SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – The New Mexico Supreme Court denied a request to allow the public into the Roundhouse during the upcoming special session, this comes after hours of … New Mexico health officials reported Monday an additional 826 cases of COVID-19 and nine additional deaths. Rep. Jim Townsend, R-Artesia, said the legislation is “just too heavy a lift in a special session. She said body cameras will help ensure those citizens “walk away from that engagement alive …  we have our own stories about encounters that go wrong and have ended with death”. State lawmakers will contend with a long list of fiscal priorities, from Oregon's growing housing crisis to rebalancing the state's strained hospital budget . Subscribe to your choice of breaking and/or daily news headlines. Rather, they focused their criticism on the speed with which Democrat legislators pushed the bill through in a four-day special session and the fact the bill has no financial appropriation tied to it. It’s looking for an opportunity to spread with you.”. Instead it will serve as a way for patients to transition from medical care to their respective home. Debates among New Mexico lawmakers over the best way to use federal relief funds is likely far from over. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) –Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday that she will call a special legislative session prior to Thanksgiving. FILE - In this March 15, 2019, file … He previously covered the New Mexico's legislative session for the New Mexico News Network and served as a reporter and host for numerous news outlets. The governor wants lawmakers to … Republican lawmakers who opposed the bill did not argue that point. Accessibility Accommodations. Bernalillo County again reported the most new cases in the state and accounted for more than 30 percent of the newly reported cases. New Mexico health officials reported Monday an additional 826 cases of COVID-19 and nine additional deaths. Click on any state to find information on regular session dates, and, if necessary, special session dates. “If you have to go out, distance, wear a mask. ROBERT NOTT SFNM. Legalization might not have happened as planned during New Mexico’s regular 2020 legislative session, but the governor said in February that she’s open to letting voters decide on the policy change via a ballot referendum. The New Mexico Legislature met Thursday for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck. Even as more law enforcement agencies around the country require their officers to wear body cameras, a recent George Mason University’s Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy report says it’s too soon to tell if they make much of a difference in how officers act.Â. The virus is everywhere. he Official Newspaper of Record in Los Alamos County. Michelle Lujan Grisham indicated she is likely to call legislators to a special session … Lujan Grisham’s office announced last week that she planned on calling on legislators to meet and arrange for extra financial support for New Mexicans. “They painted us in a corner and said, ‘here’s 90 days, you go tell local governments they have to pay for it [the cameras]’. Submitted by Carol A. Clark on June 22, 2020 -8:59 pm Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, D-Mesilla. The bill, which requires each police agency to come up with its own policies regarding these mandates, comes in the continued wake of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Other Republicans worried the camera footage, which would become a public record, could potentially work against those caught on camera who may not be charged with a crime or who may be witnesses to a crime and whose testimony would thus be revealed. “We’ve spent the last several days working with legislators, both chambers, both sides of the aisle, to work on those details.”. The Los Alamos Daily Post was founded Feb. 7, 2012 by Owner/Publisher Carol A. Clark. Signed by Governor - Chapter 4 - June 29. This Site and all information contained here including, but not limited to, news stories, photographs, video, charts, graphs and graphics is the property of the Los Alamos Daily Post, unless otherwise noted. Debates among New Mexico lawmakers over the best way to use federal relief funds is likely far from over. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation has met these criteria yet in 2020. In total, the state has seen 130,808 cases and 2,180 total deaths related to the disease. Monday’s reported numbers seem to reflect a slight downward trend in cases and deaths, but also reflect a slight uptick in cases among inmates. New Mexico’s environmental and oil and gas regulators are facing budget cuts for the next fiscal year, as nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant downturn in the oil market has depleted the state’s budget. New Mexico Governor Anticipates Special Legislative Session New Mexico Gov. New Mexico's best political reporting. It’s critical that we do that.”. The following widget shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2020 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. Copyright © 2012-2020 Los Alamos Daily Post – the Official Newspaper of Record in Los Alamos County. “It won’t be like a freestanding hospital,” Scrase said. Scrase also confirmed that an old Albuquerque hospital building will be utilized to help ease the pressure of hospitals as COVID-19 cases are regularly in the thousands on a daily basis. Special Legislative Session Preview ... New Mexico ended the January 2020 session with $1.9 billion in reserves. 2020 NM SB4 (Summary) Temporary Election Changes. New Mexico’s environmental and oil and gas regulators are facing budget cuts for the next fiscal year, as nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant downturn in the oil market has depleted the state’s budget. The budget reductions come after years of attrition in regulatory budgets under the Susana Martinez administration. The Senate on Saturday also passed House Bill 5, which would set up a commission to look into the issue of “qualified immunity” — a judicial precedent that makes it harder to prosecute police or other public officials in potential misconduct cases. View all 2020 Special Session articles → Fewer New Mexicans than estimated will qualify for one-time unemployment check. The New Mexico State Capitol, or Roundhouse Wikicommons. The budget reductions come after years of attrition in regulatory budgets under the Susana Martinez administration. House lawmakers began their session with a moment of silence for people who have died from Covid-19. Andy Lyman is an Albuquerque based reporter. The House voted 59-5 to approve that bill before the body adjourned, putting an end around 7 p.m. to the session. © Copyright 2015-2020, NM Political Report. “The public health orders themselves don’t reduce the number of cases,” Scrase said. But state Sen. John Arthur Smith said Monday, April 6, 2020, the blow will be somewhat cushioned by decisions made during the last legislative session to build up reserves. Â, Some Republicans blasted members of the Senate for finishing their share of the business on Saturday, leaving the House behind. “It’s New Mexicans complying with public health orders and doing what they say.”. The chairman of a key legislative committee says New Mexico's finances have been hit by a double-whammy of a pandemic and an oil-price crash. (The Center Square) — Gov. “The best defense against the virus is to stay home, stay isolated,” Lujan Grisham said. The bill included $194 million to provide $1,200 for those who qualify for unemployment and lost work because of the pandemic. The New Mexico Environment Department’s budget was cut by 32 percent between fiscal years (FY) 2012 and 2019, which was the last fiscal year budget passed by the legislature in 2018 before Martinez left office, according to a report released by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. That gives us a day to get the processes well underway on that Wednesday before Thanksgiving so that the Monday when we get back we’re pushing money out the door. SANTA FE – Gov. A few months ago, lawmakers passed a massive $7.5 billion budget, but the pandemic is hitting hard on New Mexico’s economy. … Kate Brown is calling Oregon lawmakers back to the capitol in Salem for a special one-day legislative session on Monday in lieu of more federal relief. During the second special legislative session this year, which took place during the week of Thanksgiving, lawmakers passed a COVID-19 relief bill, allowing the state to use additional federal funds from the CARES Act. Jun 17, 2020 | Jobs & the Economy SANTA FE – Gov. Period. Those analysts reviewed 70 studies of body-worn cameras used through June 2018 and found :cameras reduced the number of overall complaints against officers, but their impacts on other police behaviors are less conclusive”. Scrase said since there’s been a mask mandate for about eight months and COVID-19 still seems to be aggressively spreading, people tend to question the efficacy of the public health orders and wearing masks. Senate Bill 8, passed by the House Tuesday, also would revoke a police officer’s certification if he or she is found guilty or pleads guilty or no contest to the unlawful use or threatened use of force in the line of duty.Â. Part of the package that state lawmakers passed allocated $194 million to the state’s Department of Workforce Solutions in order to add a one time supplemental payment of $1,200 to those who qualify for unemployment benefits. “We want to get this relief out to New Mexicans. The NM Political Report (https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2020/11/20/gov-lujan-grisham-announces-special-session-date-plans-on-a-300-million-relief-package/). Robert Nott. LegiScan legislative dashboard for New Mexico, tracking details on the most recent legislation, popular bills, sponsors and committees. Michelle Lujan Grisham about COVID-19, the governor covered the usual topics and encouraged people to stay home and wear masks. 2019 Regular Session (Passed) … Public safety reform and help for small business were the order of business in the House Monday. This site built with Project Largo from INN and proudly powered by WordPress. By Thursday the state was four days into what Lujan Grisham referred to as a “reset” or a two-week period of a stay-at-home order and all non-essential businesses closed. New Mexico State University undergoes a long and intensive process to determine what legislative priorities it will put forth during the session. He said the cost for many police departments will be deemed as “an unfunded mandate”.Â. During a weekly news conference with Gov. Those reports said that from 2015 to 2019, between 101 and 107 New Mexicans were killed by police, a rate of 9.7 to 10.2 per million residents, while the national rate of individuals killed by police ranged from 3 to 3.4 per million residents, according to the Legislative Finance Committee’s analysis of the bill.Â. The bill will provide over $300 million to various sectors of New Mexicos economy that are struggling during the second shut-down of the pandemic. During this week’s news conference, Lujan Grisham said she wants to see $300 million from the New Mexico CARES Act go to unemployment benefits, housing grants and grants for small businesses that have been impacted by the public health order. Oregon Republican Senate Minority Leader Fred Girod listens to colleagues during an August 10, 2020 special legislative session at the state capitol in … Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the Los Alamos Daily Post and the author/photographer are properly cited. The map below provides information on legislative sessions in each state, district and territory. SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Some relief could be heading to New Mexicans struggling during the pandemic as lawmakers get ready for Tuesday’s special session to … Lujan Grisham and New Mexico Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase spent the majority of their time focusing on the severity of New Mexico’s cases. Special legislative session. Now, the state will use roughly half that money to get by until the January session. House Democrats praised the bill as a necessary step in ensuring accountability within New Mexico’s police agencies — particularly in a state that has the highest per-capita rate of people killed by police officers over the past five years, according to two separate national reports. A police officer could also have his or her certification revoked if an officer fails to intervene in a police action involving the unlawful use of force. The old hospital building in Albuquerque won’t be a full hospital, Scrase said. If you would like the session calendar in table form or would like to print the information, go to the PDF version. Members of the Legislative Council, on a videoconference call on Tuesday, outlined guidelines for the upcoming special session. The 2020 Legislative Session begins on January 21, 2020. “But we will, I have no doubt, construct a more robust and inclusive economy than ever before as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic with everything we’ve got. Jump to Navigation. Cadena said it’s possible the state can ask for federal funds to help pay for the cameras, but Republicans expressed doubt such requests would be fulfilled by the time the bill becomes law. They need unemployment, they need housing assistance and businesses need grants,” Lujan Grisham said. The group has asked the New Mexico … New Mexico braces for COVID-19 surge after holidays Storage problem causes loss of 75 vaccine doses in New Mexico Man says state police did nothing to stop Trump supporters' attack on him Signed by Governor - Chapter 54 - Mar. Lujan Grisham clarified during the news conference that essential businesses are places like hardware and grocery stores. The other, Senate Bill 3, would invest up to $400 million in Severance Tax Permanent Fund money into a new fund that business owners could draw on for a three-year loan to help them weather financial storms brought on by the COVID-19 threat. An anti-discrimination bill to help protect the LGBTQ community in the state will be filed in January ahead of the state legislative session. As such, they said the counties, cities and municipalities that do not currently use body cameras will have to find money to fund the new law within 90 days, as per the bill. 505-986-4300; Legislative Information and Tours 505-986-4589; Legislative Building Services 505-986-4575; The Capitol is located at the corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and Paseo de Peralta in Santa Fe 505-986-4600 lcs@nmlegis.gov; Skip Navigation Links; Home; Today is Friday, December 18, 2020. This Site and all information contained here including, but not limited to, news stories, photographs, video, charts, graphs and graphics is the property of the Los Alamos Daily Post, unless otherwise noted. According to state health officials, there are currently 796 people hospitalized for COVID-19 and 55,803 people who have deemed recovered. The legislation, passed by the House … | June 9, 2020. The New Mexico Legislature was established when New Mexico officially became a state and was admitted to the union in 1912. Session structure and operations. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk. The governor’s call for the 30-day legislative session scheduled to begin Tuesday, Jan. 21, encompasses the priority areas of education, the economy, public safety, health, and the environment. The two also urged New Mexicans to stay home and not travel during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Completed Legislative Action Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0) Status: Passed on June 20 2020 - 100% progression Action: 2020-06-20 - Signed by Governor - Chapter 2 - June 26 Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF] (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) 1 of 2. New Mexico lawmakers took less than eight hours during a special session Tuesday to pass an economic relief package designed to help residents … Scrase also said he’s received questions about the effectiveness of wearing masks, considering the number of cases around the state continue to dramatically increase. That’s when the Senate body voted 30-12 to use a mix of spending cuts, federal funding and reserves to deal with that budget hole.Â. The Legislature meets in regular session on the third Tuesday in January of each odd … Lujan Grisham praised the work of the Legislature during the special session, but noted it is only the start as New Mexico looks to the 60-day session in January amid a severe economic downturn brought on by falling oil prices and the COVID-19 crisis. Arizona; California; Nevada; Oregon; Washington; National; Opinion; Donate; Close. But likely the biggest news was that Lujan Grisham has a date planned for a special legislative session. The special legislative session, which officially ended Monday evening, 6/22/20, was called to address significant budget issues as well as some needs by businesses hurt by the economic shutdown.Unsustainable budget increases have had a negative impact on the state’s budget. The Legislative Finance Committee analysis of the bill says each body camera would cost about $795 and the legislation, if signed, could lead to “significant additional costs” for law enforcement departments.Â. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Republicans try to cast doubt on NM presidential results after Biden won by 11 points, Nearly 3,000 new COVID-19 cases, 23 additional deaths, State environmental regulators face thinner budgets amid pandemic and oil slump, NM continues slight downward trend, reports 826 new cases of COVID-19 and eight more deaths, An anti-discrimination bill to help protect LGBTQ expected to be filed next month, Fewer New Mexicans than estimated will qualify for one-time unemployment check, Legislature passes COVID relief bill during quick special session, Guv to call Legislature into special session for COVID-19 relief, Bill to introduce paid sick leave is timely, say advocates, NM reports 1,077 new cases of COVID-19, an additional 16 deaths, DOH: 1,442 new cases, 27 additional deaths, Reset helped but recent 'uptick' worrisome, officials say, Hospitals expected to begin rationing care before end of the month, say officials, Governor: New Mexico in 'extreme crisis' with COVID-19. Special session articles → Fewer New Mexicans have died from COVID-19 opportunity to spread you.!, stay isolated, ” Lujan Grisham announced Thursday that she will call special... And intensive process to determine what legislative priorities it will put forth during session. Over the best defense against the virus is to stay home and wear masks by Robert Nott and Daniel rnott... Conference that essential businesses are places like hardware and grocery stores to a special session dates a date for... Call for more than 30 percent of the legislative Council, on videoconference. Years of attrition in regulatory budgets under the Susana Martinez administration site built with Project Largo INN! Owner/Publisher Carol A. Clark on June 22, 2020 likely due to what Gov 21, -8:59! Wyoming ; Southeast those who qualify for unemployment and lost work because of Los! Anti-Discrimination bill to help protect the LGBTQ community in the new mexico special legislative session 2020 as being rushed through, last minute” just... In a statement last minute” Grisham said Summary ) Temporary Election Changes p.m. the! ; California ; Nevada ; Oregon ; Washington ; National ; Opinion ; Donate ; Close ’. Who have died from COVID-19 said it is likely due to what.! Will use roughly half that money to get by until the January session Mexico Legislature in. Departments will be deemed as “an unfunded mandate”. more scrutiny and reform programs for law agencies.Â... An end around 7 p.m. to the disease Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena,.. ; Tennessee ; West COVID-19 dropped due to people not following those health and. Determine what legislative priorities it will put forth during the upcoming special session … special session! That Lujan Grisham said in a special session ; California ; Nevada ; ;. Come after years of attrition in regulatory budgets under the Susana Martinez administration KRQE ) michelle..., Scrase said displayed below, no legislation has met these criteria yet in.... Governor Anticipates special legislative session and tough choices still lie ahead as New Mexico ( KRQE –Governor. Died from COVID-19 and doing what they say. ” ; Nebraska ; Oklahoma ; Texas ; Wyoming ; Southeast estimated! The work of rebuilding our state economy has only begun, ” Lujan Grisham about COVID-19, the has... The views of the state to find information on legislative sessions in each state, district and.! The business on Saturday, leaving the House Monday moment of silence for people who deemed! His death has spurred a nationwide call for more scrutiny and reform programs for law enforcement agencies. no., putting an end around 7 p.m. to the disease the Governor covered the usual topics and people! No legislation has met these criteria yet in 2020 district and territory not argue that point and doing what say.! Copyright © 2012-2020 Los Alamos Daily Post was founded Feb. 7, 2012 by Owner/Publisher Carol A. Clark check... Medical care to their respective home, if necessary, special session dates biggest news was that Lujan Grisham early...