Political News

House Subcommittee Probes Nuclear Weapons Windfall

LANL Director Charlie McMillan appears Thursday before House Armed Services oversight and investigations subcommittee in Washington, D.C. Courtesy/HASC webcast

 

By ROGER SNODGRASS
Los Alamos Daily Post

President Trump’s budget priorities were on parade in the House Armed Services subcommittee hearing Thursday, as the White House was releasing a sketch of its fiscal plans for the next 18 months. The White House projection for the nuclear security enterprise proposes strong support for a “nuclear force that is second to none.”

Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan Read More

Bill To Restore Classroom Funding Heads To Governor

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Friday, Senate Bill 462 passed the New Mexico Legislature. Instead of funding infrastructure projects in their home communities, legislators chose to strengthen public schools’ bottom line statewide after several years of tough budgets.

The bill utilized a complicated transfer of capital outlay funds to the general fund to strengthen classrooms. The bill restores $46 million that was cut from public school cash balances, or ‘reserves’, earlier in the session to address FY ’17 budget solvency. This one-time money replenishes critical funds

Read More

Governor Acts On Four More Pieces Of Legislation

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez

STATE News:

SANTA FE—Late Friday night, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez acted on the following legislation:

  • Signed Senate Bill 103 — Transfer Of College Credits [MESSAGE]
  • Signed Senate Bill 32 — K-3 Plus Eligibility [MESSAGE]
  • Signed Senate Bill 75 — Deferred Compensation Changes [MESSAGE]
  • Signed Senate Bill 28 — Educational Retirement Changes [MESSAGE]
  • Vetoed Senate Bill 297 — Disabled Veteran License Plate Options [MESSAGE]

  Read More

Voters To Decide On Independent Ethics Commission

HOUSE DEMOCRATS News:

SANTA FE – House Joint Resolution 8, to create an Independent Ethics Commission that will restore trust in government, will now head to the ballot.

HJR 8, sponsored by Representatives Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces), Bill McCamley (D-Las Cruces), Daymon Ely (D-Corrales) and Jim Dines (R-Albuquerque), proposes a constitutional amendment creating an Independent Ethics Commission tasked with investigating and issuing advisory opinions regarding any violations of laws or misconduct by elected state officials.
 

New Democratic leadership and new members in each Read More

Statement On Attempted Override Of Governor’s Veto Of HB 241 – Attendance Component In Teacher Evaluations

STATE News:
 
SANTA FE  Rep. Jim Smith (R-Bernalillo, Sandoval and Santa Fe) released the following statement after the House of Representatives failed to override Gov. Susana Martinez’s veto of House Bill 241:
 
“In her veto message, Gov. Martinez stated that she would be willing to consider changes to attendance measures as part of a comprehensive teacher evaluation system. Attendance measures account for just five percent of a teacher’s overall evaluation. House Bill 241 sought to address only the attendance component in teacher evaluations, and we respect
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Leave Nonprofits Alone … Bill 412 Is Double Taxation!

Lou Santoro
President
The Family YMCA Board of Directors

House Bill 412 calls for closing many exemption loopholes to address the budget crisis that our state faces. No doubt, there are many aspects of the Tax Reform Bill that need just that—reform. However, HB 412 also calls for eliminating the sales tax exemption for nonprofits—all nonprofits large, small, 501c3, churches etc., thus subjecting nonprofits to sales and gross receipts tax.

Under HB 412, nonprofits would need to collect and pay GRT on all contracts (local, state, federal), grants from foundations and United Way, fees from programs, Read More

House Of Representatives Honor New Mexico Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders

STATE News:
 
SANTA FE  March 9 the House of Representatives honored New Mexico’s law enforcement officers and first responders.
 
Reps. Yvette Herrell (R-Otero) and Patricio Ruiloba (D-Bernalillo) invited public safety personnel from across the state to join members on the House floor so they could be recognized and honored for their commitment to service.
 
Herrell also sponsored a certificate to acknowledge the dedication of New Mexico’s first responders, public safety professionals and volunteers. The certificate recognized the sacrifices these
Read More

New Mexico Ethics Watch: House Judiciary Committee Substitute For HJR 8, Creating Ethics Commission

ETHICS News:
 
New Mexico Ethics Watch has significant concerns regarding the revised version of the constitutional amendment creating an Ethics Commission for New Mexico that the House of Representatives has sent to the Senate for consideration.
 
The House Judiciary Committee made sweeping changes to the legislation, changes that critically undermine a prospective commission’s independence, impartiality, and effectiveness. The legislation now before the Senate is flawed. The Senate should restore the resolution to the text it had at introduction before passing this
Read More

Lottery Scholarship Gap Bill Goes To Governor

STATE News:
 
SANTA FE  Lottery Scholarship Grace Period legislation, SB 420, sponsored by Sen. Bill Soules of Las Cruces, March 15 was passed by the full New Mexico House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support.
 
The bill allows students to take up to 16 months off before beginning college, and still qualify for the state Lottery Scholarship assistance. The measure was the top priority for NMSU students. It was passed earlier in the session by the Senate, and now goes to the Governor for signature.
 
“I am pleased that legislators
Read More

Udall, Tester, Cantwell Introduce Measure To Create Jobs By Fostering Entrepreneurship In Indian Country

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and former committee chairs Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the Native American Business Incubators Program Act, legislation to help launch small businesses and encourage job creation in Indian Country. 
 
Their bill, S. 607, creates a competitive grant program to establish and fund business incubators that will assist in cultivating
Read More

Chile License Plate Bill On It’s Way To Gov. Martinez

STATE News:
 
SANTA FE  March 15, the Senate endorsed House Bill 393 on a bipartisan 31 to 7 vote.  House Bill 393 is Rep. Cathrynn Brown’s proposal to create a specialty chile license plate for New Mexico. The bill will now be sent to Gov. Susana Martinez for her signature.
 
The specialty license plate would be available to New Mexicans for a fee of thirty-five dollars. Twenty-five dollars of the fee will be used to fund educational programs at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces. The museum will design the license plate with guidance provided by the
Read More

Secretary Zinke Issues Lease For 56 Million Tons Of Coal

USDI News:
 
WASHINGTON. D.C.  U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the approval of a $22 million coal lease on the Greens Hollow tract in central Utah to Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Bowie Resource Partners, LLC.
 
Coal mining in the area currently supports nearly 1,700 mining and related jobs.
 
Secretary Zinke also announced Bureau of Land Management (BLM) career veteran Michael Nedd will serve as Acting-Director of the BLM. Previously, Nedd served as Assistant Director for Energy, Minerals, and Realty Management; his selection
Read More

Citizens Needed For County Board Vacancies

Senior Management Analyst Libby Carlsten encourages community members to apply for a vacancy on one of the County boards or commissions. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

 

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post

Los Alamos County is facing many issues from water rate hikes to selecting the next public art piece, and to make the right decisions the County needs its citizens’ help.  

There are a number of openings on County boards and commissions that citizens can volunteer for. Vacancies include Art and Public Places, Fuller Lodge Historic Districts Advisory Board, Personnel Read More

Los Alamos School Board Elects New Officers

Jenny McCumber, left, and Andrea Cunningham at Tuesday’s meeting of the Los Alamos Public Schools Board of Education in the Administration Building on Trinity Drive. The meeting was the first to include newly elected members Ellen Ben-Naim and Stephen Boerigter. Newly elected school board officers include McCumber as president. McCumber, Andrea Cunningham and Stephen Boerigter supported McCumber, while Ellen Ben Naim and Bill Hargraves voted for Hargraves. Cunningham was the sole candidate for vice president. McCumber, Boerigter, Ben-Naim and Cunningham voted for her, while
Read More

State Auditor Tim Keller Releases Third Annual Fund Balance Report, Recommendations

New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller
 
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE  The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) released the third annual Fund Balance Report that tallies unspent funds in government accounts.
 
The OSA Government Accountability Office compiled data from the most recent financial audits of 431 funds in 91 state agencies. Most of the dollars reside in funds for thousands of specific projects and programs. The report highlights the long-term challenges of red tape and bureaucracy, which tie up millions of dollars intended to make it out into the economy
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Support Legislation To Require Background Checks For All Gun Sales

By NINA SAMMONS
Santa Fe
 
As a voter in Sen. Liz Stefanics’ district, I encourage my fellow residents to call our legislators to support legislation to require background checks for all gun sales.
 
The law requires sales from gun shows or the internet to include a background check on the buyer ensuring that guns don’t end up in the hands of criminals or those with a dangerous mental illness. Polling has shown that this policy is supported by 87 percent of New Mexicans and 84% of New Mexican gun owners.
 
Please contact your legislators and let them know you support background checks
Read More

Heinrich Calls On Trump To Address Wiretap Claim

U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement calling on President Trump to come clean on his unsubstantiated accusation that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower prior to last year’s election:
 
“If President Trump wanted to put this to bed, he’d come clean with whatever ‘evidence’ he claims to have. But instead, he’s using this as a way to redirect the public’s attention from a possible FBI investigation into connections between the Trump
Read More

Funding For REDI Net Manager Position Fails

Councilors Rick Reiss, left, and Pete Sheehey motion to approve funding for REDI Net to hire a general manager during Tuesday’s County Council meeting. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

 

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
​Los Alamos Daily Post
 

A memorandum of agreement (MOA) failed to receive approval from the Los Alamos County Council to provide funds to REDI Net to hire a new general manager. REDI Net is the public organization which provides broadband network services in Northern New Mexico.

 

The MOA was discussed during the regular County Council meeting Tuesday Read More

Opioid Overdose Prevention Bill Moves To House Floor

STATE News:
 
SANTA FE The House Health and Human Services Committee has passed legislation to prevent opioid drug overdoses in New Mexico. House Bill 370, sponsored by Reps. Sarah Maestas Barnes (R-Bernalillo) and Rebecca Dow (R-Grant, Hidalgo and Sierra), passed by a vote of 6 to 0.
 
The bill aims to increase awareness and access to naloxone. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, blocks the effects of opioids and is used to treat suspected opioid overdoses. House Bill 370 would require federally-certified opioid treatment centers to provide patients with overdose education,
Read More
Search
LOS ALAMOS

ladailypost.com website support locally by OviNuppi Systems