State

Medigap Bill Passes House, Heads To Governor’s Desk

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ALTSD News:

SANTA FE — A bill giving more than 70,000 New Mexicans who rely on Medicare supplement insurance to cover out-of-pocket health costs the freedom to change their coverage each year—without risking denial over pre-existing conditions – passed the House late Tuesday and heads to the governor’s desk.

Senate Bill 21, sponsored by Senators Wilson, Woods, Campos, Hickey, Stefanics and Representative Szczepanski, establishes a “birthday rule” for Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) policyholders. The measure allows eligible enrollees to switch to a plan with equal or lesser Read More

Legislative Roundup: 1 Day Left In Session

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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks to students, educators and professionals during STEM day in the rotunda at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Nathan Burton/The New Mexican

The Santa Fe New Mexican Staff Report:

Health care loan repayment: House Bill 66, an expansion of the state’s student loan repayment program for doctors, passed the Senate unanimously with little discussion Wednesday afternoon.

It now heads to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk.

The measure would allow a doctor to receive up to $75,000 per year over four years of service in New Mexico, for a total Read More

$1.25 Billion Capital Outlay Bill Nears The Finish Line

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By LILY ALEXANDER
The Santa Fe New Mexican

The New Mexico Legislature is set allocate more than $1.255 billion for building projects throughout the state in the next fiscal year, including more than $175 million in pork barrel spending in the capital city and Santa Fe County.

Senate Bill 240, which soared through the Senate on Wednesday and was still waiting for a vote on the House floor before the session’s final hour, includes at least $7.3 million in capital outlay for city of Santa Fe projects and more than $8 million for the county government. A large portion of funding in the county—$95 Read More

New Mexico Legislature Passes Senate Bill 29 To Strengthen Math Education Statewide

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Public Education Secretary Mariana D. Padilla

NMPED News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Legislature has passed Senate Bill 29 (SB 29), bipartisan legislation designed to strengthen mathematics instruction and improve student outcomes in public schools across the state. 

SB 29 establishes a comprehensive framework to enhance math teaching and learning, including stronger preparation requirements for educators, expanded professional development and early identification of students who may need additional support in mathematics. 

Beginning in the 2027–2028 school year, schools will Read More

Jury Finds Angel Fire Mayor Knowingly Violated Procurement Code In State Ethics Commission Enforcement Action

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New Mexico State Ethics Commission News:

ALBUQUERQUE – A Colfax County jury returned a verdict in favor of the New Mexico State Ethics Commission in State Ethics Commission ex rel. Village of Angel Fire v. Lindsey, et al., finding that Angel Fire Mayor Barry Lindsey knowingly violated the New Mexico Procurement Code in connection with a $1 million contract awarded to Carristo Creative Consulting LLC.

The verdict was returned on Feb. 17, 2026, following a jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Raton, N.M., before the Honorable Steven Romero. The jury found that Mayor Lindsey knowingly Read More

Spaceport America Hosts Student Rocket Launches

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New Mexico State University students pose with their rockets ahead of a series of NAR certification flights at Spaceport America on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Courtesy/William Gutman

An NMSU student rocket takes off from Spaceport America’s Horizontal Launch Area on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Courtesy/William Gutman

Students and supervisors from the Albuquerque Civil Air Patrol pose with their rocket ahead of a series of test flights at Spaceport America on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Courtesy/William Gutman

SPACEPORT AMERICA News:

LAS CRUCES — Students from New Mexico State University Read More

House Advances Tax Package With 1% Raise For New Mexico Workers, State Budget

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By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Proposed 1% raises for state government employees that were stripped from New Mexico’s spending plan in House Bill 2 to fund other priorities found a lifeline Wednesday in an unlikely place: an omnibus tax package.

“When … our people are left out in the cold with their pockets not as full as they could be, we have to do something to make it right,” Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, said before the House passed the tax package, Senate Bill 151, on a 43-19 vote.

The tax package has an estimated total capacity of $110 million, generated by “decoupling” Read More

Last-Ditch Proposal Would Aid New Mexico Communities Set To Lose ICE Revenue

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The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo

By CLARA BATES
The Santa Fe New Mexican

Editor’s note: If the House takes action on this bill tonight there may be an updated version.

Local governments in New Mexico affected by the state’s decision to ban contracts with the federal government to hold immigration detainees could receive “bridge funding” under legislation the Senate passed unanimously Wednesday.

The Senate’s vote to pass Senate Bill 273 came with only around 24 hours before the end of this year’s regular legislative session. The bill, which also cleared two Senate committees with Read More

Robinson: One-sided Clear Horizons Act Failed In Senate

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By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2026 New Mexico News Services

The Clear Horizons Act was another of those bills we’ve seen so often in New Mexico that balances the environment against the economy. In a floor vote, the Senate chose the economy.

Senate Bill 18 was one of those marquee bills that got a lot of attention before and during the session. Senate President Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, revamped the bill she carried last year. It would help reduce natural disasters driven by climate change if legislators could cement greenhouse gas reductions in state law, supporters believed.

I’m not Read More

Doctors Thank Rep. Christine Chandler For Leadership In Sponsoring, Championing HB 99 Medical Malpractice Reform

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By Robert McAtee, MD
Española

By Elena McAtee, MD
Los Alamos

We would like to express our gratitude to Representative Christine Chandler for her leadership in sponsoring and championing HB 99, a long-needed step toward meaningful medical malpractice reform in New Mexico.

Throughout this process, Representative Chandler listened carefully to her constituents, thoroughly researched this complex issue, and then worked diligently to advance thoughtful
solutions. Passing this legislation required navigating significant resistance and complex competing interests, making its success Read More