Politics

Legislature Urged To Change Lottery Scholarship, Restore College Affordability Fund

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VFC News:

ALBUQUERQUE—Making college more affordable for its low-income population would pay the state big dividends down the road.

Having a better educated workforce would help attract higher-paying jobs to the state, which would lead to more economic activity. In addition, boosting the educational level of the state’s adults would improve the educational outcomes of our children. Those are among the points made in a report just released by New Mexico Voices for Children.

“Education and money are inexorably linked,” said Veronica C. García, Ed.D., executive director of the child

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VIDEO: Heinrich On Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act

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SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C.―U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, delivered a speech on the Senate floor last week on the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015.

Heinrich introduced the bill with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to enhance opportunities for hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. The bill, which has growing bipartisan support, would reauthorize key conservation programs, improve access to public lands, and boost the outdoor recreation Read More

Supreme Court: Every Person Must Report Child Abuse

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STATE News:
 
SANTA FE―The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled that every person – no matter their profession – has the duty to report child abuse, siding with Gov. Susana Martinez and House Republicans who have both led the fight to clarify the law in recent years.
 
“Today, the Supreme Court delivered a win for New Mexico’s children,” said Nate Gentry, R-Bernalillo, who carried two bills last year that would have clarified the law. “I thank Governor Martinez for leading the charge to change this law. As a prosecutor who spent her entire career putting child abusers behind bars, she truly
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House Passes Legislation To Protect Children and Mothers From Rapists

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STATE News:

SANTA FE ― The New Mexico House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday that would give women the option to terminate the parental rights of a biological father when the pregnancy is the result of rape.

Republican Rep. Conrad James and Democratic Rep. Georgene Louis sponsored the bill (HB 387), which passed by a unanimous 65-0 vote.

“A mother has every right to protect her child from a convicted rapist,” James said. “Passing this bill is the right thing to do for New Mexico’s children and mothers.”

Currently, someone who committed rape is entitled to child

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House Passes Garcia Richard’s Civics Education Bill

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Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard

STATE News:

The New Mexico House passed Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard’s House Bill 345 (62-1) Thursday.

The bill, originally proposed by former Rep. Vernon Kerr of Los Alamos, will give high school students the ability to earn dual credit for their participation in Boys’ State and Girls’ State programs in New Mexico. 

This bill was passed in 2013 by both chambers but pocket vetoed by Gov. Susana Martinez.

“Words cannot begin to express how grateful I am to the amazing work Rep. Vernon Kerr has done for our community, students and American Read More

Senate Strikes Bipartisan Compromise On Driver’s Licenses For All New Mexico Residents

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – The Senate Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) passed Senate Bill 653, co-sponsored by Senators Stewart Ingle, R-Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea and Roosevelt and John Arthur Smith (D-Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Luna and Sierra, to establish a two-tiered system for the issuance of driver’s licenses and ID cards in New Mexico.

The bill passed by a vote of 5-3.

Under the bill’s proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Code, the same licenses that would be given to United States (U.S.) citizens, may be applied for by non-U.S. citizens. These could not be used by federal agencies for official Read More

Senate Passes Bill To Reconcile State’s Accounts

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Sen. George Munoz

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Senate Bill 543, which requires the State Treasurer’s Office and the Department of Finance (DFA) to balance the state budget, has unanimously passed the Senate floor.

Bill sponsor Sen. George Munoz, D-Cibola, McKinley and San Juan, said he was not surprised to see this bipartisan bill pass the Senate.

“We have a real serious problem: between $100 million to $175 million dollars have been unaccounted. It’s mind-boggling to me that we are the only state in the country that does not balance our state’s finances,” Munoz said. “We need to stop playing games and Read More

House Passes Legislation To Streamline Regulations For Ride-Sharing Services

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Rep. Monica Youngblood

STATE News:

SANTA FE – The New Mexico House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday to regulate ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft in New Mexico. HB 272, sponsored by Rep. Monica Youngblood, R-Albuquerque, passed by a bipartisan 56-8 vote.  

The ridesharing services, which were introduced in Albuquerque and Santa Fe over the past year, have expanded safe, reliable transportation options for New Mexicans.

“Ride-sharing services provide a safe ride home,” Youngblood said. “Putting this law on the books will not only expand ridesharing services Read More

State Senate Passes Bill To Protect Behavioral Health Industry And Clients

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Senate Pro Tempore Mary Kay Papen

N.M. LEGISLATURE News:

SANTA FE – Thursday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 55 (SB 55) to clarify the definition of Medicaid fraud, and mandate that due process is given to health providers who are accused of Medicaid fraud.

The bill is sponsored by Senate Pro Tempore Mary Kay Papen, D-Dona Ana. Known as a tireless advocate for behavioral health issues, Papen has been especially vocal following the debacle of 2013 in which most of the state’s behavioral health providers were accused of Medicaid fraud and forced out of business without due process by the Department Read More

Senate Bill Redirecting Non-Medicaid Funds To High-Priority Zones Passes Senate Committee

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Senate Pro Tempore Mary Kay Papen

 

STATE News:

SANTA FE –  A committee substitute for Senate Bill 566 (SB 566), which aims to create behavioral health “investment zones” in the state and to prioritize those zones for behavioral health services not covered by Medicaid, has passed the Senate Public Affairs Committee (SPAC).

The bill is co-sponsored by Senate Pro Tempore Mary Kay Papen, D-Doña Ana and Sen. George Munoz, D-Cibola, McKinley and San Juan.

According to the bill, the Interagency Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative, consisting of several state agencies, will Read More