Page 10 - Quick Reads News Today

The steady stream of federal judge confirmations continued when the Senate voted to confirm Matthew L. Garcia as a U.S. District Judge for the District of New Mexico. The Senate voted 53 to 46 to confirm Garcia. Both of New Mexico’s U.S. Senators, Democrats Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, voted for the nomination and […]

By Daniel J. Chacón, The Santa Fe New Mexican Paper or plastic? Not if Sen. Jeff Steinborn has his way. The Las Cruces Democrat is pushing a proposal that would prohibit grocery and liquor stores, restaurants, pharmacies and other retail establishments across New Mexico from providing their customers single-use plastic bags. Steinborn described his proposed […]

Days remaining in session: 32 Cutting drug prices: Members of the House Health and Human Services Committee voted 7-3 Monday to pass House Bill 51, which would create a five-member prescription drug affordability board to look for ways to lower the costs of medications, among other measures. The bill includes a one-time, $750,000 allocation to get the […]

Days remaining in session: 36 Grieving families: Attorney General Raúl Torrez delivered a rousing speech Thursday at a memorial for the families of homicide victims in the Capitol rotunda. Torrez asked the dozens of people attending the event to clap and cheer and make as much noise as possible “because the people in this building need […]

Days remaining in session: 37 Prop gun training: Following charges filed recently against Alec Baldwin and others in the 2021 fatal shooting on the set of the Rust film production, a House Republican has introduced a bill to require all people employed by a film company in New Mexico who use prop guns to undergo firearms training. House Bill […]

President Joe Biden named Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to his Council of Governors Thursday. “I am honored to join this bipartisan group of state leaders to strengthen the relationship between the federal government and states to improve our joint responses and capabilities during national emergencies,” Lujan Grisham said in a news release. “Preparation and planning […]

By Robert Nott, The Santa Fe New Mexican One of the biggest battles of this year’s legislative session — the fight over gun control — took center stage Tuesday at the Capitol. Perhaps predictably, it drew a passionate audience, one likely to grow as a pair of measures continue to move through the Legislature’s committee process. Supporters […]

A member of a conservative group that describes itself as a “statewide grassroots alliance” has submitted complaints to the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General as well as the Internal Revenue Service alleging that the prominent environment and consumer advocacy group New Energy Economy illegally claimed donations were tax deductible during a time when […]

Days remaining in session: 39 PRC salaries: The salaries of the newly reconfigured Public Regulation Commission would be tied to what state District Court judges earn under a bill the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee unanimously endorsed Monday. After voters approved a constitutional amendment changing the PRC from a five-member elected body to a three-person panel […]

Days remaining in session: 43 Solar power: A bill that would require all new residential construction to include photovoltaic systems and receptacles for electric vehicles eked out of the Senate Conservation Committee on a 4-3 vote Thursday. “As we’re moving toward electrifying everything, we ought to put our money where our mouth is, so to speak,” said […]