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A law passed in the legislative session extends the timeline of a 2019 plan to assist people, many from the Navajo Nation, laid off when the San Juan Generating Station closed.
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New Mexico Chief Justice Shannon Bacon said in January the courts were advocating for the elimination of post-adjudication fees. She called it an unjust practice of paying for government functions on the backs of those who can least afford it.
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It’s the final week of the legislative session and numerous bills are making their rounds, including one to address period poverty by getting free period products into all public schools. Supporters say the issue directly affects the ability of young people to consistently access education.
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The New Mexico House on Wednesday approved raises for state supreme court justices and lower court judges. The bill now heads to the governor who vetoed a similar proposal last year.
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His appointment comes as the legislature considers abolishing the position of secretary, and moving back to having a school board.
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The lack of payment, as well as the absence of support like paid staff and office space for representatives, is a deterrent to working- and middle-class people who might consider public service, say some lawmakers and recruiters of candidates.
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Jerry Redfern with Capital & Main has been following energy and environmental issues this session and wrote about the ongoing problem with transparency in the budget process. He talks with KUNM about a bill that failed early in the session at the request of the All Pueblo Council of Governors and the debate over its lingering appropriation.
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A bill that would provide funding for tribes to establish early childhood programs with culturally relevant education has passed both chambers of the legislature.
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According to the advocacy group the Fines and Fees Justice Center, over 300,000 New Mexicans cannot legally drive because of license suspension, and between 2019 and 2021, the state suspended over 183,000 licenses because of court debts and missed court dates.
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New Mexico has a new first: a permanent fund dedicated to water and land conservation across the state. Lawmakers in the House passed SB 9 late on Sunday night. It now heads to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk for a signature.
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A tax reform package got the go-ahead from the New Mexico House late Sunday with a few substantial changes. The amended bill increases the amount all taxpayers will get in direct payments and nixes a proposed tax hike for New Mexicans who make the most.
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In 2018, a judge ruled in the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit that New Mexico was failing to provide an equitable education to students who are low-income, Native American, have disabilities or are English language learners. This means that the state is in direct violation of the education clause in the New Mexico State Constitution.