New Mexico Legislature Approves Collective Bargaining Update – Associated Press
New Mexico's Democrat-led Legislature is haggling over annual spending priorities as a yearly 30-day session winds down.
Lawmakers are racing to lock in significant policy initiatives on public safety, education funding, tobacco regulation, and incentives for infrastructure investments.
A sweeping overhaul of the state's collective bargaining laws was approved today by the Legislature that could reduce delays on petitions to unionize workplaces.
The state Senate began deliberations today on revisions to a $7.6 billion plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 that hikes spending on public schools by $216 million and increases salaries for most teachers and state employees by 4%.
The session marks a second consecutive year of unified Democratic control of the governor's office and both chambers in the Legislature.
The Legislature has until Thursday at noon to send an approved budget and other bills to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Report: Work To Reduce Wildfire Risks Has Economic Benefits – Associated Press
Projects to reduce the risk of wildfires and protect water sources in the U.S. West have created jobs and infused more money in local economies, researchers say, and they were funded by a partnership between governments and businesses that has become a model in other countries.
A team from the U.S. Geological Survey reviewed work being done in several counties along the New Mexico-Colorado border that make up the watershed of one of North America's longest rivers, the Rio Grande.
The review shows how public-private partnerships could become a critical component for safeguarding the land and benefiting the economy amid the threat of federal funding cuts and worsening wildfires brought on by climate change.
The study focused on 2018, when the partnership, called the Rio Grande Water Fund, doled out $855,000 to contractors in the region. The spending supported an estimated 22 jobs, ranging from forest thinning to research, environmental consulting and fence removal.
That translated to more than $1 million in labor income and $1.9 million in benefits for the regional economy.
In all, The Nature Conservancy, which launched the partnership, estimates the work has had an economic impact of about $18 million within five years.
Flags Ordered At Half-Staff For Fallen New Mexico Soldier – Associated Press
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered flags to fly at half-staff in honor of a New Mexico soldier who was killed in eastern Afghanistan.
The U.S. Department of Defense identified Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez of Las Cruces as one of two servicemen who died during a combat operation earlier this month.
He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
“Our entire state grieves the loss of this young New Mexican who, at age 28, had already distinguished himself as a soldier through 10 deployments in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan,” the governor said Wednesday. “My prayers remain with his wife, his parents and all who loved him. His service to our country will be remembered.”
A rosary will be held at Thursday evening at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Las Cruces. The funeral Mass will be Friday at noon. Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery on March 3.
Under the governor's order, flags will fly at half-staff from sundown Thursday through sundown Friday.
New Mexico School Districts Unveil First Propane Buses – Associated Press
Three New Mexico school districts will be rolling out the state’s first propane-fueled buses for the upcoming school year.
Districts that serve schools in Los Lunas, Magdalena and the Moriarty area have purchased propane buses as part of a partnership with the state Public Education Department.
Officials say the 17 new buses will help cut costs since propane prices average 50% less than diesel and maintenance costs are expected to be less. Manufactured by Georgia-based Blue Bird Corp., the buses also emit less pollution.
Teresa Salazar, the superintendent of the Moriarty-Edgewood School District, said the district has had to dip into operational funds to supplement transportation costs over the last several years.
Other school districts have expressed interest. Officials with Blue Bird and the engineering company ROUSH CleanTech plan to continue working with districts, transportation contractors and the Public Education Department to bring more propane buses to the state.
Officials said additional savings are available with the extension of the federal alternative fuel excise credit, which covers propane at 36 cents per U.S. gallon and propane fueling equipment up to a certain amount. The VW Environmental Mitigation Trust and diesel replacement funds also can be tapped to help districts purchase propane buses.
New Mexico State Senators Back Tuition-Free College Plan - By Morgan Lee, Associated Press
Revisions to New Mexico's budget plan would dial back average teacher raises to 4% instead of 5% and set aside money for the governor's tuition-free college initiative.
The Senate spending bill released Tuesday increases general fund spending by $536 million for the fiscal year that starts on July 1. Economists are anticipating a windfall linked mainly to oil production.
The Senate plan makes hundreds of revisions to a House-approved budget bill that outlined bigger raises for teachers but left out money for a hallmark proposal from Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to provide tuition-free college to 55,000 students residing in New Mexico.
The Senate's version of the budget heads to a floor vote and then back to the House for consideration. A budget is due to the governor by Thursday.
Effort To Revamp Utility Regulation Stalls In Senate - By Susan Montoya Bryan Associated Press
A proposal that would reshape the administrative structure of a powerful regulatory panel that oversees New Mexico utilities and other businesses was derailed in the Senate on Tuesday after Democrats and Republicans raised concerns about maintaining the separation of powers between the independently elected regulators and the governor.
The Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee moved to table the measure after a couple hours of debate, limiting any chance it could be revived before lawmakers adjourn Thursday.
Supporters were pushing to get the bill through the committee and to the full Senate after it narrowly passed the House by only two votes late Sunday.
The legislation was backed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and key Democrats who have voiced frustration in recent months with the Public Regulation Commission's handling of a new renewable energy law that dictates how the closure of a major coal-fired power plant will be financed and how the economic pains of job losses and evaporating revenue will affect communities in northwestern New Mexico.
The dispute ended up before the New Mexico Supreme Court, which recently ruled that the law would have to be applied to the case of the San Juan Generating Station.
New Mexico OK's Trust Fund For Early Childhood Initiatives – Associated Press
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed legislation that she says will clear the way for a monumental investment in the health, education and well-being of the state's youngest children.
The creation of the early childhood trust fund was among the governor's top priorities for the 30-day legislative session. She signed the bill Tuesday during a ceremony at the Capitol.
The governor's office says the fund will be launched with a general appropriation of $320 million that is included in the state budget bill that has yet to be approved. It will be sustained by surplus oil and gas related revenues.
Officials say it will begin making distributions to support early childhood programs in fiscal year 2022.
Democratic Sen. John Arthur Smith of Deming was among the sponsors. He said the oil boom in southeastern New Mexico provided the state with an opportunity.
The measure had overwhelming support in the Senate, where it passed Friday, 37-1.
The state has increased its funding of early childhood programs in recent years, spending more than $500 million in fiscal year 2020 on childcare assistance, home visiting, pre-kindergarten and other early literacy and head-start programs. That marked an increase of more than $100 million over the previous year.
A report by legislative analysts last year found that pre-kindergarten programs can improve literacy and that the achievement gap was nearly eliminated by kindergarten for low-income students who participated in pre-kindergarten and the state's K-3 Plus program.
Community Forum To Focus On Cleanup At Los Alamos Lab - Associated Press
The cleanup of decades-old contamination at Los Alamos National Laboratory will be the focus of an upcoming community forum.
Federal environmental officials with the U.S. Energy Department and the contractor that runs the lab will be hosting Wednesday evening's event in Los Alamos, the once-secret city that played a significant role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
The DOE's Office of Environmental Management at Los Alamos will be developing recommendations later this year to remediate plumes of chromium and other contamination resulting from the machining of high explosives. The recommendations that will be submitted to the state Environment Department also will cover one of the disposal areas on lab property.
Some watchdog groups have complained that Los Alamos lab hasn't done enough to protect the region's groundwater from contamination.
New Mexico Groups To Get $9.4M In Public Housing Grants - Associated Press
More than two dozen organizations around New Mexico will share $9.4 million in grant funding to improve public housing.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the funding Tuesday, saying more than $2.7 billion was awarded nationally.
The grants can be used by public housing authorities to build, repair and renovate properties in their respective communities. That could include large-scale projects such as replacing roofs or upgrading electrical or plumping systems.
Federal officials say the grants are aimed at capital improvements to preserve and enhance the stock of affordable housing available across the U.S.
Housing authorities that serve rural New Mexico communities including Bayard, Clayton, Cuba, Raton, Wagon Mound and Tucumcari are among those to get grants. Albuquerque, Santa Fe and parts of southern New Mexico also will get funding through the program.
New Mexico Forms Advisory Panel On Early Childhood Education - Associated Press
New Mexico's Early Childhood Education and Care Department is looking for community members, teachers and other experts to serve on a new advisory council.
The department announced the formation of the panel Tuesday, saying the state has extraordinary educational leaders and the department needs their wisdom. Candidates will have through March 6 to apply.
The advisory council was created through legislation adopted last year. It will be charged with developing ways to measure and monitor outcomes for children and families that receive child care through assistance programs. It also will develop a workforce plan for the agency that includes a wage structure, professional development and opportunities for advancement.
The advisory council will have to submit its plan to the Legislature and the governor's office before the end of the year.
New Mexico House Opts To Limit Trafficking Of Wildlife Parts - Associated Press
New Mexico lawmakers have approved legislation that establishes penalties for people who knowingly buy or sell endangered wildlife parts and products.
The measure won final legislative approval Tuesday with a 42-22 vote in the House and now goes to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her signature.
Supporters say 10 other states have adopted their own enforcement provisions on wildlife trafficking to support federal and international restrictions.
The New Mexico ban would be linked to surviving species that are threatened with extinction such as elephants, lions, rhinoceros and others listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Violators could face fines up to $10,000 or three times the value of the trafficked items.
New Mexico conservation officers already can help U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents under a cooperative law enforcement agreement. Some Republican lawmakers cited that agreement and voiced concerns about potential conflicts with federal law if the state adopted its own prohibitions.
The legislation includes exceptions for certain antiques, educational materials and items possessed by an enrolled member of a federally recognized Native American tribe.
Ex-New Mexico Majority Leader Eyes Running For Sapien Seat - By Russell Contreras, Associated Press
Former Democratic House Majority Leader Rick Miera says he is considering running for a crucial state Senate seat currently held by retiring Democratic Sen. John Sapien.
Miera told The Associated Press on Monday that he is weighing whether to seek the Democratic nomination for the swing seat that is expected to draw strong interest from Republicans.
Sapien announced Sunday he would not seek re-election this year. The district includes the affluent liberal areas of Placitas and Corrales, part of conservative Rio Rancho and Bernalillo — one of the poorest cities in the state. Miera served in the state House from 1991 to 2015.
The district includes the affluent liberal areas of Placitas and Corrales, part of conservative Rio Rancho and Bernalillo — one of the poorest cities in the state.
Republicans have long targeted Sapien to flip the seat because the district is almost evenly divided among Democrats and Republicans. Sapien won his last two races by about 1,000 votes.
With Sapien out, the 9th District almost certainly will be the focus of both parties this year amid looming battles over abortion, recreational marijuana and energy.
Recycling Business To Expand In New Mexico Border Region – Associated Press
New Mexico economic development officials say a strong business climate and transportation network in the border region has prompted another manufacturer to move some of its operations to Santa Teresa.
State officials say W. Silver Recycling will be building a new facility on 60 acres that will be home to a recycling processing plant. The business is expected to be operational later this year and will focus on materials such as aluminum, copper and brass.
The company already has nearly a dozen locations in New Mexico; California; Texas; Monterrey, Mexico, and Mexico City.
CEO Lane Gaddy said the location and incentives were among the reasons for its decision to come to Santa Teresa, where it will process metals using magnets, machines, compaction and manual labor before being sending the recycled materials to its customers.
The border region began booming several years ago and led all states in 2019 export growth at 31%, according to federal statistics. New Mexico also leads all other states in export growth to Mexico.
Jerry Pacheco with The New Mexico Partnership said connectivity to Mexico and the rest of the United States along with competitive production costs have made Santa Teresa one of the fastest growing industrial bases along the border.
The port of entry there moved up the list in 2019 to become the fourth largest exporting port on the U.S.-Mexico border and sixth for imports.
New Mexico State Turns Focus To Fraternities, Sororities – Associated Press
New Mexico State University is starting a new initiative focused on the health, safety and well-being of students involved in fraternity and sorority life.
School officials say it's based on a model used at large universities elsewhere. NMSU Dean of Students Ann Goodman says the goal is to develop strategies and common guidelines for accountability and address challenges such as alcohol abuse, hazing, sexual harassment and sexual assault that have plagued fraternity and sorority communities across the country.
About 400 students belong to the eight fraternities and six sororities at New Mexico State University.
As part of the plan, a permanent fraternity and sorority excellence committee would be created. The panel would serve as an advisory board to review and support the needs of the groups.
Deming Schools Superintendent Named As NMSU Regent – Las Cruces Sun-News, Associated Press
A Deming school administrator is New Mexico State University's newest regent.
The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Deming Public Schools Superintendent Arsenio Romero was confirmed Monday for an open seat on NMSU's governing Board of Regents. Senators at the state Capitol unanimously approved his recommendation for the seat.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham nominated Romero, who served on her post-election transition team, to take over the seat after NMSU Regent Jerean Hutchinson resigned in April. Hutchinson's term will expire at the end of the year.
Romero has been superintendent of Deming's schools since 2017.