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.
Trip Jennings reports that Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, drafted a compromise bill on the state’s unemployment compensation fund, raising taxes on businesses by a lesser amount than Gov. Susana Martinez line-item vetoed earlier this year:
New Mexico House Republicans continue to complain about the slow pace of the special session so far, with one member asking on the floor whether legislators were there as part of an “economic stimulus for Santa Fe.”
New Mexico House Democrats reintroduced a compromise bill tightening requirements for foreign nationals applying for driver’s licenses Friday, but Gov. Martinez called it a “partisan gimmick.”
On the first day of the special session, protesters opposing the governor’s push to ban driver’s licenses rallied in the Capitol while tea party supporters supported the governor.
The 2011 legislative special session begins today in Santa Fe to deal with the once-per-decade process of redistricting, but Gov. Susana Martinez has demanded lawmakers repeal driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and end social promotion for third-graders, among other provisions.
The battle to stop illegal immigrants from receiving drivers licenses will continue this year. Gov. Susana Martinez said Monday that the controversial issue will be considered during a special session this year where legislators will also decide on redistricting for congressional and state House and Senate districts.
New Mexico Attorney General Gary King highlighted an expansion of an ethics law this morning that passed the Legislature and was signed by Gov. Susana Martinez. The expansion comes to New Mexico’s Governmental Conduct Act. The changes include adding local government officials to the list of public employees who are bound by its ethical provisions.
New Mexico legislators took a step toward the once-a-decade process of redistricting by naming an 18-member committee to begin the hard work of redistricting. The committee will not only reset the lines for the state’s three congressional districts but also for each of the state House and state Senate districts. But the lawmakers face a challenge: Cuts that could mean fewer public hearings on the new district lines.
Lawmakers are worried, however, that they may not be able to get as much public input because Gov. Susana Martinez line-item-vetoed $100,000 in funding for the redistricting committee’s expenses.
Reporter Heath Haussamen of NMPolitics.net says that he has “identified several potential IPRA violations” by Secretary of State Dianna Duran’s office over requests pertaining to alleged illegal voters in New Mexico.
Gov. Susana Martinez has formed a new political action committee to help elect legislative candidates that share her ideological vision, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
New Mexico Democratic legislators are crying foul over a line item veto by Gov. Susana Martinez that they say overstates her constitutional authority. A spokesman for Martinez says that her administration believes that it is legal.
Longtime Republican state Rep. Jeanette Wallace, who has served the Los Alamos area in the House since 1991, passed away Friday at the age of 77.
New Mexico Senators criticized vetoes made today by Gov. Susana Martinez. Sens. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, and George Munoz, D-Gallup, said a veto of a bill to create a health insurance exchange may mean more federal control of the insurance marketplace in New Mexico, while Alburquerque Sen. Tim Keller criticized Martinez for vetoing transparency and accountability measures.
Gov. Susana Martinez signed the $5.4 billion state budget today with a few line item vetoes, including $1.9 million in yearly funding and $2.6 million in one-time spending.
Gov. Susana Martinez signed legislation Monday that will strengthen regulatory power by the state on health insurance premium increases. The legislation is in response to large increases requested last year by Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico that were recently affirmed by the New Mexico Superintendent of Insurance.
At least one media outlet and the New Mexico chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said in recent days that they are having a hard time getting documents from the Secretary of State’s office about alleged illegal votes in New Mexico.
New Mexico will join most of the other states in the country in banning corporal punishment in schools. Gov. Susana Martinez announced Wednesday that she signed the legislation that would ban the practice of allowing school personnel to strike students to punish them.
One of the biggest duties of the state legislature this year will be dealing with the decennial redistricting of congressional and legislative seats following last year’s U.S. Census. The state legislature posted preliminary data on redistricting on its website Wednesday for congressional, state House, state Senate and Public Regulations Commission seats.
Gov. Susana Martinez signed a bill Tuesday that would grade school performances on an A–F scale, part of her plan to reform education in New Mexico.
Gov. Susana Martinez is currently deciding whether to sign a bill to ban a practice in New Mexico schools that many assume is a thing of the past — corporal punishment. New Mexico is one of 20 states that allow corporal, or physical, punishment in public schools.
