I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
The curious case of Senate bill 531 is heating up. The bill–which would force state agencies to share financial data, including Medicaid spending, with the Legislative Finance Committee–is on today’s agenda of the House Judiciary Committee, but it wasn’t heard during the committee’s Wednesday morning meeting.
“I was promised it would be heard last night, and then I was promised it would be heard this morning,” said Rep. Paul Bandy, R-Aztec, who has accused House Speaker Ben Lujan of trying to keep the House from voting on the veto override.
Sponsored by Sen. Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, SB 531 passed unanimously through the Roundhouse last year, but was pocket-vetoed by Gov. Bill Richardson.
The federal Medicaid Integrity Group said recently that it plans to investigate allegations reported in The Independent that the HSD stonewalled Medicaid Fraud Division investigators during 2008 and 2009.
According to the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud & Elder Abuse Division, better compliance with Medicaid rules and regulations could have saved taxpayers up to $31 million.
Both Bandy and Rep. Dennis Kintigh, R-Roswell, asked Chairman Al Park, D-Albuquerque, on Wednesday why SB 531 wasn’t heard Wednesday morning.
Park told them he wanted to make sure Keller was there to present the bill and that SB 531 is a “controversial” bill.
Keller was in his office about the time Park made those comments in the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning.
Bandy had his own theory why the bill wasn’t heard.
“I think the Speaker doesn’t want to embarrass the governor,” the GOP lawmaker told the Independent.
Park said he fully intends to hear the bill this afternoon.
“My intention is to hear all legislation and take action, whatever that may be,” Park said.
It’s still unclear why a House committee would even consider a veto override. And no one has an answer, including Park, who demurred from answering the question Wednesday morning.
House Judiciary stands between the bill and a full House vote. But with less than 24 hours before the session ends, time is running out.
During the Judiciary Committee meeting Wednesday morning, Park told members and the audience that Sen. Keller was notified SB 531 was coming up on the agenda. In fact, Rep. Bandy told The Independent he was supposed to call Keller when time grew near to present the bill. But since Bandy heard from the Chairman that Keller had already been notified, he didn’t make the call.
Those details would be important because the committee ran out of time to hear SB 531.
