Politics

New Mexico Sanctuary State Bill Pushes Forward

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STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― In the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, House Bill 116, sponsored by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Albuquerque), passed Feb. 9 by a vote of 3-2.
 
HB 116 ensures that the state’s law enforcement funds are spent on protecting its communities from violent crime and community policing. It prohibits using state monies to enforce federal immigration laws.
 
“In these very trying times, when there is a national threat against our immigrant community, it is our responsibility as legislators to ensure New Mexico’s values
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Bill Closing Gun Sale Loophole Heads To House Floor

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HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:

  • HB 50 Would Require Criminal Background Checks on All Firearms Sales, Including at Gun Shows and Online

SANTA FE – A bill requiring background checks on all firearm sales passed the House Judiciary Committee Friday by a vote of 7 to 6.

House Bill 50 would close a loophole that allows guns to be sold online or at gun shows or even in parking lots without criminal background checks. It has exceptions written in to allow family members to transfer guns to their relatives and to allow for the lending of guns for a five-day period without a background check.

“What we are trying to do is Read More

Legislation To Require State Government To Negotiate Prescription Drug Prices

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STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― New Mexico State Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, and State Rep. Joanne Ferrary, D-Las Cruces have introduced legislation that could save taxpayers millions of dollars. 
 
Senate Bill 354, ‘Interagency Pharmaceutical Purchasing Council’, would require that all state agencies and state benefit providers who purchase prescription drugs to work together to negotiate the price of prescription drugs. 
 
In fiscal year 2016 the combined state agencies spent over $670 million on prescription drugs, a staggering 54% increase in
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Heinrich Blasts Dakota Access Pipeline Decision, Stands Up For Tribal Sovereignty And Treaty Rights

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SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) blasted the Trump Administration’s approval of a final easement to build the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) and its failure to undertake meaningful consultation with Native American tribes.
 
In a letter to President Donald Trump, Heinrich and other members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources said, “This blatant disregard for federal law and our country’s treaty and trust responsibilities to Native American tribes is unacceptable.
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House Education Committee To Review Teacher Evaluation Bills 9 a.m. Saturday

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m., the New Mexico House Education Committee will review bills that address controversial teacher evaluations.

Democratic House bills aim to improve teacher evaluations and protect teachers from unfair evaluation practices becoming statute.

The hearing is open to the public:

  • What: House Education Committee Hearing on Teacher Evaluation Bills
  • When: Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9 a.m.
  • Where: Room 307, New Mexico Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501
  • Who: Chair Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard – Los Alamos, committee members, teachers,
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2017 Los Alamos School Board Election Results Official

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COUNTY News:

The Los Alamos County (LAC) Clerk’s Office completed the required canvass process to certify and finalize the 2017 School Board Election results for the Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) and the University of New Mexico – Los Alamos (UNM-LA) School Board.

The Canvass Board met at 1 p.m. today in the Los Alamos County Municipal Building. The board consisted of Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, LAPS Superintendent, Dr. Cynthia Rooney, UNM-LA Chief Executive Officer, the Honorable Pat A. Casados Los Alamos County Magistrate Judge and County Clerk Naomi D. Maestas.

During the canvass process, Read More

NM House Celebrates 10th African American Day

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House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton on the floor of the New Mexico House on African American Day at the State Legislature. Courtesy photo

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Today, the Roundhouse welcomed hundreds of guests from around the state for the 10th African American Day at the Legislature.

“This celebration is in honor of the many contributions African Americans have made – from jazz and poetry to civil rights and medical exploration,” said Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton (D-Bernalillo). “Most of all, this is a day to honor our students with the Alice Faye Kent Hoppes Scholarship. Read More

Udall, Heinrich Introduce Bill To Protect Scientists From Political Interference

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U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined 25 of their Senate colleagues in cosponsoring a bill that would protect government scientists and their capacity to share information with the public from political interference. The legislation comes in the wake of recent reports that President Trump’s transition team sought a list of all Department of Energy employees and national lab contractors who attended meetings on climate issues and Trump administration officials placed gag orders on employees at the Environmental
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Republican Lawmakers Meet With NM Environment Secretary Tongate On New Food Handling Regulations

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NMED News:
 
SANTA FE ― Republican members of the House and Senate met Wendesday with New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Secretary Butch Tongate to discuss the department’s new food handling regulations.
 
Lawmakers expressed concerns about the impact the regulations would have on community groups, businesses and nonprofit organizations in their districts.
 
The new regulations require anyone who handles food at a public function to have a food handler card. The requirement applies to any location where food is served, including movie theaters and community fundraisers.
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2017 LAPS And UNM-LA Board Election Results

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Winners of the 2017 School Board and UNM-LA Advisory Board races, from left, Sheila Schiferl Position 5 and David Sutton Position 1 on the UNM-LA Advisory Board. Michelle Hall (not pictured) ran unopposed for re-election to Position 2. Stephen Boerigter District 2 and Ellen Ben-Naim District 1 were elected to positions on the Los Alamos Public Schools Board. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post

Elections were held Tuesday for the Los Alamos School Board and the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Advisory Board.

A total of 1,432 votes were cast. Read More