Phil Miller, a map producer for the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, a research division of New Mexico Tech, shows Scott Christenson a 3D aquifer mapping program depicting the subsurface geology at Carlsbad during New Mexico Tech Day at the state Captiol Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New MexicanSFNM News:
Days remaining in session: 24
Secret ballots: State senators voted 34-0 on Tuesday for a bill that would enable victims of domestic violence to vote through a confidential system.
The sponsor, Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, said people at risk of being harmed if their address were known would be able to vote without publicly listing personal information on registration records.
Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, said the election code would refer to this provision as the Intimate Partner Violence Survivor Suffrage Act.
Participants would vote by mail. Their ballots would receive a random identifier and verification code instead of the typical voter identification and signature.
The Secretary of State’s Office would maintain these voter records in a secure place.
Ivey-Soto’s bill next will be considered by committees in the House of Representatives.
Pull tabs: Fraternal and veterans’ organizations could again be able to offer pull-tab gambling under a bill that cleared the Senate on Tuesday. The vote was 35-0.
Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, said he is sponsoring the proposal because pull-tab fundraisers are vital to the survival of these groups. His proposal is Senate Bill 177.
“These fraternal and veteran organizations are known for taking care of their own, whether they are police officers, military veterans or Elks or Moose,” Rue said.
Four years ago, these organizations were no longer allowed to operate pull-tab games without any concurrent bingo games. Rue’s bill would allow qualifying organizations to resume pull-tab fundraisers.
The Gaming Control Board stated in an analysis of the bill that taxes on the games would generate $20,000 to $50,000 annually for the state general fund. But it also projected that the increased workload for licensing, auditing and enforcement would necessitate the hiring of four employees at a cost of $261,000 a year.
Parental rights: Members of the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee voted 3-2 on Tuesday to table House Joint Resolution 7, which the sponsor said would protect parental rights.
Rep. Gregg Schmedes, R-Tijeras, said he introduced the proposed constitutional amendment to give parents, including those who are blind or disabled, extra protection if state officials assume they are not fulfilling their duties.
Several parents spoke in favor of the proposal and home-schooling. But opponents, including a representative from the American Civil Liberties Union, said the was wording was vague and that the federal and state governments already grant parents rights when it comes to choosing who to educate their children.
Democrats who control the committee said they were concerned that the proposal would limit the state’s right to intervene if parents were neglecting or abusing their kids.
Clockwork: The House of Representatives on Tuesday evening narrowly approved a measure to exempt New Mexico from Daylight Savings Time, meaning citizens would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year and would follow Mountain Standard Time year round.
While the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales, D-Taos, said this would provide an extra hour of light in the morning, several lawmakers said the bill, if passed into law, would result in clocks in New Mexico and Texas running two hours apart, which could have an impact on business near the border.
Meanwhile, Senate Bill 226, introduced by Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, would keep the state on Daylight Savings Time all year, meaning an extra hour of light in the evening rather than the morning. Both bills will be considered in the Senate.
Quote of the day: “The three-hour rule could be reduced.” — House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, on the possibility of shortening floor debates so more bills could be considered. He said House Republicans, who are outnumbered 46-24 by Democrats, are deliberately slowing down bills.
Steve Harris with Rio Grande Restoration, a Taos non-profit organization, speaks to Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury, D-Albuquerque, at the state Capitol after receiving an earth science achievement award recognizing a New Mexico citizen who has made outstanding contributions to earth science in the areas of public service and public policy Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican
Steve Harris with Rio Grande Restoration, a Taos non-profit organization, receives an earth science achievement award at the wtate Capitol recognizing him as a New Mexico citizen who has made outstanding contributions to earth science in the areas of public service and public policy, presented by Neila W. Dunbar of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, a research division of New Mexico Tech, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican
Steve Harris with Rio Grande Restoration, a Taos non-profit organization, addresses the crowd after receiving an earth science achievement award at the state Capitol Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Photo by Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican