LEGISLATURE 2019
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Crime, Guns & Courts
Attorney general, district attorneys rally against parole bill
Lawmakers pass gun restrictions for domestic abusers
Senate amends, passes expungement bill
Lawmakers back network for crime data
Background checks for all gun sales now NM law
Background checks face repeal effort
Bill would shield some criminal records from view
Gun background check bill finally headed to Gov’s desk
Paperwork problem delays gun legislation
Lawmakers send background checks bill to Lujan Grisham
Three gun measures advance in Roundhouse
Bill reclassifying NM drug possession penalties advances
House approves expungement bill with bipartisan support
Despite drama, background check bill remains on track
Senate pushes to expand OD immunity protections
Bipartisan crime package clears first committee
More NM counties adopt resolutions against gun bills
Senate OKs expanded background checks
House approves ‘red flag’ firearms bill
Chaos at the Capitol as House passes gun legislation
House, Senate to consider background-checks law
Florida official to oversee NM’s prison system
Senate to consider gun background-check bill
Gun bills advance at state Capitol
No guns allowed in House gallery during State of the State address
Judiciary seeks changes in laws
OMI seeks $1.4M for new X-ray scanner
Legislators prepare broad anti-crime package
Lawmakers aren’t eager to ditch private prisons in NM
Mayor Keller outlines priorities for legislative session
Prosecutor: Caseload ‘out of control’
Lawmakers consider reviving vetoed criminal justice bills
NM courts seek constitutional amendment
Budget, Taxes & Pensions
Spending provision in budget draws scrutiny
Deal-making takes center stage as session end nears
Capital outlay transparency bill stalls after Senate facelift
Plan to tap permanent fund stalls in Senate committee
Film incentive bill clears House in early-morning vote
Senate panel scales back broad House tax package
Senate, House at odds over budget
Senate panel weighs scaled-back tax package
Revised film incentive cap bill wins Senate approval
House ‘junior’ bill earmarks $30.4M in spending
House gets plan to pay half of film backlog
Proposal would allow salary for NM lawmakers
Sen. Smith: House tax package is irresponsible approach
Plan to tap permanent fund stalls in Senate
Lawmakers consider bringing back ‘junior’ spending bill
Tax package wins House approval
Gov. signs national labs tax measure
Proposed tax increases head to House floor
Budget bill includes pay leave for ex-governor’s staffers
Tax proposal for national labs headed to gov’s desk
House Democrats unveil tax-overhaul proposal
Bill upholds tax levy on national labs
$7 billion spending bill heads to Senate
House Republicans propose budget plan with rebates
Debate over food tax resurfaces
House panel OKs 10% bump in state spending
NM permanent fund plan clears House
Economists warn about reliance on oil and gas
Bill would boost legislators’ pension benefits
State income tax to go up for some families
Will governor’s support tip permanent fund debate?
Dem tax overhaul plan IDs new revenue streams
Tax overhaul proposal a concern for NM cities
Oil boom could mean $300M to $400M for roads
Heinrich: Act on energy, education
House bill would raise gasoline, income taxes
Lujan Grisham taps leaders for taxation, Indian affairs
Lujan Grisham seeks 38% boost in money to run office
NM gets largest share of oil, gas revenues in 9-state study
NM legislative panel rolls out $7 billion spending package
Lujan Grisham unveils $7.1 billion spending plan
Tax overhaul high on legislative list
PERA board proposes cuts in retiree benefits
Uncertainty over budget spurs debate
Economists urge restraint amid revenue boom in NM
Roundhouse Insider
Legislature 2019: Session summary
Session brings mixed results for governor’s agenda
Senate passes bill to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Senate passes bike safety legislation
Driver’s license bill on its way to governor
National popular vote bill headed to governor’s desk
Lawmakers scramble before deadline
Senate panel spikes House bill’s sports mandate
Measure aims to limit immigration detention centers
Proposal to raise smoking age clears Senate
House proposes Larrañaga corridor in honor of late lawmaker
Proposal to fund rural libraries undergoes change
Former public servants lobby ex-colleagues
GOP lawmakers file proposal allowing for recall elections
NM House is tired of those robocalls, too
House passes legislation to enhance bicycle safety
Senate OKs proposed changes to driver’s license system
Senate, House clash on time change
House works to midnight, passes election bill
Amid procedural fights, House passes voter-registration bill
House passes bill to exempt NM from daylight saving
House budget bill would revive men’s soccer at UNM
Pollster: NM a ‘welcoming community’ for immigrants
Measure would change length of sessions
Spay-neuter bill advances in Senate
Tension climbs as halfway point nears
Voter-registration bills head to House floor
NM weighs exemption from daylight saving
UNM leaders face tough questions over sports cuts
$50M endowment for rural libraries moves forward
Senate bill would streamline driver’s license approvals
Bill on animal harm clears House, moves to Senate
Bill to create Indigenous Peoples’ Day passes House on 50-12 vote
NM lawmakers establish Women’s Caucus
Governor, lawmakers propose new office to promote outdoors
Proposal would boost ballot access for independents
Torres Small pushes bipartisanship, cooperation
Governor signs off on ‘rocket docket’ bills
State rep. backs off bill to censor internet content
Popular vote legislation clears the House
Lawmakers highlight missing indigenous women
Bill’s message to lawmakers: Don’t meddle
Indigenous Peoples’ Day measure advances
Legislature’s off to a quick start
Measure to open primaries advances
UNM soccer players head to Roundhouse
Former state lawmaker ‘Kiki’ Saavedra dies
Men’s soccer reps invited to UNM Day at legislature
Heinrich: Act on energy, education
Immigration bill passes first test in Senate
Dem leaders move to save UNM sports
Democrats push several election proposals
Udall ‘worried about our democracy’
Dunn questions impact of anti-wall legislation
‘Rocket docket’ zooms forward in committees – with a few bumps
New session, new faces in Roundhouse
GOP leaders object to ‘rocket docket’ before liftoff
‘Multitasking’ lieutenant governor blazing a new path
Shake-up in House committee chairs
ABQ gains influence on Senate Finance
Ramos appointed to NM Senate
Judge: Youngblood must test more often
House plans to limit pageantry during session
Youngblood set for probation violation hearing
‘Ready to begin the climb:’ Lujan Grisham sets ambitious agenda
Sedillo Lopez appointed to vacant Albuquerque Senate seat
Lujan Grisham seeks more options for Senate vacancy
Lawmakers pledge a session full of action
Teachers union leader sues over fall at Roundhouse
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sworn in
Lawmakers prepare for spike in new bills
Women climb to historic levels in Legislature
Outcomes unchanged after recounts in three NM House districts
Legislator plans to ride bike to the Roundhouse
Steve Pearce elected NM Republican Party chair
New security measures adopted for legislative session
NM GOP leadership race jolted by Garcia Holmes endorsement
Legislator says harassment claim dismissal vindicates him
Republicans take sides in race for party chair
Leavell retires, creating vacancy in NM Senate
NM Republicans elect new leader
Progressive Democrats may not get all they want in session
Children & Education
School chiefs could get raises in new budget
House OKs establishment of NM early childhood agency
Governor delivers personal pitch on pre-K
Lawmakers pass bills to overhaul education
Senate OKs Karen Trujillo as education secretary
Lottery changes approved in House
‘Branch community college’ proposed for El Rito
Senate votes for new early childhood department
Mammoth education bills move forward
‘Circus arts’ bill floats with ease through Senate ed committee
House passes bill to boost bilingual education
Bilingual education bills advance
House approves bill revamping educator evaluations
Senate moves to revise teacher evaluations
Senate backs lottery changes
Charter moratorium passes House committee
Senate OKs medical cannabis at schools
Legislation threatens day care providers
Senator says she’s not clowning around
Impact Aid back on school funding agenda
Senate lottery scholarship bill clears second committee
Charter school leaders blast education bill
Don’t give up on kids, legislators told
Lottery scholarship bill clears Senate committee
AG pushes for expanded reporting of child abuse
Lawmakers debate upgrading pre-K
House approves bill on textbook funding
Education in ‘circus arts’ proposed in Senate
Panel approves ending A-F grades for schools
Stewart joins leadership of national education panel
Senate panel approves sweeping education bill
Heinrich: Act on energy, education
Ex-teacher, researcher to lead PED
Teacher leave bill wins House approval
Senate bill draws pushback on charter school cap
More cultural, language programs urged for schools
Districts onboard with a longer school year
Education lawsuit findings revealed
$10K bump in NM teacher pay proposed
State early childhood department proposed
$10K bump in NM teacher pay proposed
Mayor Keller outlines priorities for legislative session
Health & Family
‘Aid-in-dying’ bill won’t move forward
Repeal of anti-abortion law moves forward, with amendment
Former hospital CEO supports end of life bill
Bills aim to close child abuse loopholes
Gov. backs plan to create early childhood agency
Contraception bill passes the House
‘Aid-in-dying’ bill heads to the House floor
Gov. wants to scrap Medicaid copays
Diaper-changing bill gets clean approval in House panel
House passes abortion-rights bill
Abortion-rights bill heads to House floor
Committee passes ‘aid-in-dying’ bill
Abortion-rights bill one step closer to floor vote
Clergy assert support for abortion in letter
Doctors speak against ‘assisted suicide’ bill
Democrats target NM’s criminal abortion law
NM abortion law targeted for repeal
Mayor Keller outlines priorities for legislative session
Chambers
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Business & Labor
Lawmakers move toward wage compromise
House revises Senate plan for wage hike
Governor approves boosting state investment in small businesses
Lawmakers vote to ban local ‘right-to-work’ laws
Senate OKs minimum wage bill
House-approved minimum wage bill derailed in Senate
Senate approves PRC overhaul
Senate to consider PRC overhaul
Talks underway on competing minimum wage bills
House votes to ban local ‘right-to-work’ laws
‘Ban the box’ proposal passes Senate
Senate panel OKs oil, gas penalty bill
Proposal to boost oil, gas royalty rates is tabled
Senate votes to support online filings for businesses
NM House passes wage increase
Bill that would freeze NM fracking permits gets pushback
Bills would offer paid leave for medical emergencies
Lujan Grisham not swayed by wage bill critics
Committee OKs wage bill despite tip outcry
Governor, actors push for film rebate bill
Senate panel passes bill that Tesla is pushing
Minimum wage bill draws fire from restaurant owners
Bill would ban local ‘right-to-work’ laws
Panel approves raising minimum wage to $10
NM gets largest share of oil, gas revenues in 9-state study
NM film industry excited about new momentum
Bill would boost consumer privacy
PERA board proposes cuts in retiree benefits
Ethics & Transparency
Lawmakers remain divided on ethics commission bill
GOP lawmakers blast campaign finance bill
Senate votes 40-0 to approve newly-drafted ethics commission bill
Clock’s ticking as ethics bills bog down
Advancing bills worry transparency advocates
Competing ethics commission bills may fuse
House passes campaign disclosure bill
Senate committee begins debate on ethics panel
Supreme Court denies campaign finance challenge
Senate approves proposal to publish NM settlements
Senate OKs limits on applicant disclosure
Applicant-secrecy bill moves forward
House backs lobbyist spending restrictions, increased disclosure
House gives OK to ethics commission
2nd House committee OKs ethics panel bill
Ethics commission bill passes its first hurdle
House bill would seal some cases for 6 months
House panel starts debate on ethics panel bill
Change sought in open records bill
Applicant-secrecy bill advances in Senate
Openness advocates blast ethics panel bill
Bill would open records of UNM Foundation
Campaign spending disclosure bill passes Senate via 36-6 vote
Ethics commission measure unveiled
Lobbyist disclosure bill clears first committee
Measure to boost transparency is tabled
Senate measure would allow higher fees for records
House backs transparency for capital funding
Bill would reveal the cost of a free lunch for lawmakers
Campaign finance overhaul clears hurdle
Bill targets state’s open records law
New Mexico lawmakers debate ethics secrecy
Marijuana
Prospects dim for NM marijuana legalization bill
Hemp proposal on its way to governor
New Mexico debates launching a recreational cannabis business
Marijuana legalization bill passes House
Senate adopts changes to medical marijuana program
Pearce’s marijuana position sparks rift in GOP
House approves higher ed, hemp legislation
Marijuana legalization bill heads to House floor
Senate OKs medical cannabis at schools
Dems promote hemp as part of economic plan
Bipartisan backing for marijuana legalization
House proposal would regulate hemp production
Marijuana legalization advances in House
Bill to legalize recreational pot is introduced
Bill filed to allow medical cannabis at schools
Part 5: Legal pot or not? Passage hinges on a few Senate Dems
Part 4: Legal pot or not? Protecting NM’s medical marijuana industry
Part 3: Legal pot or not? Crime, drugged driving will be contentious
Part 2: Legal pot or not? Building a new industry
Part 1: Legal pot or not? A New Mexico debate
Full series: Legal pot or not?
Environment & Water
New oil-gas regulations head to governor
Ban on coyote-killing contests goes to governor
Lawmakers send carbon-free energy proposal to Lujan Grisham
Water planning package stalls in Senate
Energy transition bill moves toward House vote
NM outdoor recreation division bill approved by Senate
Senate committee passes bill to eliminate carbon-based energy
House passes legislation to address climate change
Senate backs ban on coyote-killing contests
Committee OKs bill to make NM carbon-free
PNM firmly supports clean energy initiative
House approves bill to revise Game Commission
Community solar legislation passes House
Haaland touts renewable energy in Roundhouse speech
Bill to help create new NM wilderness areas
Ban on coyote-killing contests advances
Environmentalists call to ban wolf trapping
Measure would ban trapping
Bill calls for carbon-free electricity in NM by 2045
Business interests fighting environmental review bill
Bill that would freeze NM fracking permits gets pushback
NM to join 18 states in climate change coalition
Bill would bar border wall from state land
Proposal calls for revamping key New Mexico water commission
Bill to prohibit public land trapping planned
Resources
Complete list of bills
Find and contact your legislator
State of New Mexico legislature page
KEY DATES
Dec 17 – Legislation may be prefiled
Jan 15 – Opening day (noon)
Feb 14 – Deadline for introduction
Mar 16 – Session ends (noon)
Apr 05 – Legislation not acted upon by governor is pocket vetoed
Jun 14 – Effective date of legislation not a general appropriation bill or a bill carrying an emergency clause or other specified date
Legislative Overview
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Our team
Dan Boyd, pictured left, is the Capitol Bureau Chief for the Journal and has covered the New Mexico Legislature since 2008. He previously covered Santa Fe City Hall and worked for a newspaper in Idaho. After nearly a decade working there, Boyd rarely gets lost in the Roundhouse.
Dan McKay, center, joined the legislative team ahead of the 2017 session, when he learned more than he ever wanted to know about sponge bonds. Before that, he covered City Hall and county government in Albuquerque. McKay is an Air Force brat who graduated from the University of New Mexico.
Eddie Moore, right, lives in Santa Fe County and has been covering the New Mexico Legislature, state government and northern New Mexico as a news photographer for more than 20 years, sometimes with a patrician slant toward fishing.
Robert Browman, the Journal’s Digital Editor, runs this page.