Politics

Heinrich, Udall Introduce Bill To Designate Cerro De La Olla Wilderness

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Cerro de la Olla (Pot Mountain) on the horizon above the Rio Grande Gorge in Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.  Courtesy photo

U.S. 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 U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced legislation Friday to establish Cerro de la Olla Wilderness within the Río Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico.

For hundreds of years, people of the Taos area have hunted, gathered herbs, and collected firewood on the flanks of Cerro de la Olla. This proposed wilderness Read More

Bill Extending Small Business Saturday Sunset Date Passes Committee

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STATE News:

SANTA FE – House Bill 170, Friday passed the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee. House Bill 170, sponsored by Rep. Doreen Gallegos (D-Las Cruces), and Rep. Steven Neville (R-Aztec), extends the sunset date for the deduction from gross receipts for certain businesses on Small Business Saturday from July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2028. 

“Small Business Saturday creates incentives for consumers to shop locally and to spend their hard-earned dollars at the neighborhood businesses that are integral to the New Mexican economy,” Rep. Gallegos said. “Extending the sunset date Read More

NRA Rally Draws Hundreds Protesting ‘Red Flag’ Law

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Matthew LM Manning, left, and Colton Thompson of Madrid carry firearms Friday while protesting with other gun rights activists at an NRA-sponsored rally outside the state Capitol in Santa Fe in protest of Senate Bill 5. Luke E. Montavon/The New Mexican

Lee Briscoe of Raton joins hundreds of gun rights activists Friday at the state Capitol. Photo by Luke E. Montavon/The New Mexican

 

By MICHAEL GERSTEIN
The New Mexican

Hundreds rallied outside the Capitol building in Santa Fe on Friday afternoon in opposition to a proposal backed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to allow police to seize firearms Read More

Panel Advances HB184: Training For School-Based Officers

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By DILLON MULLAN
The New Mexican

Law enforcement officers stationed on New Mexico’s public school campuses could become required to receive specialized training in how to act in an educational environment.

Lawmakers on the state House Judiciary Committee on Friday unanimously advanced House Bill 184, sponsored by Rep. Patricio Ruiloba, an Albuquerque Democrat and retired police officer. The bill provides funding to train so-called school resource officers in deescalation techniques, informal counseling techniques and how respond to students with mental health disorders.

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Legislative Roundup: 20 Days Remaining In Session

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Legislative Roundup
SFNM News:

Smoking bill clears committee: The Senate Public Affairs Committee on Friday afternoon voted in favor of legislation that would raise the legal smoking age to 21 and create new rules meant to stop e-cigarette companies from attracting kids.

Senate Bill 131, the Tobacco Products Act, would ban flavored e-cigarette and tobacco products in an effort to stop kids from vaping or smoking and make e-cigarettes and e-liquids regulated by the state, requiring licensing fees and penalties of up to $10,000 for violations.

The legislation is backed by the American Heart Read More

Negotiations Heat Up Over How To Spend $7 Billion Budget

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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

By JENS GOULD
The New Mexican

One-third of the way through the 2020 legislative session, the House and Senate have yet to hear the state’s main budget bill. But as that moment draws nearer, a flurry of negotiations over how to spend more than $7 billion are heating up in committee meetings and behind closed doors.

Key talks involve bridging the gaps between the executive and legislative branches’ competing spending plans on education. A series of interviews on Thursday showed some of those discrepancies are being resolved, while others … well, not yet.

“The House dubbed

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HB11 ‘Reorganization Of PRC’ Introduced In House

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HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:

SANTA FE — House Bill 11 sponsored by Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) and Linda Trujillo (D-Santa Fe) was introduced Thursday on the House floor. 

A good government bill, House Bill 11 reorganizes New Mexico’s Public Regulations Commission (PRC) to ensure consistency in decision-making, expertise in implementing state law, and security to PRC staff whose knowledge base is critical to the agency’s mission of ensuring the state is a leader and innovator in energy, infrastructure, health and safety, and industry.

“This bill modernizes the PRC to keep up with a Read More

Legislative Roundup: 21 Days Left In Session

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The New Mexican:

Record approval: The Senate Conservation Committee unanimously passed two bills in a matter of minutes Thursday. Senate Bill 1 appropriates $1 million a year for the New Mexico Land Grant Council, which supports land grant issues, to hire another surveyor and property attorney.

The extra staff will help the council stay abreast of land grant surveys and challenges, said Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, who introduced the bill. 

Senate Bill 69 appropriates $2.5 million to ensure New Mexico continues to get federal money from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to help

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Cain: Support SB 72, Which Reforms PERA Pension System

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By BURLY CAIN
State Director
Americans for Prosperity New Mexico

Dear Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Cabinet Secretaries, Senators, Representatives and Staff,

On behalf of Americans for Prosperity-New Mexico activists across the state, I urge you to support Senate Bill 72, which reforms the PERA Public Employees Retirement Association pension system, when it is voted on. This vote may be recorded in our 2020 session legislative scorecard.

Senate Bill 72 sponsored by Sen. George K. Munoz would institute much needed reforms to the Public Employees Retirement Association

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Q&A: Congressional District Three Candidate John Blair

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Democrat Candidate for CD3 John Blair

By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com

Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a series in which the Los Alamos Daily Post presents the same set of questions to each of the candidates running for Congressional District 3, which serves the northern half of New Mexico.

Democratic candidate John Blair provided the following answers:

POST: Why do you believe you are qualified to represent New Mexico in Congress?

BLAIR: I’m a native New Mexican, who grew up in our Congressional District, and I’ve spent the last 25 years fighting for New Mexicans Read More