By Craig Acorn and Harris Silver, MD — Gov. Susana Martinez can support her commitment to fiscal responsibility and health care and to reduce crime and overdose with one stroke of her pen. Senate Bill 65 passed the Legislature with strong bipartisan support and enables inmates held in jails, prisons, and Children, Youth and Families Department … Continue reading »
By Marisa Demarco —When folks look down on the House or Senate chambers and see lawmakers making jokes, debating memorials or otherwise whiling away the hours, they might assume their politicians are unfocused—or lazy. But really, the back and forth, the dealmaking, is often happening somewhere else. Our legislators trade in alliances and political capital, … Continue reading »
By Jerry Ortiz y Pino —Sixty days of legislative effort ended on Saturday with a last-minute madcap flurry in both chambers. It produced a result that Gov. Susana Martinez proclaimed a “victory for New Mexico” and Rep. Mimi Stewart described as “a royal screw job.” Whose version comes closest to the truth? The governor got … Continue reading »
The Minimum Wage Battle — Rep. Phillip Archuleta worked for the Department of Workforce Solutions for 20 years. His job was to handle cases where people weren’t getting paid their due, he said. “Anything to do with wage theft.” The Democrat from Las Cruces said during those two decades, he encountered folks who were working … Continue reading »
By Margaret Wright — Hanna Skandera, secretary-designate of the Public Education Department, might be facing yet another year in office with a hyphen tacked onto her title. Last week, she sat through two full days of confirmation hearings and hours of testimony by educators, administrators, business leaders, and a few students and parents. At the … Continue reading »
By Margaret Wright — The legislative session has been a tug-of-war between the Public Education Department and local districts, many of them represented by Democratic lawmakers — and all trying to gain traction during the division of a $2.5 billion pot of public school money. Controversy over funding illustrates the struggle the administration of Gov. … Continue reading »
By Marisa Demarco — The Roundhouse is not insulated from the happenings beyond its walls. In this week’s legislative update, we see regional issues seeping in. Lawmakers are contending with: marijuana, an online prostitution ring and the ongoing firearm debate. Pot’s Shot Hot on the heels of our neighbor to the North, legislators are considering … Continue reading »
By Maren Tarro — Lobbying groups for agriculture and food companies have spared no expense in their campaign to convince consumers that not only are GMOs safe, they are necessary to ensure adequate food production for a growing population. This matters here at home, they say, and in drought-stricken, impoverished nations. It’s the “starving children … Continue reading »
By Margaret Wright — Hanna Skandera, secretary-designate of the state’s Public Education Department, stayed positive Monday as she faced a barrage of questions from Democrats. House Bill 3, the state’s public school budget, was subject to a headed discussion by members of the House and Senate Education Committees. Gov. Susana Martinez has proposed to increase … Continue reading »
By Jerry Ortiz y Pino — When the press discussed the state Senate president pro tem election that just took place, it was usually from a “sports page” perspective: who won (Sen. Mary Kay Papen—and therefore the governor); who lost (Sen. Pete Campos—and therefore the Democrats in the Senate); what was the final score (who … Continue reading »
