Page 38 - Quick Reads News Today

By Robert Nott, Santa Fe New Mexican | February 19, 2021 The State House of Representatives map adopted ahead of 2012 elections. Three bills lighting the way for the creation of a redistricting plan in New Mexico are waiting for their moment in the legislative spotlight.  But as the legislative clock moves closer to deadline — Thursday was the midway point of this year’s 60-day legislative session — supporters and sponsors of some of those bills worry they might not get a hearing in tim...

Women and their careers benefit when men are allowed – and encouraged – by their employers to do more caregiving.

meunierd/Shutterstock A bill that would end hospital discrimination based on immigration status advanced Wednesday when it passed unanimously in the House State Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee. HB 112 would enable all counties and hospitals in the state that offer indigent care to extend that program to all migrants, regardless of their legal immigration status. Bill sponsor Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, said during the committee hearing that most New Mexico counties a...

By Robert Nott, Santa Fe New Mexican | February 18, 2021 The way César Hernández sees it, House Bill 184 would let every school have a “genius hour.” That’s what the principal of Albuquerque’s Los Padillas Elementary School calls the extra hour of learning his school offers every day. That hour allows students to apply core curriculum lessons to creative projects like robotics, engineering, poetry and clowning. The students give a presentation on what they’ve learned for parents, ...

By Robert Nott, Santa Fe New Mexican | February 18, 2021 Laura Paskus As retired Judge Sandra Price watched the state House of Representatives debate a bill that would allow people to sue government agencies over civil rights violations, one particular moment grabbed her attention. It was when Rep. Ryan Lane, R-Aztec, rose to ask the bill’s sponsors — House Speaker Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, and Rep. Georgene Louis, D-Albuquerque — to accept a substitute bill.  The amended legislation ...

A survey of the impact of the first few rounds of coronavirus aid shows that most of those who lost jobs or wages due to the pandemic were facing severe economic hardship.

The Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to “temporarily table” a major economic recovery bill to work on amendments and deal with other issues. “There is more than enough time to make sure that whatever version is endorsed by this [committee] at the very least addresses some of the serious issues raised by our staff,” said […]

The state Department of Health reported 200 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the fewest in a single day in months. DOH also reported nine additional deaths related to the disease. The last time the state had fewer than 200 reported cases in a single day was Oct. 5.  The low number of new cases on […]

February 14, 2021 Over the weekend, the state of New Mexico reported 856 new cases of COVID-19 and 27 additional deaths related to the disease. This was with 571 new cases and 14 additional deaths on Saturday and 285 new cases and 13 additional deaths on Sunday. As of Sunday, 292 individuals were hospitalized for the disease, 73 fewer than on Friday and the fewest since Oct. 26. This could include those from other states who are hospitalized in New Mexico, but would not include New Mexicans who...

New Mexico State Supreme Court The New Mexico Supreme Court on Monday issued a written opinion that explained its reasoning behind a bench ruling regarding state emergency public health orders. The high court ruled last summer that the state and the governor are legally allowed to issue emergency health orders without a formal rulemaking process.  The court unanimously ruled that the state Department of Health and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are granted, by the Legislature, the ability to issu...