Politics

Scenes From International Women’s Forum-New Mexico’s 2026 Legislative Luncheon

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International Women’s Forum-New Mexico (IWF-NM) President Barbara Vigil, standing at left, welcomes legislators, members and guests to the IWF-NM 2026 Legislative Luncheon and first quarter membership meeting on Thursday at the New Mexico State Land Office in Santa Fe. To learn more about IWF-NM, click here. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

At Thursday’s IWF-NM 2026 Legislative Luncheon, legislators briefed members and guests on key legislative activities and priorities, from left, Rep. Christina Parajón Dist. 25-Bernalillo, Rep. Meredeth Dixon Dist. 20-Bernalillo, House Read More

New Mexico Providers Struggle To Secure State Funding For Sex Assault, Domestic Violence Services

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The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican

To MaryEllen Garcia, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence, serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault shouldn’t be a short-term initiative. 

“Survivor safety, it’s not a pilot project. … It requires ongoing investment,” Garcia said. 

But whether state lawmakers are willing to make that investment this year remains uncertain.

As lawmakers hash out the details of how New Mexico will spend its money in fiscal year 2027, Read More

House Passes Legislation To Support Educators, Expand Access To Higher Education

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STATE News:

SANTA FE — Feb. 6, the House of Representatives passed three important pieces of legislation to support students and teachers and strengthen educational institutions across the state.

House Bill 8, which passed by a vote of 45-23, creates a first-of-its-kind dedicated funding source for higher education projects. This Higher Education Major Projects Fund would fully fund the UNM School of Medicine expansion, a mixed-use humanities building at NMSU, and student life and housing projects statewide. 

“As higher education enrollment continues to climb in New Mexico and capital Read More

Only In New Mexico: Subordinate Hires The Boss

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By MILAN SIMONICH 
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Never should rich and powerful public employees get to select their own bosses. It happens all the time at New Mexico’s universities.

Presidents of universities handpick the people who serve as student regents. The governor technically makes the appointment, but presidents supply the names of the students they want as regents.

With all that leverage, presidents can lock up the loyalty of regents who are supposed to be looking out for fellow students. The results can be awful for the student body, faculty members and the public.

At Western New Mexico Read More

Backers Say Child Care Copays For Rich Will Keep Universal Care Stable In New Mexico

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SB Bill 241 Co-sponsor Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup

By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s pledge to make state-subsidized child care free to all may come with an asterisk under a bill designed to implement a copayment structure for New Mexico’s wealthiest families.

Senate Bill 241, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup and other top Senate Democrats, would require a small percentage of families with incomes far above the federal poverty line to help cover the state’s expanded child care program during certain economic downturns.

By doing so, the measure Read More

New Mexico County Insurance Authority Board Of Directors Approves Addition Of Two Ex-Officio Positions

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Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza

NMCIA News:

SANTA FE — At their first regular Board meeting of the year Jan. 19, 2026, the New Mexico County Insurance Authority (NMCIA) Board of Directors approved the addition of two ex-officio, non-voting Directors on the Board, one to be nominated by the New Mexico Counties’ sheriff affiliate and one to be nominated by the detention administrator’s affiliate.

At their meetings in conjunction with the New Mexico Counties’ Legislative Conference Jan. 21-22, each affiliate nominated a member to serve on the NMCIA Board of Directors.

The NMCIA Board created Read More

‘This State … Is Not Playing’: Epstein ‘Truth Commission’ Heads To New Mexico House Floor

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By ANDRÉ SALKIN
The Santa Fe New Mexican

A proposed “truth commission” to investigate possible crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein at his Santa Fe County ranch could, state lawmakers hope, make New Mexico a leader in seeking accountability in a scandal that has become one of the biggest issues in national politics.

House Joint Resolution 1 is headed to the House floor after winning unanimous approval from the House Judiciary Committee on Saturday and the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee a week ago.

Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, one of the sponsors of the resolution, Read More

Legislative Roundup: 12 Days Left In Session

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The Roundup in Santa Fe. Post file photo

The Santa Fe New Mexican:

House passed ed bills: The state House passed three major education-related measures Friday, two of them unanimously.

House Bill 30, which has sponsors from both parties, would raise the minimum stipends for aspiring teacher residents to $35,000 for undergrads and $44,000 for those who have bachelor’s degrees, according to a news release from House Democrats.

House Joint Resolution 1, which also advanced unanimously, will, if it passes the Senate, put a question on the November ballot asking if voters want to “create Read More

Lawmakers Deal Blow To Governor’s Support For Fracking Water Reuse

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Bill Co-sponsor Rep. Joseph Sanchez, D-Alcalde

By NICHOLAS GILMORE
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Advocates for the reuse of so-called “produced water” — a group that includes the governor — have been handed a big loss with not much time left in the legislative session.

After more than four and a half hours of testimony and debate, a House committee voted 5-4 Saturday afternoon to table a bill that would set a quick timeline for new statewide regulations allowing the reuse and discharge of fracking wastewater, a byproduct of oil and gas extraction.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has for several years expressed Read More