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New Mexico is in the middle of its 30-day session – one of the shortest in the entire nation. It also has the only unpaid lawmakers. Advocates say legislators should be compensated and sessions should be longer so there is enough time to pass bills.
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Five women, all Democrats, are pushing the legislature to lengthen its sessions, bring on more paid staff and provide lawmakers with a base paycheck.
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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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Let’s Talk New Mexico 1/19 8am: Beyond the limits of the tight legislative calendar, lawmakers are faced with the challenge of understanding dozens of bills each session without having full-time staffers to help them. They often rely on industry insiders, lobbyists or activists for information on how proposed legislation will work. Furthermore, legislators do their work without a salary, earning only what they get for a per diem which is much too low to cover their stay in Santa Fe.
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Human trafficking has increased in New Mexico over the last 5 years, with at least 144 reported cases, according to the National Human Trafficking…