New Mexico Sheriff In Most Populous County Backs Gun Rights – Associated Press
The sheriff in New Mexico's most populous county is joining colleagues from more rural areas in pushing back against sweeping gun-control proposals pending before the state Legislature.
Sheriff Manuel Gonzales said Friday he would support a Bernalillo County becoming a "Second Amendment Sanctuary County."
A dozen other counties have already passed sanctuary resolutions, including neighboring Sandoval and Valencia counties.
Whether Bernalillo County joins the growing list will be up to the county commission, but Gonzales says he will not support any legislation that would infringe upon the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms.
He said there are enough laws on the books to effectively deal with unlawful possession and use of firearms and added that he would support measures that mandate consistent, swift and appropriate penalties for any illegal possession or use of a gun.
New Mexico May Ban Conviction Question On Job Applications – The Associated Press
The New Mexico state Senate has approved a bill that would remove criminal history questions from initial job applications in the private sector.
The Senate voted 28-11 to pass the initiative from Democratic Sen. Bill O'Neill of Albuquerque. The bill now moves the House.
A similar bill was vetoed in 2017 by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. The arrival of Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has opened the door to new criminal-justice reform proposals that stress rehabilitation.
Under the new bill, private employers may take prior convictions into consideration after an initial review of the job application and a discussion of employment.
Similar "ban-the-box" regulations that eliminate prior convictions from check lists on job applications have been adopted in at least 11 states that include California, Illinois and Washington.
New Mexico May Delay Release Of School Legal Settlements – The Associated Press
Financial settlements of legal claims against public schools on accusations ranging from sexual molestation to personal injury would be sealed off from public view for at least six months under a bill advancing through the New Mexico legislature.
Advocates of the bill say it would safeguard whistleblowers in small communities from public embarrassment, while some lawmakers fear it would conceal wrongdoing by public employees.
A House committee voted 10-4 to endorse the bill Friday.
The initiative sponsored by Democratic Rep. Raymundo Lara of Chamberino is backed by the New Mexico Public School Insurance Authority and the state Association of School Superintendents.
Under the bill, the disclosure of settlement agreements before 180 days is punishable by a misdemeanor fine of $1,000 and a five-year ban from employment by state government.
New Mexico Plans To Replace Public School Grading System – The Associated Press
New Mexico education officials plan to abandon the A to F school grading system in favor of a structure that classifies schools by the amount of state and federal support they need.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the state Public Education Department plans to install a rating system that will put less weight on standardize test scores.
Tim Hand, deputy secretary of the education department, says the model aims to provide a more complete picture of a school that focuses less on a single test from a single day.
The system will divide schools into five designations, with the top 25 percent classified as "New Mexico Spotlight Schools."
The department will direct federal dollars to the schools in the bottom 25 percent, designating them as "Support Schools," or "Rigorous Intervention Schools."
New Mexico Proposal Seeking Environmental Reviews Stalls – The Associated Press
Business and city leaders, energy companies, electric utilities, farmers and others are all voicing concerns about proposed legislation in New Mexico that would require sweeping environmental reviews by state agencies for many projects.
The bill, known as the Environmental Review Act, stalled in a House committee Friday as some lawmakers sought more information.
The bill was initially drafted by an attorney for the conservation organization New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and has undergone numerous changes.
Supporters say it would create a state framework similar to what the federal government has for reviewing proposed activities on lands it manages.
Opponents say existing laws and permitting requirements already address environmental protections and adding another layer would stifle economic development in New Mexico.
State agencies have also said they would need more money and staff to implement the proposal.
New Mexico Bill To Boost School Funding Heads To Senate - Associated Press
The New Mexico House of Representatives, which is controlled by Democrats, on Thursday approved a spending plan for the coming fiscal year that would channel a windfall of state income toward public education, infrastructure projects and pay raises for public officials.
The $7 billion general fund budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1 would increase annual state spending by nearly $700 million, or about 11 percent.
Roughly $450 million of that increase would go toward education initiatives as lawmakers grapple with a court order to provide more resources to struggling schools and minority students in particular.
The bill also includes $150 million in one-time subsidies for the film industry and would reinstate intercollegiate soccer, skiing and beach volleyball teams at the University of New Mexico.
It passed 46-23 with support from Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Jane Powdrell-Culbert of Corrales. It now heads to the Senate for consideration and likely amendments.
Albuquerque Attorney Appointed As State District Judge - Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has chosen an Albuquerque attorney to fill a vacancy on the bench that serves New Mexico's busiest judicial district.
Erin O'Connell will fill the seat left open by the retirement of Judge Nan Nash, who served as the 2nd District's chief judge before stepping down.
O'Connell has managed a solo practice since 2013. She previously worked as an associate attorney at another Albuquerque law firm and clerked under former New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Charles Daniels.
She also was a member of the high court's Appellate Rules Committee for five years and serves on the New Mexico Trial Lawyers board.
Once a farmer and rancher in Mora County, O'Connell earned her law degree from the University of New Mexico in 2007.
Task Force To Address New Mexico's Public Pension Problems - Associated Press
Officials who oversee one of New Mexico's major public pension funds say they're encouraged Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is creating a task force to address mounting unfunded liabilities.
The board chair of the Public Employees Retirement Association, Jacquelin Kohlasch, is among those who will serve on the 19-member task force. She said Thursday the goal is developing meaningful solutions to "our very real solvency challenges."
The Public Employees Retirement Association, or PERA, covers roughly 50,000 active state and municipal workers and 40,000 retirees. It had an unfunded liability of $6 billion at the end of the 2018 budget year.
Lujan Grisham issued an executive order Monday calling for the task force. The panel's recommendations are due Aug. 30 and will serve as the basis for legislation during the 2020 session.
New Mexico Governor Travels To Nation's Capital - Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend a meeting of the National Governors Association.
Lujan Grisham spokesman Tripp Stelnicki said the governor planned to attend a panel discussion Friday related to the work of women governors and return Sunday.
The meeting in Washington takes place amid tensions between several states and Donald Trump over the president's emergency declaration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. New Mexico is among 16 states that are suing Trump over his move to bypass Congress and use money from the Pentagon and other budgets.
The association held its previous meeting in Santa Fe in July before Lujan Grisham was elected.
The source of funding for Lujan Grisham's trip was unclear.
Albuquerque Police ID Girl Whose Body Was Found In Arroyo - Associated Press
Albuquerque police are investigating the death of a teenager whose body was found in an arroyo as a homicide.
Police identified the girl Thursday as 16-year-old Tomica Yellowhorse.
The medical examiner's office is working to determine exactly how she died.
Authorities had responded to a call about a body in an arroyo in northeast Albuquerque on the morning of Feb. 10.