The New Mexico House of Representatives just after 1 p.m. on Thursday agreed to the state Senate’s amendments to House Bill 2. They passed the latest version of the bill on a voice vote, without a roll call vote that would have recorded the vote of each individual senator.
During a two-hour Senate Finance Committee hearing on HB 2, the committee learned of issues with the bill that will likely require change to the legislation. Department of Game and Fish Director, Michael Sloane, told the committee during the hearing that the department did not request the $5 million appropriated in the bill for property […]
Santa Fe, N.M. - The next budget for the state of New Mexico is now in the hands of the Senate, after passage by the House. Here is a statement from the NM House Democrats, with highlights of the plan:
Today, the state’s budget or House Bill 2, a bill that prioritizes New Mexico’s economic relief and provides a framework for recovery, passed the House of Representatives.
The General Appropriations Act of 2021 is a reflection of the legislature’s priorities, making appropriations for economic relief programs and responsibly continuing the state’s investments in education, public safety, health, infrastructure, and long-term economic development. HB 2 appropriates $7.39 billion for Fiscal Year 2022, an increase of 4.6%, or $332 million over FY 2021. It puts the state’s cash reserve balance at $1.76 billion, or 24% of current expenditures. About half of the increase is replacing federal stimulus funds “swapped” in the FY 21 budget.