Los Alamos County Manager Harry Burgess, right, welcomes New Mexico State Tourism Commissioners holding their quarterly meeting this afternoon at Fuller Lodge. From left, Chris Stagg of Taos, Jennifer Kimball of La Fonda in Santa Fe and Scott Hutton of Hutton Broadcasting in Santa Fe. Courtesy photo
New Mexico Tourism Secretary Rebecca Latham, right, with from left, Belia Alvarez, John Garcia and George Brooks at the quarterly Tourism Commission meeting underway at Fuller Lodge. Courtesy photo
By NANCY SCHICK 
HOUSE REPUBLICAN News:
SNATA Fe – Today a bipartisan group of legislators introduced their bill to reform New Mexico’s sales tax structure. Their plan, House Bill 412, also called the New Mexico Tax Reform Act, aims to simplify the state’s Gross Receipt Tax (GRT) on sales and services and make it more competitive with surrounding states.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Jason Harper (R-Sandoval), Sen. John Arthur Smith (D-Luna) and Sen. Carlos Cisneros (D-Taos).
New Mexico is one of only two states that uses a GRT, and it is often rated as one of the worst consumption taxes in the country. The complexity Read More
By KHALIL SPPENCERElena Giorgi states the oft-repeated claim that “states that have closed the loopholes have seen a huge reduction in gun homicide.” I wish Ms. Giorgi and others would cite their sources for these claims because as far as I know, there is no evidence of such a huge cause and effect between closing private sales “gun show loopholes” and seeing resulting “huge” reductions in gun crime. Indeed, states with so-called “weak” gun laws range from those with very high gun homicide statistics to some having the Read More
HOUSE REPUBLICAN News:
SANTA FE – This afternoon the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee tabled a bill to expand the definition of voyeurism. The legislation is sponsored by Reps. Sharon Clahchischilliage (R-San Juan) and Monica Youngblood (R-Bernalillo).
House Bill 159 would add attempted acts of voyeurism of victims age 18 or older to the New Mexico criminal code. The bill also would make attempted voyeurism of a minor a fourth-degree felony. Currently, attempted voyeurism of a minor is a misdemeanor and attempted voyeurism of an adult is not a crime.
Under existing law, an individual Read More
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:
In a letter sent to Acting Director of National Intelligence, Heinrich asks for answers regarding the process used to grant access to classified information.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, is calling into question the manner in which the Trump Administration has been accessing and handling sensitive and classified information.
“We’ve seen a pattern of carelessness and lack of accountability from this administration that puts Read More
Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos participates in a Labor Committee meeting Monday voting in support of HB157 to provide support for firefighters suffering from PTSD. Photo by Michael Redondo
STATE News:
After passing the House Labor and Economic Development Committee Monday, House Bill 157, legislation that establishes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a disease that—when diagnosed in a firefighter without previous health issues—can be presumed to have been caused by the firefighter’s service, Read More
At 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, New Mexico’s Senate Conservation Committee will hear two bills aimed at protecting wildlife here in New Mexico.
Senate Bill 286, which will ban the use of traps and poisons on our public lands, was introduced by Sen. Pete Campos (D-Las Vegas) and Sen. Gay Kernan (R-Hobbs). Currently, traps and poisons can be left not far from public trails, are random in their damage, and put wildlife, endangered species and even pets at risk.
Senate Bill 268, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces) and Sen. Mark Moores (R- Albuquerque), will
GOP News:
The Republican Party of Los Alamos invites all republicans to attend its monthly meeting this Thursday at the Jeannette Wallace Hall (Building 5) at UNM-LA.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. with light refreshments followed by a presentation by Dr. Lisa Shin on her experience at the Republican National Convention and the Presidential Inauguration. Read More
By JAMES FOLEYI am a little frustrated with politicians that believe our constitutional rights are worth giving up for the promise of security. There are too many of these laws that require you to give up your rights to be safer.
The reality is if you buy into to what they are selling, you lose your rights for little or no improvement in security. Politicians and lobbyists try to convince you that there is a big problem and they have the answer. They are using fear to get you to do something they want you to do. They will try to convince you that the new law is common sense and required to stop the Read More