Rayetta Baty sings ‘I Feel Like Going On’ as part of an African American Day program Friday in front of the House of Representatives at the state Capitol. Photo by Matt Dahlseid/SFNM

Legislative Roundup
The Santa Fe New Mexican

State engineer confirmed: The state Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment of Mike Hamman as New Mexico state engineer.

Hamman, who was tapped to serve as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s water adviser in early January, will remain in that post on top of his new duties as the state’s top water official.

“Mr. Hamman and I had a terrific visit with his prior hat on, and I just think one of the takeaways I had is here’s someone who’s looking at really proactive water policy, not just reactive,” said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. “Here’s someone who’s looking at the big picture, and I think that’s what we have to have in this state moving forward. This is a tough, tough job, but I just commend the governor for this appointment.”

Hamman, who grew up in Taos, is “a consummate expert in his field and a homegrown New Mexico professional widely respected across the state”, Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

“In light of a warming climate, protecting our most precious resource and planning for New Mexico’s future is more important than ever,” the governor said.

The Senate also unanimously confirmed the reappointment of Dr. Arsenio Romero to the New Mexico State University Board of Regents and the appointment of Robert Edwin Doucette Jr. as director of the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration.

Fentanyl testing: The Senate Judiciary Committee endorsed a bill that would legalize possession of fentanyl strips, part of a larger effort to prevent overdose deaths and help combat the state’s substance abuse problem.

Fentanyl test strips are currently considered drug paraphernalia, and House Bill 52 would allow people using illegal substances to test their drugs for fentanyl.

“This bill is absolutely essential for combating the fentanyl overdose crisis in New Mexico, and it’s going to save lives,” Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, said after the 8-0 vote.

Duhigg told the committee people who have access to harm reduction products are more likely to seek treatment.

“Had this bill passed last year, about 250 people who have since died from fentanyl overdoses might still be with us here today,” she said.

$15 minimum wage: A bill that would increase the minimum wage for state government, public schools and higher education employees to $15 an hour passed the Senate on a 26-11 vote.

Senate Bill 7, which has 16 sponsors in the Senate and heads next to the House, would affect some 1,640 employees earning less than $15 an hour.

“This is the right thing to do,” said Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, one of the sponsors. “We have employees … who have worked for the state for 20 years and are now making $11 an hour. I personally spoke to someone last year who had worked for the state for 12 years and was making $13.50” an hour.

Sedillo Lopez said the pay increase will also help the state rebuild its workforce.

“We have a vacancy rate of 22 percent in the state, and part of the problem is we’re not paying enough,” she said.

A fiscal impact report pegged the total cost for state government, higher education institutions and public education entities at nearly $27 million annually.

School transportation: The House of Representatives unanimously voted to approve a bill that will maintain public school transportation budgets at their current level.

The provision will not impact their future budgets based on the likelihood those districts saw a drop in the use of buses or in students riding buses while schools operated on a virtual learning model.

The state funds school districts based on student enrollment numbers.

House Bill 57, sponsored by G. Andrés Romero, D-Albuquerque, now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Teacher salary hike: The House Education Committee unanimously voted to approve Senate Bill 1, which will increase the starting salary of public school teachers in the state’s three-tiered licensure system. Pay for teachers will now start at $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000 — a jump of about $10,000 per level over current salaries.

The Senate already approved the bill, and Lujan Grisham is behind it, so it’s likely to win approval on the House floor before heading to the governor for her signature.

President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said the bill will help the state recruit and retain teachers. A New Mexico State University study released this year said New Mexico has a shortage of more than 1,000 educators. 

Loan program extended: Members of the House Taxation and Revenue Committee gave a unanimous thumbs-up to a proposal to extend the application deadline for the Small Business Recovery Loan Fund from May 31 to Dec. 31.

The Legislature created the fund, overseen by the New Mexico Finance Authority, during the first special session of 2020 to help small New Mexico businesses hit hard during the pandemic. About $160 million of that original $500 million fund has been doled out to eligible businesses, and lawmakers on the committee agreed times are still hard and the fund needs to remain in place.

Rep. Larry Scott, R-Hobbs, said he supports extending the deadline for applications but cautioned the pandemic could be with us forever — which means the need for the loan might be, too.

Honoring Black contributions: The House of Representatives celebrated African American Day at the state Roundhouse with guest speakers and a spirited rendition of a gospel song Friday.

Julia Brown, board chairwoman of the American Association of University Women, gave the keynote speech, telling the assembly Black people have been forever “interwoven with all of the groups that have contributed throughout New Mexico’s history long before it was a state”.

Finnie Coleman, an associate professor of American literary studies at the University of New Mexico, said, “In spite of the many travails and setbacks that this community has faced, hope has always sprung eternal in the Black community.”

Rayetta Baty then serenaded the assembly with the gospel ballad, “I Feel Like Going On”. Her a cappella rendition received a standing ovation. Brown noted February was designated Black History Month by former President Gerald Ford in 1976.

Quotes of the day: “This is not the Academy Awards. We don’t start thanking everybody first.” —Sen. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, after Rep. Tara Lujan, D-Santa Fe, started recognizing all the co-sponsors of a bill the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Cervantes chairs, was about to consider.

“I do really appreciate all the debate today — I think we’re going on three hours now — and the amendments and all the mansplaining.” —Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill, D-Silver City, after a grueling debate on a memorial directing the Department of Workforce Solutions to convene a task force to develop recommendations for the enactment and implementation of a paid family and medical leave act, which the Senate ultimately approved 25-14.