Politics

State Auditor Releases Special Audit Of Premium Taxes

by

State Auditor Tim Keller
 
OSA News:
 
SANTA FE ― Tuesday, State Auditor Tim Keller released a special audit of the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance’s (OSI) collection of premium taxes owed by insurance companies.
 
The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) initiated the special audit earlier this year to resolve longstanding questions about the amounts owed to the state from insurance companies. The audit examined 30 insurers during the period from 2003 to 2016, including health insurers, life insurers and property and casualty insurers. Of those companies,
Read More

Heinrich Leads Effort To Protect Dreamer Data

by

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is continuing to lead efforts to ensure that the information provided by individuals as part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is protected and not used for enforcement purposes.
 
Heinrich, along with U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), led a letter today to the Department of Homeland Security demanding clarity on the
Read More

U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham Introduces Health Care Choice And Affordability Act

by

U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham
 
CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham introduced the Health Care Choice and Affordability Act, which would create a Medicaid buy-in option for individuals in counties with few or no options in the insurance marketplace.
 
Rep. Lujan Grisham’s legislation would address immediate concerns about access to coverage in the ACA marketplace. While more than 20 million additional Americans have access to health insurance under the ACA, many communities do not have the option to choose between competing insurance
Read More

Governor Dedicates New Veterans Cemetery In Gallup

by

Gov. Susana Martinez
 
STATE News:
 
GALLUP — Gov. Susana Martinez dedicated the new Gallup State Veterans Cemetery Wednesday, which could serve as many as 20,000 veterans and their families.
 
The cemetery is the second of four proposed by Martinez in 2013 for veterans who live in rural areas throughout the state.
 
“Our veterans and their families should be laid to rest in a place that reflects their dedication and sacrifice to our country,” Martinez said. “New Mexico is a large and rural state, and this veterans cemetery will be an important step in ensuring
Read More

LWV Forum On Spent Nuclear Fuel Nov. 2

by

 
LWV News:
 
The League of Women Voters of Los Alamos will present the forum, “Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal from Power Reactors” 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2, in the Jeannette Wallace Room, Building 5 at UNM-LA.
 
Despite the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 that was to have managed the disposal of high-level nuclear waste through safe, permanent disposal, the high-level waste produced by power plants is still not stored in a permanent location. Instead it is currently located in 78 separate installations across the country. The League of Women Voters of New Mexico
Read More

Udall Urges Bipartisan Action To Fund CHIP And Health Programs Critical To New Mexico

by

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wednesday, in a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall urged Republicans to work with Democrats to fund critical health programs that benefit thousands of N.M. children, low-income families, and Native Americans.
 
Udall also voiced his support for bipartisan efforts in the Senate to stabilize the individual health insurance markets and protect against President Trump’s efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act (ACA). 
 
Last month, while Republicans were
Read More

Heinrich Calls On Secretary Perry To Withdraw Proposal To Force Consumers To Subsidize Uncompetitive Coal And Nuclear Companies

by

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an op-ed today, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) called on Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry to withdraw a recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) directing federal regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to create rules that would favor coal and nuclear plants that are no longer the most cost-effective producers of energy.

“If FERC were to adopt Secretary Perry’s proposed rule, or anything even remotely similar, it would unravel wholesale energy markets Read More

Udall Urges Enhanced Public Safety, More Resources For Crime And Victim Services In Indian Country

by

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, has urged improvements to public safety in Indian Country, calling for additional resources to fight crime and provide victim services to Native Americans.

In a legislative hearing, Udall led the Indian Affairs Committee in reviewing three bills to promote public safety in Tribal communities:

 
S. 1870, Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment Act 2017, the “SURVIVE Act”
S. 1953, Reauthorization of the Tribal and Law Order Act of 2010
Read More

AFTNM Reacts To Judicial Ruling Against Mora ISD

by

AFTNM News:

  • District Ordered to Reinstate Wrongfully Terminated Employees; Comply with Previous Arbitrator Decision

MORA – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly, Mora Federation of School Employees Union President Faith Rivera and Mora Federation of School Employees Union Members Edwina Romero, Paulyette Perea and Lisa Yescas released today the following statement:

“We are extremely happy New Mexico District Court Judge Alan Malott has ruled in favor of three wrongfully terminated Mora Independent School District employees, affirming the April 2017 Read More

Conservation Voters NM Releases 2017 Scorecard

by

CVNM News:
 
SANTA FE ― Today, Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) released its statewide Conservation Scorecard for the 2017 legislative session.
 
In the Scorecard, CVNM reports the votes cast on the most critical issues affecting our air, land, water, health and communities during the 2017 regular legislative session.
 
The average conservation score earned in the Senate in the 2017 Scorecard is 68 percent. The average conservation score earned in the House of Representatives in the 2017 Scorecard is 67 percent. An improvement
Read More