Government Relations

It was over with a whimper. In the words of Rep. Andy Nunez to the New Mexico State Senate, “we want to inform you that the House has 'sine died' and we want you to quit too.”

Applause broke out on the house floor as members voted unanimously to concur with senate changes to the state budget bill. The $6.234 billion budget calls for a 1.3 percent increase in spending with reserves hovering at 8 percent.

A lottery scholarship trifecta played out at the Legislature this morning, and all came in winners.

On a 42–25 vote, the New Mexico House of Representatives approved the state budget bill that contains $6.2 billion to fund state government and public education for 2015-16. Higher education’s share of that budget pie is $846 million, with $810 million allocated to the institutions, including a $2.1 million increase in operating funds for UNM.

The New Mexico Senate has confirmed Barbara Damron as the secretary of the Higher Education Department. It was a breeze, starting this morning with a lovefest in the Senate Rules Committee.

They keep calling it is a messy process that leaves no one totally happy. That is how the state budget is built.  This afternoon, House Appropriations approved what will go into the final crafting of the general appropriations act as will be found in HB2.

It’s UNM Day at the New Mexico Legislature and we couldn’t have scripted a more memorable event. Bright, warm, and sunny with Clifford the Big Red Dog roaming the halls and Sen. Mark Moores (R-Albuquerque) leading his fellow alums in the Senate in the...

As expected, state financial analysts have downgraded revenue estimates for FY16 by $57.8 million because of falling oil and gas prices.

The House Regulatory and Public Affairs committee tabled a couple of proposed increases in the state minimum wage this afternoon. The current state minimum wage is $7.50 per hour. In HB 20, Rep. Lucky Varela (D-Santa Fe) proposed raising that to $10.10 per hour, paralleling what is being discussed nationally.

The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved House Resolution 1 (HR 1), which changes committee structure, on a 37-30 party-line vote. Facing major restructuring, the now minority house democrats argued strenuously against name changes, new ...