News

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 Legislature convened in Santa Fe at noon today, with a senate that promises a steadiness forged in previous sessions while the House of Representatives experiences momentous change, even down to seating assignments, office space and parking slots.

Senate Bill 347, sponsored by Sen. Michael Sanchez (D-Belen), has received a unanimous do pass recommendation in Senate Finance.  This is the committee where all lottery bills will eventually land and in most cases...

Between House Education and Senate Education this morning, seven of the dozen or so bills aimed at lottery scholarship fund solvency were heard.  It looks like their consideration will result in still more bills.   Members of Senate Education, wantin

The NM Legislature worked straight through with interim committees meeting monthly, often away from the Roundhouse.  Several of those committees convened at UNM.   Today, the Tobacco Settlement Revenue Oversight Committee met at the UNM Cancer Center, ...

Governor Susana Martinez waited until the last hour of the last day to take action on several of the most important bills to emerge from the 2013 session of the New Mexico Legislature, including the state budget, capital outlay and the bill that keeps ...

There is always some drama to be had during the waning hours of the session. The great unknown was whether agreement on funding to buttress the lottery scholarship for the coming year would make it out of conference committee and be adopted on both ...

Good morning. It's the Ides of March which may have some significance on this next to last day of the 2013 legislative session.Though committees continue to meet, the major action at this late date has to be in the chambers. In the House, which goes on ...

Continuing our review of House action, NM Representatives passed the severance tax bond bill, SB 60, by a vote of 66 - 0. UNM has more than $10 million in projects in that bill. It now goes to the Governor. This morning House Appropriations gave a do ...