Legislative Roundup
SFNM
Republicans praise Lujan Grisham: Sometimes, the GOP actually likes MLG. No, really.
U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, New Mexico’s only Republican in Congress, and members of the state’s Senate Republican caucus sent letters to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday thanking her for seeking to exempt New Mexico from the Biden administration’s suspension of new leases and permits for oil and natural gas production on federal lands. The news was reported Thursday by Reuters.
“Create a program that gives credit to states that are well beyond where the federal government and other states are in terms of climate change initiatives, cleaning up the environment, curbing carbon emissions and having an all-of-the-above energy effort,” Lujan Grisham told members of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday in a Zoom video seen by Reuters. “You do that, [and] New Mexico’s going to get an exemption, a waiver.”
In the letter to the governor, Herrell said she read the Reuters story with interest.
“Earlier this week, I likewise read a story by E&E News indicating Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján similarly sought such an exemption from the Biden administration,” Herrell wrote. “I am so pleased you and our senators have come to see how devastating this moratorium could be to our state.”
The state’s 15 Republican senators signed a letter thanking Lujan Grisham for her “stated commitment to acquiring a waiver”.
“In January, our caucus and House Republican leaders introduced Senate Joint Memorial 3 for the same purpose,” they wrote. “Unfortunately, Democratic leaders rejected our effort and refused to advance our waiver request.”
They’re scrappy, that’s for sure: Children of parents who serve in the military move every two to three years — three times more often than the national average of their civilian counterparts, according to a Military Child Education Coalition study. On the one hand, that makes them more adaptable and ready to go. On the other hand, they may find themselves in a situation where no one in school understands what it’s like to always be on the move, changing schools without much of a chance to plant roots, make friends and succeed.
Senate Bill 271, sponsored by Sen. Harold Pope Jr., D-Albuquerque, a retired U.S. Air Force officer, could help. It would direct the state Public Education Department to create a Purple Star schools program to honor schools that welcome and recognize military families, and ease their children’s transition into a new school.
A Legislative Education Study Committee report on the bill says the Purple Star program was first launched in Ohio in 2017. Currently, 11 states have the program. Even schools without active military students enrolled can take part in the program by honoring and teaching about the U.S. military.
The House Education Committee gave the bill, which the Senate approved on a vote of 36-0 earlier this week, a unanimous “do pass” Friday. The bill goes to the House floor.
Let’s be open about it: Legislation that would shed sunshine on how legislators spend capital outlay moved through the Senate Rules Committee on Friday morning after members voted 9-1 to support an amendment making the bill effective 30 days after this year’s session ends March 20. Sen. Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, cast the dissenting vote.
House Bill 55 requires the Legislative Council Service to publish on the legislative website a searchable list of capital projects passed. The list will include the capital project, the amount authorized by the Legislature, and the appropriation or bond authorization amount allocated by each legislator or the governor, including projects that may be vetoed.
Funds for some public infrastructure are allocated to all 112 legislators and the governor, who have discretion on how to spend them. But they do not have to say how much they gave to each project.
Similar efforts have failed in the past. The bill goes to the Senate Finance Committee.
Fast and easy: Members of the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously and quickly to approve a memorial asking the state Department of Public Safety to convene a work group to study the potential for opening a satellite law enforcement and first-responder training center in Northern New Mexico.
Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, a sponsor of House Memorial 13, told committee members such a site is needed because otherwise people have to travel to Santa Fe or Albuquerque to receive training. The committee took less than five minutes to give the bill approval.
Financial literacy for students: Every eighth grade student in New Mexico would be required to take and pass a financial literacy course starting next year under a bill the Senate Education Committee enthusiastically endorsed Friday.
“This is a really wonderful, excellent, very timely piece of legislation,” said Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque. “I see it as something that’s going to help in many other courses that student have to take to graduate. This is a really, really good move.”
House Bill 163 amends current high school graduation requirements, requiring students to take a half-credit financial management course.
It comes almost 14 years after the Legislature passed a bill mandating all high schools offer financial literacy classes as an elective.
“Unfortunately, only 11 percent of students are taking it,” said Rep. Moe Maestas, who sponsored that bill as a rookie lawmaker and is now a co-sponsor of House Bill 163.
Representatives from several organizations, including the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the Credit Union Association of New Mexico, testified in support of the measure.
“We all know that financial literacy doesn’t happen overnight but instead takes a lifetime of learning,” said Othiamba Umi, field director of the Santa Fe-based Think New Mexico.
“The least we can do is give our young people the foundation to expand their financial knowledge base and hopefully set them up for a lifetime of success.”
Quote of the day: ”You’re obviously a radical partisan and I hate you for that, but you’re obviously qualified for the job.” —Sen. Mark Moores, R-Albuquerque, to John Bingaman during Friday’s Senate Rules Committee hearing to support confirming him as a member of the State Investment Council. Bingaman is the governor’s former chief of staff. Moores went on to say, “I wish you were a Republican, but I’ll still vote for you.” And he did, as did the other eight members of the committee, sending Bingaman’s nomination on to the Senate floor for consideration.