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Bill to help stop minors from accessing firearms heads to NM governor
Gun safety legislation is on its way to the governor’s desk for a signature. Bennie’s Bill, which would make it a crime for allowing a firearm to be accessible to a minor, passed with concurrence through the House by a vote of 34-28 on Wednesday evening. The bill was named after Bennie Hargove, a middle […]
Bill protecting reproductive health care rights passes Senate after lengthy debate
Despite repeated failed attempts from Republican senators to alter a bill protecting abortion and gender identity health care rights, House Bill 7 is now one stop away from heading to the governor’s desk. It took an hourslong, back-and-forth, heated debate to pass the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care bill through the full Senate on Tuesday. […]
Disaster relief legislation has less than two weeks to make it through the Roundhouse
It seems like it could be smooth sailing for legislation that would get relief funds to wildfire disaster victims. Bipartisan support is showing up in committees for legislation that would aid New Mexico counties and local communities struggling to recover from devastating fires and floods that happened in 2022. It can take a while for […]
State committee approves $21M for fire relief funds in SW New Mexico and Ruidoso
A few minutes of discussions by the Senate Finance Committee on Friday led to legislation moving forward that would allocate more than $21 million to fire recovery efforts in southern New Mexico. Two bills are aiming to get disaster relief funds on the ground to help those affected by the Black Fire in southwest New […]
Lawmakers concerned bill to tighten state water commissioner requirements is too strict
The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission oversees stream systems in the state. Lawmakers want more advanced expertise and diversity standards for future commissioners. People that work with the commission say the proposal could cause issues for the state to find people to actually meet the new job requirements. Senate Bill 58 would compile a new […]
Bill proposes to take people to crisis centers for mental health aid instead of jails or hospitals
Instead of law enforcement taking people to jails or hospitals, New Mexicans could be sent to crisis triage centers to help with mental health needs. This will happen if House Bill 373 makes it through the Roundhouse. The legislation passed unanimously through the House Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday. That was the bill’s […]
Health care fund could grow specialty medical services in rural New Mexico
When Melinda Montoya worked as a physical therapist in Shiprock, she saw patients that drove hundreds of miles for specialized medical care. Medical services and access to them for people that live in rural New Mexico is another burden on top of everything else Montoya said her patients experience daily. “People barely can meet their […]
Lawmakers get closer to passing bill that would expand voting rights and accessibility
Voting could be easier for hundreds of thousands of people in New Mexico if election-related legislation makes it a few more steps forward in the Roundhouse this session. House Bill 4, otherwise known as Voting Rights Protections, would boost voting accessibility in the state, especially for Indigenous communities and formerly incarcerated people convicted of felonies. […]
State starts monthslong process to get debris out of acequias near the Gila
In a few months, some acequias in southern New Mexico will finally be free of debris. The work to get that done starts today. During fall 2022, floods that came after the Black Fire in the Gila pushed debris down rivers, blocking up irrigation systems that need to have water flowing for farmers and ranchers […]
Southern acequia stewards try to understand ‘muddy’ disaster recovery process
Grant County acequia stewards gathered in Silver City on Wednesday, knowing they need to start irrigating crops within weeks. They also do not fully understand how to access state disaster aid. To find out where to start in their recovery process, the group gathered state officials to explain where different avenues of funding can come […]
Grant County sets aside $600,000 to help acequias that lack immediate state aid
Grant County commissioners in southern New Mexico said they’ll hand over $600,000 to help repair broken acequia systems that need money to start work in the coming weeks. The Black Fire and subsequent flooding damaged acequias last year. This means water isn’t flowing in acequias in Grant County. In many areas, ditches are full of […]
Gov signs $100M bill for disaster recovery and must figure out how to get millions to northern NM
New Mexico’s promise to give millions in disaster recovery will make its way to the northern part of the state recovering from the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire for counties that have their paperwork in order. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 6 into law on Monday, setting aside $100 million from the state for […]