New Mexico Website Drops Easy Scanning Feature On Lobbyists – The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
New Mexico's online system for tracking lobbyists' spending on legislators is not as transparent as it used to be.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that a recent change in the website operated by the Secretary of State's Office no longer makes it easy to scan reports in which lobbyists must report expenditures larger than $500 within 48 hours.
The 48-hour reports can still be found but only by looking up the individual names of the hundreds of registered individual lobbyists and companies that employ lobbyists.
Secretary of State's Office Chief of Staff Ken Ortiz says he doesn't know what caused the change.
He says an administrator has been working with the site's vendor to fix that problem and others but that he doesn't know when it'll be fixed.
House To Vote On New Mexico Immigrant License Repeal Effort - The Associated Press
A proposal to repeal a New Mexico law that allows immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally to obtain driver's licenses is heading to the House floor.
The House Judiciary Committee passed the repeal measure Saturday in a 7-6 vote, clearing the way for a full vote.
Reps. Paul Pacheco and Andy Nunez are sponsoring the legislation, which calls for creating a "two-tier" driver's license system.
Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has tried repeatedly to have the law repealed, but those efforts have generated staunch opposition from Democrats. Despite Republicans winning control of the House, Democrats in the Senate have vowed to fight any repeal.
Fines For Violating NM Campaign Finance Laws Go Uncollected – The Associated Press & The Daily Times
Most of the fines assessed by the secretary of state's office for violations of New Mexico's campaign finance reporting laws go uncollected.
The Daily Times reports the office collected only 4 percent of the nearly 2,000 fines levied against candidates during the 2012 and 2014 primary and general elections.
The newspaper reviewed campaign finance data obtained through a public records request. It found Secretary of State Dianna Duran waived more than a third of fines and more than 60 percent went uncollected.
State law allows for Duran to refer delinquent fines to the state attorney general's office for investigation and possible prosecution. None had been referred as of the end of the January.
Campaign finance watchdog groups say they're concerned lax enforcement could compromise accountability among elected officials.
New Mexico House Panel Eyes Truancy Driver's License Bill - The Associated Press
A New Mexico House panel is set to debate a measure that would take away driver's licenses of high school students who stop attending class.
Today the House Education Committee is scheduled to take up a bill that suspends the driver's licenses of habitually truant students.
Rep. Jimmie Hall, an Albuquerque Republican, is sponsoring the proposal. It is one of many aimed at tackling the state's high school dropout rate.
The New Mexico Education Department says New Mexico had a graduation rate in 68.5 percent last year. That's one of the lowest in the country.
Graduation Rates Among New Mexico Students Take Slight Drop - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
Gov. Susana Martinez says a slight drop in New Mexico's high school graduation rate shows a lot more has to be done for students at all grade levels.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Martinez proposed several ideas Friday on how to boost rates, which declined from 70 percent in 2013 to 68.5 percent in 2014.
Martinez's proposals include expanding reading programs for early education and combating student truancy by suspending driver's licenses.
The governor made her remarks during a news conference at Highland High School in Albuquerque with Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera and Albuquerque Public Schools officials.
Martinez says despite graduation rates being more than 5 percent higher compared to four years ago, the state cannot be satisfied.
Taos Health Care Facility Used Employee Benefits For Payroll - The Associated Press and KRQE-TV
The state is investigating a Taos health care facility for leaving 80 workers without health insurance in order to cover paychecks.
KRQE-TV reports that state Superintendent of Insurance John Franchini says Tri-County Community Services secretly used employee insurance premiums last year to make payroll.
Franchini says it's against the law to borrow employees' money that is supposed to be invested in benefits.
Officials say Tri-County missed payments to Blue Cross Blue Shield. The health insurance provider then canceled the group policy, leaving some workers stunned with large medical bills.
Tri-County Board Chair Larry Mapes says the company felt at the time they could meet payroll and insurance needs.
Mapes says he is sorry and the agency will make sure workers are not stuck with huge bills.
New Mexico House To Consider Social Promotion Bill - The Associated Press
The full New Mexico House of Representatives is set to consider legislation that would end the social promotion of third-graders who are not proficient readers.
The bill advanced last week following a 7-6 party-line vote in the House Education Committee. It could be debated on the House floor as soon as Monday.
The bill by Rep. Monica Youngblood of Albuquerque calls for retaining third-graders who are not reading proficiently and giving them intensive remediation.
The legislation is backed by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. Her plan to end social promotion faces opposition from Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, who says student retention should be based on teachers' assessments, not test scores.
Opponents also say retaining students damages them psychologically and intervention can be done without retention.
'Better Call Saul' Sparks Excitement In Albuquerque - The Associated Press
New Mexico's largest city is back to being featured in another television show more than a year after the end of AMC-TV series "Breaking Bad."
"Better Call Saul" premiered Sunday and city officials hope the prequel to the hit series sparks more interests in Albuquerque.
More than 100 fans showed up for a viewing party at an Albuquerque brewery. And one lawyer, Ron Bell, who some speculate the show's main character is loosely based on, has a billboard advertising "Better Call Bell."
New Mexico's new Attorney General Hector Balderas even tweeted that he "will be keeping an eye" out the show's sleazy lawyer main character.
"Better Call Saul" follows Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk, as he defends drug lords, petty criminals and those allegedly injured in traffic accidents.
Santa Fe Mayor Clarifies Gender-Neutral Bathroom Proposal - The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzalez says his proposal to have gender-neutral bathrooms does not mean men and women would have to share a restroom.
Gonzalez told the Santa Fe New Mexican on Saturday that several misconceptions have arisen since he announced the resolution during an address last week.
The mayor says the ordinance will not affect people's privacy or multi-stall bathrooms across the city.
He is working with the City Attorney's Office on the wording of the resolution. He says a vote could happen in spring or summer.
Lawmakers Seek To Wrap Up Costly Tribal Relocation Program - The Associated Press
A relocation effort for tribes in northeastern Arizona has exceeded its expected lifetime by decades and cost by more than $500 million.
Federal officials are trying to figure out how to wrap up the work of the Office of Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation.
It's tasked with providing new homes to Navajos and Hopis ordered off each other's land in one of the largest relocation efforts in U.S. history.
Dozens of Navajos still are waiting for benefits, while others are working through appeals. Congress has expressed frustration with the longevity of the relocation office, and its funding has been on the chopping block before. A congressional delegation recently visited the reservations to hear from tribal leaders.
Relocating tribal members aimed to resolve a longstanding land dispute that the federal government helped create.
Las Cruces Revamps System Used To Recover Stolen Property - The Associated Press and Las Cruces Sun-News
Las Cruces is revamping steps it requires of local businesses to take to help authorities recover stolen property.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the Police Department is going to start using an online system to compare stolen property reports with inventories of pawn shops and secondhand dealers.
Also, an ordinance approved last week by the City Council will regulate additional businesses and require more detailed information.
Another change will require pawn shops, secondhand stores and gold buyers to hold property for a certain amount of time before reselling or disposing of it.
The ordinance doesn't apply to junk dealers, used vehicle dealers, antique dealers, coin collectors, people who hold neighborhood garage sales, nonprofit and charitable secondhand shops and thrift shops, licensed gun dealers and certain consignment stores.
Roswell Man Sues New Mexico Lottery For $500,000 - The Associated Press and KOAT-TV
A Roswell man is suing the New Mexico Lottery over claims his winning ticket actually has a misprint.
KOAT-TV says a lawyer for John Wines filed the lawsuit in court Wednesday asking for the lottery to pay his client more than $500,000.
Attorney Sam Bregman says Wines bought a ticket last December that contains the winning numbers, which amounted to a half-million dollar prize.
Wines says when he went to claim his prize, lottery officials said a small mark next to one of the matching numbers indicated it was a misprint. The lottery also told Wines he would not get paid.
The suit also demands the lottery take steps to ensure the same thing doesn't happen again.
Lottery officials say they have not seen the lawsuit.
Registration Deadline For Bataan Memorial March Approaching - The Associated Press and Las Cruces Sun-News
Organizers of an annual walk honoring those who died in the Bataan Death March say no registrations will be accepted after next month's deadline.
The Las Cruces Sun-News says the last day participants can sign up for the March 22 event at White Sands Missile Range is March 10.
People can register online or download mail-in forms at bataanmarch.com.
Entries sent by U.S. mail must be postmarked no later than March 2. The registration fees range from $110 per person to $500 for a five-person team.
The Bataan Memorial Death March honors the World War II soldiers who suffered during the April 1942 march after thousands of American and Filipino service members surrendered to Japanese forces. Many died during the 80-mile march or became prisoners of war.
Author Says No Clues To Treasure In New Mexico Tourism Video - The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican
An antiquities dealer says a state tourism video in which he appears should not be interpreted as a clue to treasure he hid in the mountains north of Santa Fe.
Over the weekend author Forest Fenn told the Santa Fe New Mexican that nothing he says in the New Mexico Department of Tourism's promotional video is a clue.
In the two-and-a-half minute YouTube video, the 84-year-old author talks about the treasure over sweeping landscape snapshots. Fenn says the accompanying images also are not hints.
Fenn sparked the treasure hunt in 2011 when he released his book, "The Thrill of the Chase." The book features clues that could lead readers to the $2 million treasure he hid in 2010.