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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong R-Magdalena, gives remarks during the Republicans’ end-of-session news conference at the Roundhouse on Saturday. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New MexicanSenate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, speaks during the Republicans’ end-of-session news conference at the Roundhouse on Saturday. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New MexicanBy Daniel J.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Esteban Candelaria |Carol Clark
Sen. George Muñoz, D-GallupChairSenate Finance CommitteeBy Daniel J. Chacón and Esteban CandelariaThe Santa Fe New MexicanHighly coveted capital outlay is proving to be a double-edged sword for the New Mexico Legislature. While the so-called pork barrel spending allows lawmakers to bring the bacon home to their districts, a growing backlog of projects and balances of unspent capital outlay expected to exceed $6 billion are turning into a major headache. Sen.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
State Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, sits among his President Donald Trump campaign memorabilia in his shared office with Rep. Stephanie Lord, R-Sandia Park, at the Roundhouse Thursday, March 13, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New MexicanBy DANIEL J. CHACÓNThe Santa Fe New MexicanAs the sponsor of a bill that would prohibit the state from releasing driver data to help enforce federal civil immigration law, Sen.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
Minority Leader Bill Sharer R-Farmington By DANIEL J. CHACÓNThe Santa Fe New MexicanA $10.8 billion spending plan Democrats hailed as a “budget of opportunity” and Republicans compared to a “bloated cow” passed the Senate largely along party lines Thursday. House Bill 2, which was revised by the Senate Finance Committee, now heads back to the House for concurrence.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
The Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photoBy DANIEL J. CHACÓNThe Santa Fe New MexicanA yearslong effort to create an agency to provide independent oversight of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department won Senate approval Friday.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photoBy Daniel J. ChacónThe Santa Fe New MexicanThe state of New Mexico has garnered attention for its Opportunity Scholarship, which covers full tuition and fees for eligible students pursuing higher education. The state may be now known for a new type of scholarship, or at least that’s the term floating around the Roundhouse.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Post file photoBy Daniel J. ChacónThe Santa Fe New MexicanWith less than two weeks left in the 60-day legislative session, House Republicans sounded the alarm Monday on what they characterized as Democrats’ inaction on crimefighting bills and other legislation New Mexicans have been demanding. “It’s really unfortunate that we’re asking you to be with us here today when we’re 48 days into a legislative session,” Rep.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
By Daniel J. ChacónThe Santa Fe New MexicanNew Mexico lawmakers want to have their cake and eat it, too. At least that was the chatter in the Capitol hallways Monday after the Senate Rules Committee voted 6-3 to endorse a bill designed to shine a brighter light on lobbying activities in the state after the panel stripped a House floor amendment many interpreted as capping lobbyist spending at $50 per day per legislator during a legislative session. Sen.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, debates on the floor of the state Senate Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New MexicanSenate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, takes a break from debating on the floor of the state Senate Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New MexicanBy Daniel J.
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1 month ago | 
ladailypost.com | Daniel Chacon |Daniel Chacón |Carol Clark
By Daniel J. ChacónThe Santa Fe New MexicanFirst marijuana, now magic mushrooms. A state known for ending up at the bottom of a long list of rankings could be among the first in the nation to roll out a program for medical use of psilocybin mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms. The Senate Judiciary Committee late Wednesday endorsed Senate Bill 219 on an 8-1 vote. The lone holdout, Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, praised psilocybin’s efficacy.
