New Mexico Legislature

Earlier this summer, the state’s nicotine prevention and cessation efforts were halted when money the state gets from a settlement with tobacco companies fell millions short of what the Department of Health had projected. Lawmakers overseeing the funds questioned the department about the issue and got a fiscal update Wednesday and said they plan to reintroduce legislation to give nicotine prevention work in New Mexico the stability it needs.

When Isleta Resort and Casino reopened after the COVID shutdown, it implemented a mask requirement that meant no longer allowing customers to smoke inside. Casino officials told an interim legislative committee Wednesday that they’ve decided to maintain the ban indefinitely and, despite fears to the contrary, the policy actually boosted its bottom line.

New Mexicans who call 1-800-QUIT-NOW, a program to help people kick nicotine products, are being turned away. Local organizations doing smoking prevention work say the state has also told them to stop their projects.

In the wake of last year’s record-breaking wildfire season, the New Mexico Legislature and the federal government injected money into the state to help communities recover and prevent future fires.

New Mexico high schoolers recently took over the state Capitol to practice what they learned about how the legislative process works. But participants in the National Hispanic Institute’s youth legislative session also gained more than just a civics lesson — they walked away with renewed self-confidence.

Following an hours-long debate, the New Mexico House passed a bill to protect those who provide or seek abortions or gender-affirming care in the state. the measure would enshrine into law safeguards for out-of-state patients and clinicians issued by executive order after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

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.

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.

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.

New Mexico’s long standing education challenges were made worse in the COVID-19 pandemic as chronic absenteeism soared. Forty percent of kids missed at least 10 days of school during the last academic year and some districts saw that rise to 66%. Lawmakers want to address these issues by adding additional learning hours, but some teachers say that could increase burnout.