New Mexico House endorses billion-dollar budget boost - Morgan Lee And Cedar Attanasio Associated Press
State House lawmakers in New Mexico endorsed a $1 billion increase in general fund spending Thursday to reinforce health care for the poor, teacher salaries, environmental regulation, policing and more.
Lead House budget negotiator and Democratic Rep. Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup said the proposal uses a surge in state government income to improve education, bolster public safety and spur economic growth in a state with the highest rate of childhood poverty in the American West.
"With the needs that we have in this state, people want the money out; they want that money working for them," Lundstrom said.
The House voted 56-13 in favor, with some Republicans in opposition, moving the bill to the Senate for consideration.
In all, the bill calls for state general fund spending of $8.47 billion for the fiscal year starting on July 1 — a nearly 14% increase from current annual spending of $7.45 billion.
It would leave room for $400 in tax cuts and maintains an unspent general fund balance of at least $2.6 billion — equal to 30% of annual spending obligations.
"We believe that this will lead to transformational outcomes for the people of our state while maintaining that robust reserve," Lundstrom said.
House Republicans emphasized their support for even greater companion tax cuts, forcing a failed vote on whether to fast-track a bill to eliminate taxes on Social Security income. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is backing that and other tax cuts during a 30-day legislative session that ends on Feb. 17.
Republicans also questioned a $50 million allocation to future investments in New Mexico-based venture capital projects that can be risky for investors but have the potential for above-average returns.
"That's not something we would do were we not floating on an ocean of money," said Republican Rep. Larry Scott of Hobbs.
House Democrats touted unprecedented investments in K-12 schools, including funding for teacher raises, under a $3.87 billion budget for public education.
"That is a historic investment in New Mexico children," said Democratic Rep. Candie Sweetser of Deming. "We are investing in those teachers and it really does matter."
More than $40 million is dedicated to culturally appropriate teaching materials that cater to Native American children and non-English speaking households, as lawmakers respond to court rulings that show a failure to provide adequate educational opportunities to low-income, minority and disabled students.
An increase of more than a quarter-billion dollars in spending is aimed at shoring up the state's Medicaid program and other benefits for poor people, including emergency food and temporary cash benefits.
New spending also would bolster permanent nursing staffs at hospitals and extend pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage to mothers for a year after giving birth, up from two months.
Salaries would increase by at least 7% for public employees in state government and public education, with a $15 hourly minimum. Even larger pay hikes are slated for state police.
Other provisions would create a new climate change bureau to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emission. The plan puts $9 million into grants to prevent violence, amid a record setting spate of homicides in Albuquerque.
Separately, the state Senate voted in favor of election-year initiatives to shore up voting procedures and to rein in climate change, sending two bills to the House for consideration.
The election bill, endorsed on a 39-0 vote, would usher in new efforts to improve the accuracy of voter registration rolls and new rules for election challengers and watchers, who monitor polling places and flag problems for precinct boards and judges. Training would be required for challengers and watchers, with a ban on video or audio recordings at poll sites.
Senators clashed over a Democrat-sponsored bill to reduce pollution from the transportation sector by establishing a low-carbon fuel standard, with Republicans warning of higher pump prices for gasoline. The bill won approval on a 25-6 vote, moving to the House.
The proposed clean-fuel standard — similar to systems in California and Oregon — gradually reduces the allowable amount of greenhouse gases linked to the production, blending and transportation of fuels such as gasoline, hydrogen, ethanol, diesel and biodiesel derived from used restaurant oil. Requirements don't apply to retail fuel stations.
Bill sponsor Mimi Stewart, the Senate's top-ranked Democrat, said the regulations would attract new industrial entrepreneurs, improve air quality and address pressing environmental threats like wildfires and flooding that accompany climate change.
The Environment Department would hire a half-dozen full time employees to roll out the clean fuel program over a two year period.
Storm leaving New Mexico but leaving bitter cold, icy roads - Associated Press
A major storm was leaving New Mexico on Thursday but leaving bitterly cold temperatures and roads slick from ice and packed with snow, prompting closures of schools in several cities and nonessential government services in Albuquerque.
The National Weather Service office in Albuquerque canceled winter storm warnings as conditions improved but urged drivers to be cautious as subfreezing temperatures across most of the state made travel hazardous.
State police said the weather and road conditions appeared to be contributing factors in a deadly pileup along Interstate 40 near Santa Rosa on Wednesday that involved 13 semi trucks and three passenger vehicles. One woman was killed and five other people were taken to a hospital with unknown injuries.
Public schools were closed Thursday in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Rio Rancho due to icy road conditions and Las Cruces schools switched to remote learning. Albuquerque closed government offices, senior centers, libraries, the ABQBioPark and two museums.
In Las Cruces, the city's airport and a drive-up COVID-19 testing site at a sports stadium were closed Thursday. COVID-19 testing sites at the fair grounds in Albuquerque and in Santa Fe also were closed, but one in Hobbs in southeastern New Mexico remained open.
Gradual warming was expected Friday into early next week, the weather service said.
Small loan interest cap headed to House vote – Austin Fisher, Source New Mexico
A cap on interest rates for small loans is likely headed to a full vote by the New Mexico House of Representatives.
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday afternoon voted 7-5 along party lines to approve House Bill 132. The bill would cap interest rates on small loans in the state to 36%. Today, they’re as high as 175%.
Opposition to the legislation on Wednesday and this weekend largely centered around the same argument: Lowering interest rates on small loans will make it hard for low-income New Mexicans to access lines of credit.
A large portion of Wednesday’s nearly two-and-a-half hour-long hearing was devoted to a representative of credit unions in the state reassuring committee members that yes, New Mexicans would still have access to small loans if the bill became law.
“Credit unions have been here before,” said Juan Fernandez, president of the Credit Union Association of New Mexico. “We have come up with solutions and innovations when we were part of the New Deal to help consumers have access to credit during the Great Depression, and we’re going to be here again, when the Legislature passes this piece of legislation to cap interest rates at 36%.”
Many credit unions around the state already offer small loans at rates less than 30%, said Karen Myers, a consumer lawyer in Albuquerque and former head of the Consumer Protection Division at the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office.
Fernandez said people will still have access to loans smaller than $1,000 if the bill becomes law.
“I know the industry now says they can’t do loans at 36%. But they said the same thing, when the rate was established 175%,” Fernandez said. “I don’t think that this is going to extinguish them from existence. Mind you, their profits might be lower, but I still think that they’re going to be able to remain in New Mexico. Their loans are going to be fairer, and it’s going to be a fair deal for consumers.”
Fernandez said the vast majority of people who have taken out small loans would also qualify for loans from credit unions in the state.
Rep. James Townsend (R-Artesia) said the bill would prevent a certain business from using what they believe is their best practices.
“This game of pickin’ and choosin’ winners is not something the Legislature has a good track record in,” Townsend said.
If a majority of lawmakers in the House vote in favor of the bill, it will have to go through the entire committee process again in the Senate before heading for another floor vote. The session is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 17 at noon.
NM committee chair says she’ll post substitute bills before votes, following Source NM coverage – Patrick Lohmann, Source New Mexico
A New Mexico Senate committee chairwoman said Wednesday she would ensure all proposed legislation that members debate is posted online, a response to Source New Mexico coverage of a practice in the Roundhouse where lawmakers approve measures that haven’t been seen by the public.
The Senate Conservation Committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would allocate $2.2 million toward boosting wages for chile farmworkers and add more reporting requirements for farmers and contractors. The proposed rules followed an allegation of wage theft by a recipient of the taxpayer-funded wage supplement.
But no one outside the capital building in Santa Fe had a chance of seeing the bill before it was debated and approved. It was introduced last-minute as a substitute measure and distributed on paper copies to lawmakers — but it was never posted online.
Senate policy requires that bills become public record only when they’re read on the Senate floor. That didn’t happen until at least the next day in this case. The bill still needs to be approved by both chambers and signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Sen. Liz Stefanics (D-Cerrillos) chairs the committee. She initially did not respond to a request for comment on why the public never got to see the measure lawmakers approved. But on Wednesday night, she said she’d change the committee policy.
“We are taking notice,” she said in an email. “Committee substitute bills in my Conservation committee will be posted in the future.”
The change affects only Stefanics’ committee. Chris Nordstrum, a spokesperson for Senate Democrats, said he hasn’t heard yet of any effort to adopt a change across the Senate.
“I’m not aware of any formal, across-the-board changes in the works, but I do know that other chairs are making accommodations to improve the public’s ability to access to committee substitutions,” he said.
For example, Nordstrum said that Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Albuquerque) announced Wednesday that he would post online a committee substitute for Senate Bill 8, which proposes major voting rights’ reforms, before any action would have been taken on it.
A spokesperson for House Democrats did not respond to a request for comment Thursday about whether a similar change might occur in that chamber.
Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces), who sponsored the chile farmworker bill, said Thursday that he supported the Conservation Committee change and would like to see it adopted in every legislative committee.
“I think that’s a great policy,” he said.
Tribes: Settlement in opioids case will bolster healing - By Felicia Fonseca And Ted Warren Associated Press
Cheryl Andrews-Maltais takes note of the heart-wrenching dates that remind Wampanoag families that they're still in the midst of the opioid drug crisis — birthdays of loved ones lost, anniversaries of their passing. Then she reaches out with a phone call to the grieving.
"And then you're on the other side of it, and you're bracing for another holiday or event you can't share because of this," she said.
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah, which Andrews-Maltais leads in Massachusetts, was among hundreds of Native American tribes that sued drug manufacturers and distributors over the role they played in the epidemic. One study found Native Americans had the highest per capita rate of opioid overdose deaths of any population group in 2015.
Andrews-Maltais can think of 15 deaths among her tribe of about 500 alone.
Tribes settled with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and the three largest U.S. drug distribution companies this week for $590 million. Lawyers representing tribes hope to reach settlements with others in the pharmaceutical industry, including remaining manufacturers and pharmacies.
Last year, the four companies announced a $26 billion settlement with state and local governments to end all suits. An overwhelming majority of governments have signed on; the companies are to decide this month whether it constitutes enough acceptance to move ahead. The agreement with tribes is to be subtracted from those deals.
Each of the 574 federally recognized tribes are eligible for a share of the settlement money made public Tuesday. It's unclear how quickly the money would flow to tribes, but it won't much and not until 95% of tribes and tribal organizations that sued agree to the settlement.
"Obviously it should have been more," Andrews-Maltais said. "The ongoing, cumulative effects are generational, and this money is not going to be generational."
A special court master and the judge who oversaw the case must develop a formula for allocating the money. Three enrolled tribal members who are well-known in Indian Country will be responsible for administering the funds: former U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs Secretary Kevin Washburn, former Indian Health Service acting director Mary Smith, and Kathy Hannan, chair of the National Museum of the American Indian's Board of Trustees.
Tribal leaders say they hope the funding will consider not only population but geographic diversity, access to health care, land mass and tribes' needs.
"One measuring stick that does apply, unfortunately to the vast majority of tribes, is that they are disproportionately impacted by opioids, alcohol and other chemical-generating problems that they had a very difficult history dealing with," said Geoffrey Strommer, whose firm represented some tribes in the settlement.
A 236-page court document filed in the case laid out staggering statistics for tribes related to drug-related crimes and deaths, and noted a long history — including the federal government's attempts to assimilate Native Americans into white society — that has contributed to generations of trauma. Most tribes have struggled financially to address the opioid crisis through law enforcement, courts, social services and health care.
Tribal police agencies said in the court filing that they've had to train more officers on how to deal with prescription and synthetic drugs, and arm them with tools to treat overdoses.
Tribes have turned to wellness or healing centers to treat those with opioid addictions, their families and the larger community. In Sequim, Washington, the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe is building a holistic health center in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains and near the headwaters of the Duwamish River.
It will serve up to 300 people per day, both tribal and non-tribal members struggling with addiction. Shuttle services will be available for anyone who needs a ride and child care. The plans call for a water feature in the front that will reinforce a traditional story about the ability to change the path of a river by moving one rock.
The tribe also has funded a full-time social services worker who will be embedded in the police department to address concerns in the larger community about patients and any drug-related crimes.
"Sometimes people, optically, think that these kind of treatment centers become a magnet to drug dealers and the underbelly of that industry," said Jamestown S'Klallam Chairman W. Ron Allen. "And that's not what it is. It's a reverse of that. They're designed to be highly secure, highly safe, highly monitored and totally focused on helping those individuals become healthy."
Joshua Carver, who received services from the tribe to overcome a heroin addiction, helped install some of the center's artwork as part of his tribal construction job.
His mother, Shawna Priest, saw it as an evolution from taking oxycodone for back issues, moving on to heroin, being hospitalized on the brink of an overdose and detoxing at home for six months before recovering four years ago.
Her daughter also has struggled with addiction, including a relapse after losing a newborn, but has recovered and is working at a tribal casino. Priest herself was terrified to take medication after having ankle surgery last April, questioning whether it would cause her to become addicted. She tells her family's story to instill hope in others.
"You can get through this. You can be successful," she said. "It's not the end of the world."
Leonard Forsman, chairman of the neighboring Suquamish Tribe, said he is glad major drug manufacturers and distributors are being held responsible for the opioid epidemic, though none acknowledged wrongdoing in the settlement. The tribe plans to use the money to support cultural resurgence, which he said "has been the most effective pathway for preventing addiction and promoting recovery."
The Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma said it will use the funding to expand mental health treatment and related services.
Kristopher Peters, a former police officer for the Squaxin Island Tribe in Washington state, said he has seen good people lose their jobs, destroy their families, hurt others and die because of opioid addictions. Incarceration is not the answer, and many times, treatment doesn't work the first time.
"We're not expecting the awarded funds to solve our issues or buy our way out of this epidemic," said Peters, now the tribe's chairman. "That in itself is not going to heal anyone."
Cultural gatherings like the canoe journey shared among tribes at Puget Sound and potlatches — ceremonial feasts that involve gift giving — are part of the equation, he said.
"I've seen people who are absolute addicts struggling with crime on that canoe journey, and they are totally different people," he said. "Connecting with their traditional ways. It's healing."
___
Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Arizona, and Warren from Sequim, Washington. Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
Sen. Luján to be out at least 4 weeks, Biden agenda at risk - By Lisa Mascaro and Farnoush Amiri Associated Press
The Democrats' fragile hold on the Senate majority became vividly apparent Wednesday with the sudden illness of New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján, who won't be back to work for at least four weeks, throwing President Joe Biden's Supreme Court pick and lagging legislative agenda in doubt.
The 49-year-old Democrat remained hospitalized after suffering a stroke and is expected to make a full recovery. But Senate colleagues were blindsided by the news — even top-ranking leaders were reportedly unaware that Luján fell ill last Thursday, a stunning oversight. Barring any complications, he is expected to be back at work in four to six weeks, according to a senior aide granted anonymity to discuss the situation.
Without Luján's presence, the party no longer has full day-to-day control of what has been an evenly split Senate, leaving Biden's potential Supreme Court nomination, big priorities and even routine business at risk in the face of Republican objections.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who went to the White House later Wednesday to discuss the court nominee with Biden, spoke of the "awful, frightening" situation, but remained hopeful that Luján, one of the chamber's youngest members, would be "back to his old self" before too long and the Senate would carry on with its business.
"All of us are rooting for him every step of the way — between now and the day he makes his return to the Senate," Schumer said Wednesday.
The uncertainty shows just how precarious the Democrats' hold on power in Washington really is and the limits of Biden's ability to usher what's left of a once-bold agenda through Congress. The president's chance to confirm a Supreme Court nominee, a hoped-for reset for the administration and the party, could be dangerously at risk if Democrats are unable to count on their majority to overcome hardening Republican opposition.
Already, routine Senate business was being rearranged Wednesday, as the Senate Commerce Committee announced it would be postponing consideration of some of Biden's executive branch nominees because the panel, on which Luján is a member, needs all Democrats for the votes.
More pressing, though, is the upcoming Supreme Court confirmation battle to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. Democrats have been eager to shift to the high court fight, believing it will galvanize voters at a time when Biden's broader legislative agenda, including his sweeping Build Back Better Act and voting legislation, have collapsed.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said the panel is planning to push ahead with consideration of Biden's Supreme Court pick as soon as the president announces his nominee, expected later this month.
"We don't anticipate any difficulties," Durbin told reporters at the Capitol.
Schumer has signaled a swift confirmation of Biden's Supreme Court nominee. And after meeting with Biden at the White House, the majority leader's spokesman said Luján's absence is not expected to affect the Senate's timeline for the process.
The Senate is split 50-50, with Democrats holding an ever-so-fragile majority because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote.
As it stands, Biden's agenda has fallen apart on Capitol Hill, taken down by the one-two punch of Republican opposition and two Democrats, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who have joined Republicans to halt the president's priorities.
Luján's illness is a reminder it's not just Manchin, Sinema and Republican opposition, but the health and welfare of every single senator that could make or break the Democrats' hold on power and the outcome of Biden's agenda.
The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has stymied both parties, as senators have been forced to isolate after testing positive for the virus or being exposed. This week, two Republicans, Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and John Hoeven of North Dakota, are working remotely because of positive virus tests.
"We always knew a 50/50 Senate was going to require patience as well as cooperation and we hope he's back soon," said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.
Asked if progress on the president's agenda could be imperiled, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, "Life is precious," and noted the average age of senators. It is 64.
"I would just say we spend most of our time engaging in good faith about the president's agenda, and not making those calculations," Psaki said.
Luján's condition appears serious, but also improving. He is expected to be out for at least a month, according to a Democrat familiar with the situation who discussed it on condition of anonymity.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the chairman of the Finance Committee, said, "Everybody in the Senate can count so we all know what votes mean."
Past illnesses, including strokes, have led to prolonged absences in the Senate, most recently with Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois and earlier with Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota.
More recently, Democrats faced a health scare last year when Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., was diagnosed with cancer. She underwent radiation therapy and is cancer-free.
Rarely has a president tried to accomplish so much in Congress with so slim a majority, and the fallout has been swift and stark.
Luján's office announced that he checked himself into a hospital in Santa Fe on Thursday. His chief of staff, Carlos Sanchez, said the senator was then transferred to a hospital in Albuquerque for further evaluation.
His office added that Luján is still in the hospital but is expected to make a full recovery.
"Senator Luján was found to have suffered a stroke in the cerebellum, affecting his balance," the statement released Tuesday said. "As part of his treatment plan, he subsequently underwent decompressive surgery to ease swelling."
Most Senate Democrats hadn't spoken directly to Luján or his office as of Wednesday. Even his New Mexico colleague, Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich, shut down reporters inquiring about Lujan's health and wellbeing, calling the questions "unbelievable." But his absence was felt throughout the Senate, with both Republicans and Democratic lawmakers hailing his bipartisan work at the Commerce hearing Wednesday morning, according to committee chairwoman Maria Cantwell.
"He'll be back," Cantwell said. "But this is just a reminder of how fragile we all are as individuals, And certainly we get all in the big fight about trying to get things done, but this is a reminder that we should all work together."
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the entire Senate is "praying for and pulling for our colleague."
GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he texted Luján Tuesday night to tell him he was thinking about him, but has not heard back yet and his staff said, "It may be a couple of days before he's able to get back to you."
Elected to the Senate in 2020, Luján is a quiet but well-known lawmaker on Capitol Hill, who helped lead Democrats to the House majority with its record-breaking class of freshmen recruits heading the campaign committee during the 2018 election year.
Voter access, election bills inch forward in New Mexico - By Morgan Lee Associated Press
Two election initiatives — one aimed at expanding voter access and another designed to shore up election administration and oversight — inched forward Wednesday in the New Mexico Legislature with the support of state election regulators.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth urged colleagues on a panel to help expand voting access under a bill that makes Election Day a state holiday, streamlines procedures for voting by mail, and automates voter registration as people exit prison, receive welfare benefits or complete transactions at state motor vehicle offices.
Wirth described a "tale of two democracies" in which neighboring Texas has embraced new voting restrictions and Colorado has approved a string of voter access initiatives amid surging election participation.
At least 19 states have enacted voting restrictions since the 2020 election, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. The national GOP campaign to tighten voting laws has been partly driven by former President Donald Trump's false claims that the election was stolen.
"I think it's fair to say our Democracy is under direct attack," said Wirth, cosponsor of the voter-access bill. "And central to that is this battle over voting rights."
It was the first public vetting for the bill from Wirth and Democratic colleagues including Sen. Harold Pope of Albuquerque — New Mexico's first Black state senator. Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver guided legislators through special provisions including safeguards to ensure voting access for Native Americans and exclude people who are not U.S. citizens.
A committee vote was postponed with little over two weeks left in a 30-day legislative session that ends at noon on Feb. 17.
Separately, the Senate began debate without voting on a bipartisan initiative to shore up election procedures and oversight after voting habits shifted toward mail-in ballots in 2020.
The bill would prohibit video and audio recordings at polling locations in response to complaints about disruptive behavior by people with video cameras, said the lead sponsor of the legislation, Democratic state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto of Albuquerque. Ivey-Soto is an attorney and consultant to local governments on election administration, the sharing of public records and more.
"Challengers, watchers and observers still have a very important responsibility and duty," Ivey-Soto said.
The bill requires New Mexico's secretary of state to develop a new program to reconcile voter registration rolls with records of deaths, people who leave the state and other discrepancies.
It would require training for election watchers and challengers, who are appointed by political parties or candidates to show up at voting locations, monitor procedures and flag problems for precinct boards and judges. New qualifications would be set for election board members.
"This bill addresses election integrity and transparency," said Republican Sen. Crystal Diamond of Elephant Butte, a co-sponsor. "It does not remove challengers, it does not remove watchers and it does not remove the observers from the process."
Under the proposal, absentee voters must sign and label ballot envelopes with the last four-digits of their social security number — verification measures used at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic.
More ballots were cast than ever before across New Mexico in the 2020 general election as President Joe Biden won the state and a Republican challenger flipped a congressional seat in southern New Mexico.
Trump's campaign withdrew its lawsuit against the state over concerns about ballot drop boxes. The secretary of state urged a federal court to fine the campaign for unfounded allegations.
De La Cruz appointed to New Mexico House of Representatives - Associated Press
The Bernalillo County Commission on Wednesday appointed former commissioner Art De La Cruz to the New Mexico House of Representatives.
De La Cruz, a Democrat, takes the seat representing District 12 in Albuquerque.
It was vacated by Rep. Brittney Barreras, who announced her resignation Friday.
Barreras was halfway through her first term when she abruptly resigned through a statement issued by the Democratic caucus.
She said "all of the pressure and stress" had taken a toll on her mental health.
The commission voted 4-1 to appoint De La Cruz over two other candidates.
The county commission previously appointed De La Cruz to the seat in 2020 to fill a vacancy.
He ran as a write-in candidate in the November 2020 election, but lost to Barreras.
Indigneous language speakers could get teacher salaries - By Cedar Attanasio Associated Press / Report For America
The New Mexico Legislature advanced a bill Wednesday that would increase the minimum salaries of some fluent Indigenous language speakers who teach the languages to children in schools but are not state certified teachers.
The instructors who speak Navajo, Zuni, Keres and other Native American languages work for school systems at non-teaching jobs for which they are paid much less than teachers despite the work that they do teaching languages to students.
About 100 people in New Mexico have Indigenous language certificates approved by their tribes and administered by state education officials. The bill would provide state funding to cover those certificate holders with minimum salary protections of middle-tier licensed teachers.
The measure could double or triple instructor salaries from the local minimum wage to a teacher salary that currently stands at $50,000, but is expected to be raised to $60,000 by the Legislature this year.
The House Education Committee advanced the bill Wednesday in a 9-1 vote that included Democratic and Republican support.
The bill's supporters said the salary increase is essential for fairness, will boost the number of Native American instructors in the classroom and preserve language and culture.
Critics voiced concerns that school workers like bus drivers would benefit from the program.
New Mexico confirms K-12 education testing, secretary - By Cedar Attanasio Associated Press / Report For America
New Mexico's top educator said Wednesday the state will carry out testing of K-12 students this spring, after receiving waivers to federal testing requirements for the past two years.
"We do have a statewide standardized assessment that will be given at the end of this school year," Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus told state senators at a committee hearing before he was confirmed by the Senate Wednesday.
He said that the department will also try to backfill the lack of testing in part by asking school districts to submit internal testing data for analysis by the state this summer.
"Student assessments are an essential part of giving feedback to the student and the parent, to the teacher to see if the curriculum is right and to you as a legislative body," Steinhaus said in response to concerns about lack of testing and academic achievement data.
He added that the Legislature funds education with $3 billion in taxpayer money annually, saying lawmakers "want to know what that check is going to and how it's being used and whether it's effective."
Like most states, New Mexico took advantage of a blanket waiver on federal testing requirements in 2020. It was one of a handful to obtain a waiver in 2021.
But data points from 2019 won't be directly comparable to the testing in 2022. That's because Steinhaus' boss, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, replaced the testing system of her Republican predecessor after taking office that year.
The plan was to pivot to another testing format in 2020, but that was delayed due to the pandemic. Grisham is running for reelection this year with few objective metrics of educational achievement in the K-12 system.
Steinhaus has led the education department since August.
Authorities vow to never give up on unsolved killings - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
The remains of 11 women and an unborn child were discovered buried more than a decade ago in the desert on the edge of Albuquerque, kicking off what would be the largest homicide case in the police department's history.
Tips are still coming in today, and investigators said Wednesday they're hoping to get that one bit of information — however tiny it might seem — that will help to break open the case.
"I think that we have to remember that we can never give up hope," said Police Chief Harold Medina, who was a lieutenant on the graveyard shift when the discovery was made.
Authorities gathered to mark the 13th anniversary of the discovery of a human bone by a woman who was walking her dog on the mesa not far from a new housing development. It was the first of many skeletal remains that would be unearthed as part of an intense around-the-clock excavation that was followed by a nearly yearlong effort to identify the victims based on DNA and dental records.
A few years before the discovery, Detective Ida Lopez noticed women with ties to drugs and prostitution had been vanishing from Albuquerque. All of the women who made the detective's list were among those found at the mass grave site on Albuquerque's west side.
Authorities also noted Wednesday that eight women with similar backgrounds remain missing.
While many of the victims struggled with drugs, family members never imagined they would turn up dead. Some were mothers and many knew each other.
"These women were loved, each one has a unique story and their families want answers, and we are dedicated to finding those answers," Lopez said in a statement.
The women's names were read aloud by City Councilor Klarissa Peña, whose district includes the area where the remains were found. She said the case has been burned into Albuquerque's collective memory and that a memorial park helps to keep the women's memories alive.
"These family members just want closure," she said. "We hope that there are tips out there or anybody who knows anything can help in closing this case so the families can finally put their family members to rest in peace."
Investigators said whoever killed the women was likely charming or friendly and able to build trust with these other street-wise women. They also said the person would have been comfortable with the place where the women were buried.
Nearly 1,200 tips have come in over the years and about 200 women with arrest records for drugs and prostitution have been interviewed as part of the case. A task force also is conducting an audit of all the tips to ensure each one has been worked to the fullest.
In 2018, two extensive searches were done — one of which used ground penetrating radar based on a tip received in search of evidence of the missing women. The other search was near the original dig site and was determined to be an ancient burial ground. In 2021, another search was conducted based on a tip but nothing turned up.
Other cold case homicides also are being reviewed to see if there are similarities.
Authorities said there are "more than a few" suspects in the serial killings, noting that the number changes as tips come in and as investigators rule out possible suspects.
The Albuquerque Police Department, the FBI and the families of the women have contributed to a reward of up to $100,000 for information that leads to an arrest and successful prosecution in this case.
Mayor Tim Keller said new information is what will lead to the case being solved.
"Sometimes we don't have all the answers, but we're not going to quit," he said.
New Mexico governor appoints new top water official -Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday appointed her recently named water adviser to now serve as the state engineer.
As New Mexico's top water official, Mike Hamman will overseeing water rights and will serve as secretary of the Interstate Stream Commission, which manages interstate water compacts and long-term water planning.
Hamman will replace John D'Antonio, who stepped down in December after citing a persistent lack of financial support to protect the state's water resources.
Hamman told lawmakers during a legislative hearing this week that one priority will be completing the governor's 50-year water plan as the state aims to be better prepared for a more arid future. He also warned lawmakers last week that New Mexico needs readily available tools so it can accommodate years with particularly slim supplies.
The governor in a statement issued Wednesday described Hamman as a consummate expert in his field.
Before taking on the advisory role in the governor's office, Hamman was the chief engineer and chief executive officer for the irrigation district that covers tens of thousands of acres along the Rio Grande in central New Mexico. He also worked for nearly two decades at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, ending his tenure there as a regional manager.
Winter storm packing snow, freezing rain moves across US - By Kathleen Foody And Jill Bleed Associated Press
A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the central U.S. as airlines canceled thousands of flights, officials urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses.
The blast of frigid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night and continued Wednesday, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. On Wednesday morning, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow.
By midday Wednesday, some places had already reported snow totals exceeding or nearing a foot, including the central Illinois town of Lewistown with 14.4 inches and the northeastern Missouri city of Hannibal with 11.5 inches .
"And it's still snowing across these areas," said Andrew Orrison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.
Central Illinois and northern Indiana appeared likely to receive the most snowfall, with expected totals ranging from 12 to 18 inches by the end of Thursday, Orrison said.
Snow had begun to taper off in Missouri by early afternoon but much of the state could wind up with 8 inches to a foot of snow. Parts of Michigan also could snow totals around a foot by Thursday.
In Chicago, Elisha Waldman and his sons welcomed the opportunity to hit a sledding hill Wednesday morning, even as snow continued to fall.
"Cold and wet and wonderful, and getting cold and wet is part of the fun with the guys, and we get to go inside and have hot cocoa and warm up," Waldman said.
In Detroit's western suburbs, Tony Haley also found an advantage to the weather. He owns a landscaping and irrigation company that offers snow removal and salting services, but the early winter weeks offered few opportunities for business.
"This one here, we're looking for a good two, three days of work," Haley said after clearing snow away from several businesses in Canton.
But for those on the roads, the heavy snow created hazardous conditions.
"We're receiving a lot of snow over here in northwest Indiana and it's the wet, slushy snow that causes treacherous driving conditions to say the least," Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield told WFLD-TV.
In central Missouri, officials shut down part of Interstate 70 midday after a crash made the roadway impassable.
Areas south of the heavy snow were expected to see freezing rain, with the heaviest ice predicted along the lower Ohio Valley area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee.
"If everything holds to where it is right now, this is the real deal," said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who ordered state government offices to close on Thursday. "It is dangerous. People need to be prepared."
The disruptive storm moved across the central U.S. on Groundhog Day, the same day the famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. The storm came on the heels of a nor'easter last weekend that brought blizzard conditions to many parts of the East Coast.
The storm's path extended as far south as Texas, nearly a year after a catastrophic freeze buckled the state's power grid in one of the worst blackouts in U.S. history. The forecast did not call for the same prolonged and frigid temperatures as the February 2021 storm, and the National Weather Service said the system would, generally, not be as bad this time for Texas.
Early Thursday morning there were over 46,000 power outages being reported in Texas and over 17,000 in Oklahoma, according to poweroutage.us.
Snowfall totals reached 22 inches in Colorado Springs and up to 10 inches in the Denver area, with more expected, prompting universities, state government offices and the Legislature to shut down.
Airlines canceled nearly 8,000 flights in the U.S. scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday, the flight-tracking service FlightAware.com showed. Airports in St. Louis, Chicago, Kansas City and Detroit canceled more flights than usual. Almost 700 flights were canceled Thursday alone at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and more than 300 were canceled at nearby Dallas Love Field.
In an effort to stay ahead of the weather, Southwest Airlines announced Tuesday that it would suspend all of its flight operations Wednesday at St. Louis Lambert International Airport and Thursday at its Dallas Love Field hub.
National Weather Service forecasters in Little Rock put their own spin on the Groundhog Day tradition with a photo of their office cat, Tarmac, and the caption: "SHADOWS EVERYWHERE! THE WINTER STORM IS HAPPENING!"
Hanford begins 1st large-scale treatment of nuke tank wastes - By Nicholas K. Geranios Associated Press
Workers on a former nuclear weapons production site have started the first large-scale treatment of radioactive and chemical wastes from large underground storage tanks, a key milestone in cleaning up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the U.S. Department of Energy said Wednesday.
Hanford for decades made plutonium for the nation's nuclear arsenal and is the most radioactively contaminated site in the nation's nuclear weapons complex. It was created by the Manhattan Project and made the plutonium for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, at the end of the World War II.
William White, Energy Department senior advisor for environmental management, called the new $130 million cesium removal system a major milestone.
"The importance of this achievement can't be overstated," White said, adding that it would eventually transform the Hanford site.
The newly operational system removes radioactive cesium and solids from waste stored in huge underground tanks at Hanford. The treated waste will be stored until it is sent to the nearby Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, where it will be converted into a glass-like substance for long-term storage. That plant, under construction since 2002, comes online next year, the agency said.
"This is an exciting new era in our Hanford cleanup mission," said Brian Vance, manager of DOE's Office of River Protection at Hanford. "For the first time in Hanford site history, we are treating a significant amount of tank waste on an industrial scale."
Hanford tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions — working with Energy Department staff, other site contractors and regulatory agencies — built, installed and tested the cesium removal system.
The technology is nearly identical to a system operating at DOE's Savannah River Site in South Carolina, which also made plutonium, the agency said.
Hanford contains approximately 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks, representing one of DOE's largest environmental risks and most complex challenges. The tank waste is a result of nearly five decades of plutonium production that supported national security missions and helped end World War II, the DOE said.
"This is a win," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who used to represent the Hanford area in the U.S. House, said in a pre-recorded statement. Inslee noted that the wastes stored inside the tanks, some of which are leaking, could eventually threaten the nearby Columbia River.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., called the news "a monumental step" in the cleanup of Hanford.
But it is one step.
Finishing the cleanup of Hanford, located near Richland in south central Washington, will cost an estimated $300 billion to $640 billion, and take until about 2078, according to a Department of Energy report published at the end of January.
The 580-square-mile Hanford site, located along the Columbia River, produced almost two-thirds of the plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program from World War II through the Cold War.
DOE is spending about $2.5 billion annually on environmental cleanup of the wastes, plus contaminated buildings, soil and groundwater. But the estimated costs to finish most cleanup by 2078 would require much larger annual budgets.
*This story has been corrected to show that treated waste will be stored in an underground tank, not special capsules.