Gov & Politics
Abortion is not restricted in NM. But is it protected?
It’s not time to panic. But stay vigilant. That’s the advice for abortion rights supporters from Jessica Serrano, an attorney with the Southwest Women’s Law Center, for anyone in New Mexico following the Supreme Court hearing Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Oral arguments were presented yesterday on the case, the outcome of which could […]
After sharp increase in earthquakes, NM announces new requirements for oil and gas drillers
A New Mexico agency overseeing oil extraction in the southern part of the state has issued a new protocol to deal with earthquakes caused by oil and gas production. State data showed an increase in the number of earthquakes in the Permian Basin, according to a report by Capital and Main. The number of magnitude […]
What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
President Joe Biden ordered a release of oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve on Nov. 23, 2021, as a part of a coordinated effort with five other countries to tamp down rising fuel prices. The U.S. plans to tap 50 million barrels of crude oil in the coming months, while the other nations – the U.K., India, Japan, […]
Broadband officials ask lawmakers to trust the process
It’s not moving at the greatest speed, but New Mexico is keeping its own pace with a five-year plan to get internet service to all parts of the state. The state’s tech officials told lawmakers about progress on the plan during Monday’s meeting of the Transportation Infrastructure Revenue subcommittee. Meeting attendees heard from Matt Schmit […]
NMSU’s local labor board no longer exists
New Mexico State University’s local labor board dissolved after two of its three members resigned in October. The dissolution means an effort by the school’s graduate students to form a union will instead be considered by the statewide labor board in Santa Fe. Graduate students there see it as a step toward reaching the bargaining […]
Redistricting session to start Monday
The special legislative session re-drawing New Mexico’s political maps will begin Monday, Dec. 6, said Sen. Mimi Stewart, the Senate’s president pro tempore. Stewart told Source New Mexico that there’s been no formal announcement yet about the session as a “courtesy” to legislators who are fundraising. A state law effective in January 2020 prohibits lawmakers from […]
House Dems mull how to address Boebert’s anti-Muslim remarks
WASHINGTON—U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday that Democrats are weighing what to do about Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado in connection with anti-Muslim comments she made about a colleague in the House. “We’re considering what action ought to be taken,” said Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, at a briefing with reporters. Hoyer would […]
Tribal coalition left in the dark as redistricting nears, member says
A New Mexico group is raising concerns about under-representation of Native Americans as lawmakers prepare to shape the political landscape here for at least another decade. Austin Weahkee (Cochiti, Zuni, Navajo), political director for New Mexico Native Vote, said some of the maps proposed by a nonpartisan committee last month don’t adequately reflect the sizeable […]
Federal commission adds three Native American languages to voter registration resources
Access to voting information got a little bit easier for some Native Americans. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has released new national voter registration forms that are available in Diné, Apache and Yup’ik languages. This is the first time the federal commission released voting materials with any type of Native American translations. The commission […]
Volunteers deliver firewood before the snow hits
GALLUP – Navajo elders who are in need of wood to heat their homes stay warm as it gets colder turn to the mutual aid effort Chizh for Cheii. Loren Anthony founded the group 10 years ago, and the work continues to be a vital resource. Chizh for Cheii has become a staple on Navajo. […]
New Mexico’s draft plan for hydrogen a non-starter for environmentalists
In mid-November, after months of hinting about an upcoming bill, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration sent a draft Hydrogen Hub Act out to stakeholders for their input. First reactions are not positive. “Let’s be crystal clear,” says Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, executive director of the Western Environmental Law Center, “this bill isn’t a climate or clean energy bill. […]
How paid leave, a tax cut for the rich and more could get axed from Biden’s social policy bill
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats cheered on the floor of the U.S. House after approving President Joe Biden’s massive social spending and climate bill. But a major struggle lies ahead in the coming month in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats cannot lose any votes within their party if they are to send the so-called Build Back Better […]