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If you are interested in the most inner workings of state government, today s Your NM Government update is just for you! The work Wednesday in the Roundhouse was somewhat overshadowed by technical problems with the virtual proceedings. But a lot of the business that was considered had to do with how the sausage is made, so to speak. Here s a quick rundown of what we talked about in today s update:
Senate Bill 74 - This is a measure designed to curb the Governor s powers during a public emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic. This is something Republican lawmakers have been critical of nearly throughout the past year, but it has languished in the Senate for nearly three weeks. Bottom line, there was a push to take a vote in the full Senate, but it failed 14-24. It does not seem likely to get that vote, either, before the session ends, as Governor Lujan Grisham has indicated she would likely veto it if approved by lawmakers.
And then there were 2 - cannabis legalization bills. At least that s the way things seem to be shaping up in this 2021 Legislative Session.
Yesterday, the Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee moved ahead both HB 12 and SB 288, although with changes to both measures. Those changes actually bring the two bills closer in line, with the big difference being oversight of a new legal cannabis market. HB 12 leaves that to Licensing and Regulation, while SB 288 would create a new supervisory panel. The other difference is, HB 12 has a shorter path to potential passage, since it has already worked its way through the House of Representatives. You can read more about all of this from Andy Lyman at New Mexico Political Report, and be sure to keep up to date with our Growing Forward podcast, all about the cannabis industry in New Mexico. It s a collaborative project between NMPBS and New Mexico Political Report.
Another busy week in store for the session, and today also marks the second to last Monday of the 2021 Legislative Session. Lawmakers will definitely have their hands full in these last days, with plenty of high profile measures still to decide.
Today we talk the status of House Joint Resolution 1, which is an annual effort to allow the state to take more money from the permanent land grant fund and put that money (about $170 million a year) toward early childhood programs. This measure has often been a political hot potato, but it passed out of Senate Rules on a 7-4 vote. Next, it will move to Senate Finance.
The big news in the Roundhouse yesterday had nothing to do with specific legislation, but an announcement from the Department of Education that schools
YOUR NM GOV: With the legislative session heading into the final lap, it is important that you know what is going on at the Roundhouse. Your New Mexico Government is where you can find daily updates on all the news coming out of Santa Fe. Look for No More Normal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get those daily updates. This week, we ll hear from Gwyneth Doland for New Mexico PBS about all the redistricting drama.
NEXT WEEK: This time last year was our last time doing our normal routines. In N.M., March 15 is about the one-year anniversary of the quarantine. So let s look at the year in review. So many questions have developed in the last year. We talk with you to see if anyone has an answer.