LAS CRUCES - Legislation requiring paid sick leave to be offered to all workers in New Mexico cleared its first committee Thursday, Feb. 4, after the sponsors of two different bills on the subject agreed to combine their efforts.
House Bill 37, sponsored primarily by Angelica Rubio, D-Las Cruces, and House Bill 20, sponsored primarily by Christine Chandler, D-Rio Rancho, were combined into a committee substitute for HB 20. That bill passed the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on a 5-3 vote.
The bill would require employers to offer paid sick-leave benefits to all employees, both full-time and part-time. Workers would earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
Kelli Pendleton
Two crucial members of the Christian County Chamber of Commerce have been named 2021 ‘Champions of Fort Campbell.’
Kelli Pendleton, President/CEO of the chamber, and Royce Stevens, a long-serving volunteer of the chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, were the award recipients.
Both were recognized during an induction ceremony Friday. Officials say ‘Champions of Fort Campbell’ are individuals who have made outstanding efforts to support the program on the installation, and in doing so, enhance the quality of life for Soldiers and their families.
The awards were presented by 101st Airborne Division Commanding General Major General Brian Winski.
Pendleton has served many roles over the years to help Fort Campbell. Stevens became involved with the Christian County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee in the 1990s. In her time, she has served on various sub-committees and has supported the Eagle Ambassador Program for about 15 years. She is also a
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A bill that would, if it becomes law, provide earned sick leave for employees in the state passed along party lines in the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Thursday.
The bill passed 5 to 3 with one Democrat absent during the vote.
The committee substitute for HB 20, known as the Healthy Workplace Act, was not available online as of Thursday night. Last week, two paid sick leave bills, HB 20 and HB 37 were both heard together in the same committee. At the end of a lengthy debate and considerable public testimony around the bill last week, committee chair Eliseo Lee Alcon, D-Milan, sent the sponsors of the two bills to roll them into one piece of legislation. He speculated the bills would not pass through the House Judiciary Committee otherwise.