Legislative Roundup: 26 Days Remaining In Session
Santa Fe New Mexican Staff Report:
Another win for Padilla: A proposal to enshrine the Early Childhood Education and Care Trust Fund in the New Mexico Constitution got another thumbs up Monday when it was endorsed by Senate Education Committee.
But voters will have the ultimate say if Senate Joint Resolution 6 clears both chambers because it would amend the constitution.
Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, the bill’s sponsor, celebrated Monday’s milestone by posting photos with supporters on X, formerly Twitter.
“The landmark decision we made to create the early childhood trust fund Read More
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing For Fatal DUI Crash On Navajo Nation
FBI News:
ALBUQUERQUE — An Arizona man was sentenced to 75 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, stemming from a fatal drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation in November 2022.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on the evening of Nov. 25, 2022, Jane Doe and John Doe were driving from Colorado to visit family in Tse Bonito, NM when their sedan broke down. Jane Doe’s family members came to assist, and her nephew began towing the sedan with his SUV.
As the group traveled on Navajo Route 12, Olan Jumbo, 31, an enrolled Read More
LAHS Diver Asher Kohn Finishes Fourth At State
Asher Kohn. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
Asher Kohn. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
By CARL CADY
LAHS Diving Coach
Los Alamos High School (LAHS) senior Asher Kohn had an excellent year and finished fourth at State. He came into the season with a solid foundation and increased the degree of difficulty on the dives he was doing as well as working hard on his finishes.
I believe, as his coach, that he was able to hold on to the fourth place finish primarily do to his work effort on both the degree and his entries.
I am proud of the consistency and the way Asher finished the season. I also want Read More
BLM Announces May 2025 Oil And Gas Lease Sale In NM
BLM News:
SANTA FE — The Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office today announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for May 22, 2025, to offer three oil and gas parcels totaling 1,261 acres in New Mexico.
The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in August 2024 and held a public comment period that closed in November 2024 on the parcels and the related environmental analysis. A 30-day public protest period to receive additional public input opened today and will close March 26, 2025.
Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development Read More
Bill To Increase Top Oil And Gas Royalty Rate On NM State Lands Passes Senate
NMSLO News:
SANTA FE — For the first time, legislation pushed by New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard to increase the top royalty rate offered for new oil and gas development on the best state lands from 20% to the market rate of 25% passed the passed the full New Mexico Senate today.
Senate Bill 23, sponsored by Sen. George Muñoz and co-sponsored by Speaker of the House Javier Martinez, Sen. Liz Stefanics and Rep. Matthew McQueen, would bring New Mexico’s royalty rate in line with what is offered in Texas and on private lands in New Mexico and would generate millions more Read More
NM Celebrates 20th Annual Behavioral Health Day Feb. 26
NMHCA News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Behavioral Health Planning Council will host its 20th annual Behavioral Health Day at the State Capitol Wednesday, Feb. 26.
This year’s theme celebrates “20 Years of Resiliency, Prevention, and Healing Together,” and highlights two decades of advocacy in mental health and substance use recovery.
Behavioral Health Day takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda, bringing together peers, family members, advocates, providers, and policymakers to highlight the importance of mental health and substance use prevention, treatment and recovery Read More
Talent-Dry Republicans Hope For A Turnabout
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photo
By Milan Simonich
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Maybe the New Mexico Bounce qualifies as a trend. Maybe not. We’ll know soon enough.
The Bounce has nothing to do with pop culture or the price of oil. I made up the term. It’s shorthand for how the party out of power for eight years rebounded three times this century to win the Governor’s Office.
Origins of the Bounce began in the 1990s with Republican Gary Johnson. He was a newcomer to politics who ousted Bruce King, New Mexico’s longest-serving governor. King, a Democrat, won three nonconsecutive Read More
Lawmakers Tout Progress On Crime At Halfway Mark But Want To Do More
By Daniel J. Chacón and Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
As she raced to her office on the fourth floor of the state Capitol early Thursday, Linda Trujillo barely had time to talk.
Trujillo, a Santa Fe Democrat, granted a reporter an interview, but it was in motion and over in 40 seconds.
“They’re going fast and furious,” she said when asked about the first 30 days of the 60-day session.
Trujillo’s assessment sums up the first half of this year’s session, which officially reached its midway point Thursday.
Even longtime lawmakers say the session is Read More
Low National Ranking On Lobbyist Disclosure And High Lobbyist Spending Drive Push For Transparency With SB 248
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Senate Bill 248 updates the Lobbyist Regulation Act to improve public access to information on the activities of the hundreds of lobbyists working in the legislature each session.
The bill addresses a longstanding issue that has placed New Mexico among the lowest-ranked states for lobbyist disclosure. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Harold Pope and Sen. Natalie Figueroa, will be heard in the Senate Rules Committee at 8:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 24. The Rules Committee meets in Room 321 of the Capitol. SB 248 “Lobbyist Regulation and Expenditure Reports” is a bill that would require Read More
Weekly Fishing Report: Feb. 24, 2025
By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post
The snowpack in Northern New Mexico is 43-percent of normal. Two weeks ago saw some snow in the mountains and the snowpack increased. Locally the snowpack at the Hopewell measuring station is 55-percent of normal with a snow depth of 24 inches.
Last week saw two different weather patterns in New Mexico. Temperatures were bitterly cold in Eastern New Mexico, but much milder in t he Central and Western parts of the state. This week temperatures are forecast to be above normal with little chance of any precipitation.
The snowpack in Southern Read More