to help facilitate transition to clean energy and protect New Mexicans from toxic chemicals. 

House Bill 361, which passed unanimously, would help clean up and repurpose depleted oil and gas wells across New Mexico. The bill would authorize the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to utilize these wells for energy storage or geothermal energy development. If no other uses are found viable, the wells would be plugged.

“New Mexico has nearly Read More

Dr. Raffin: Those Measly Measles

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By Celeste Raffin, MD
Member
Los Alamos County Health Council

I remember very little of my early childhood, but will never forget having the Measles. Even though it was over 60 years ago, I remember how sick I was with astonishing clarity. 

Measles, aka Rubeola, is an infectious disease caused by the Measles virus. It was first described in Persia in the late 800’s AD. By 1200 AD it had developed into a human only disease that was prevalent throughout Asia and Europe. Whether intentional or not, Measles became one of the first bioterror weapons. Asian and European explorers, followed by North American Read More

NMED Petitions For Rule On Workplace Heat Protection

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NMED News:

SANTA FE—The New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Occupational Health and Safety Bureau yesterday submitted a petition to the state’s Environmental Improvement Board to adopt a proposed rule on occupational heat illness and injury prevention. 

The rule is a critical step in protecting New Mexico workers from exposure to high temperatures while at work.  

The New Mexico Environment Department, and the Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau, have been actively advocating for worker safety in hot environments for several years through public outreach, presentations Read More

Governor-Endorsed Bipartisan CYFD Reform Legislation Unanimously Clears New Mexico Senate

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CYFD News:

SANTA FE — The bipartisan Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Omnibus Bill Senate Bill 42 unanimously passed the Senate Thursday.

This comprehensive legislation represents the most comprehensive and thoughtful plan introduced in this session to reform and strengthen New Mexico’s child welfare system.

“We have consistently supported CYFD reform legislation, and SB 42 provides lawmakers and our state with the wide-ranging solution we’ve been seeking,” CYFD Secretary Teresa Casados said. “The CYFD omnibus bill is a crucial step in the right direction for New Mexico’s Read More

After Weeks Of Waiting, Lawmakers Set To Consider Key Medical Malpractice Reform Bill For New Mexico

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Sen. Linda López
Chair
Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee

By MARGARET O’HARA
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Why the wait?

Senate Bill 176, a major piece of medical malpractice legislation, was introduced just days after the start of this year’s legislation session.

And since the session’s start, New Mexico lawmakers from both parties have listed reforms to the medical malpractice system among their top priorities, framing the issue as a major step toward alleviating the state’s acute shortage of health care providers.

Though the proposal has garnered strong opposition from medical malpractice Read More

House Unanimously Passes Bill To Better Protect Seniors

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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

Denish: DOGE And Musk Impact New Mexicans

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By DIANE DENISH
Corner To Corner
diane@dianedenish.com

Elon Musk has been dominating the headlines recently with his slash and burn efforts as head of “DOGE” – the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

The world’s richest man is everywhere, firing federal workers, in the Oval Office, you name it.

I wanted to learn more about Musk, so I listened to the biography of Musk by Walter Isaacson (20 hours). I’ve also read a slew of business articles about Tesla, SpaceX and Musk’s current endeavor DOGE.

Here is what I learned.

He’s a South African by birth. Although he once attended an anti-apartheid Read More