Dede Feldman

After a proposal to take the responsibility of drawing the state’s voting maps out of New Mexico lawmakers’ hands failed to pass in the last two legislative sessions, advocates and lawmakers calling for a fairer, less partisan process are planning to take another stab at it.

The 2023 legislative session is in the rearview mirror, but soon interim committee hearings will start up around the state in preparation for the 2024 session which begins next January. In this week’s show, we will talk about transparency, including several bills aimed at increasing transparency in government that recently succeeded or failed. We will also talk about the budget process and how it works, and how transparent it is – or is not. As the state continues to see record revenues, knowing how our money is spent is everybody’s business.

On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico we’ll dig into the junior appropriations bill, how to fix it for the sake of transparency, and the ethical considerations when it comes to spending the peoples’ money. We’ll also talk over culture in the legislature and the multiple allegations of untoward behavior by lawmakers like thwarting opponents' in elections (within the rules) and sexual harassment allegations.

Let’s Talk New Mexico 9/30 8am: The once-in-a-decade redistricting process is underway in New Mexico. Lines are being redrawn for the U.S. House, state…

Tuesday, 11/10, 8a: The New Mexico Legislature will almost certainly take up legalizing recreational cannabis in January. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has…

Many people have been concerned this election season about voter intimidation and violence at the polls, and groups of New Mexicans mobilized to protect…

Say you went to vote on Election Day 2020, and the poll worker could not find your registration information in the computer system. In that case, you’re…