Politics

New Mexico Department Of Transportation Seeks $487 Million To Address Transportation Funding Gap

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NMDOT Secretary Ricky Serna

NMDOT News:

SANTA FE — Deteriorating roads cost New Mexico drivers $3.6 billion a year, and the state has $5.6 billion in unfunded transportation needs.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) will present its $487 million nonrecurring request for fiscal year 2027 to the Legislative Finance Committee on Wednesday, citing declining fuel tax revenues, rising construction costs and diverse transportation sector needs.

The department’s proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget is $1.3 billion — a $29.9 million decrease from the current fiscal year. Read More

Public Education Department Requests $81 Million To Strengthen Literacy And Fill Teacher Vacancies 

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PED News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) is requesting $81 million in new recurring investment to strengthen literacy programs, grow the educator workforce and expand student supports — priorities that take on heightened urgency as the federal government retreats from its historic role in public education. 

The department’s fiscal year 2027 budget request reflects a 1.7 percent recurring increase to the General Fund while shifting many reform initiatives from one-time appropriations to sustained investments. The budget aligns with the agency’s Read More

House Republicans Request Federal Investigation Into New Mexico DD Waiver Program After Prolonged State Inaction

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NMHR News:

SANTA FE — Republican members of the New Mexico House of Representatives have formally requested that the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico initiate a federal investigation into the state’s Developmentally Disabled Waiver program after continued inaction at the state level. In February 2024, a bipartisan group of 63 legislators urged the New Mexico Attorney General to investigate concerns surrounding the DD Waiver program and report findings to the Legislature. Despite months of bipartisan concern, no report was ever delivered.

“New Mexico’s DD Waiver program exists Read More

Heinrich Highlights Economic Benefits Of America’s National Parks, Condemns Recent Announcement To Remove Fee-Free Admission Of Juneteenth, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

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Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks during a National Parks Subcommittee hearing, Dec. 9, 2025. Courtesy photo

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks hearing to consider 26 pending bills, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the full committee, delivered opening remarks on the role national parks play in boosting our country’s economy and the importance of protecting public lands as the Trump Administration continues to divest from National Park Service sites. Read More

State Seeks To Hire Hundreds Of Child Welfare Workers, Expand Kids’ Mental Health Services

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Valerie Sandoval
Acting Cabinet Secretary

CYFD News:

SANTA FE — New Mexico is seeking to hire hundreds of child welfare workers, expand substance abuse and infant mental health programs, and strengthen safety nets for vulnerable children and families under a proposed $422.3 million state budget.

The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) fiscal year 2027 budget represents a 4.7 percent increase and seeks $43.1 million of General Fund investments to replace expired federal health services grants, to add wrap-around services in communities and to broaden alternative Read More

New Mexico PED To Offer 3,000 Paid High School Internships

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Public Education Secretary Mariana D. Padilla

PED News:

SANTA FE — New Mexico high school students will have access to as many as 3,000 paid summer internships next year, giving them hands-on work experience in careers ranging from health care to technology.

The New Mexico Public Education Department’s (PED) Summer Enrichment Internship Program, launched in 2021, is expanding through a new statewide coalition led by Education at Work. The eight-week internships will focus on high-demand industries identified by the Department of Workforce Solutions.

“Students from every corner of our Read More

At Broadband Summit, Lopez Highlights Strong Community Coordination To Prevent Los Alamos-Style Failures

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Scott Lopez delivers opening remarks at the New Mexico Broadband Summit on Dec. 3 at UNM’s Continuing Education Center in Albuquerque. Courtesy photo

By MARLENE WILDEN
Los Alamos Daily Post
marlene@ladailypost.com

New Mexico policymakers and industry officials on Wednesday said stronger collaboration among state agencies, internet providers and utility crews is imperative to preventing the kind of service failures that repeatedly disrupted Los Alamos this year. Such coordination is essential to advancing practical, long-term improvements as the state prepares for a major expansion Read More

Luján, Alsobrooks, Rosen Introduce Bill To Break Barriers In STEM And Strengthen America’s Future Workforce

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U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) introduced the 21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act, designed to close persistent equity gaps in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and expand high-quality STEM education access for girls and students from underrepresented communities.  

“New Mexico is at the forefront of science, technology, and innovation in the United States. That’s why I’m proud to introduce legislation that will help tap into more homegrown talent Read More

Republican Legislators To Host Las Cruces Public Safety Task Force Focused On Juvenile Crime

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NMSR News:

LAS CRUCES — Republican lawmakers will host a public legislative task force focused on juvenile justice from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. The task force will feature Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe, and New Mexico Department of Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Jason Bowie, in addition to state prosecutors, victims of juvenile crime, community stakeholders, and others.

This public hearing will provide expert testimony and policy discussion from various law enforcement entities, victims of violent crime, community stakeholders, Read More

Four Luján-Led Bills Signed Into Law As Part Of Major Bipartisan Effort To Address Fentanyl Crisis

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U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján

STATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) applauded legislation to reauthorize the SUPPORT Act – a landmark federal investment to combat the fentanyl crisis through addiction prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts – being signed into law by the President. The bipartisan package of fentanyl prevention bills, led by U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), contains four bills led by Luján.

Originally enacted in 2018, the SUPPORT Act represents the foundation of the federal response to the opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis. Its Read More