By Robert Nott, Santa Fe New Mexican |
February 10, 2021
Despite investments of hundreds of millions of dollars, access to broadband services has remained out of reach for many New Mexicans in rural and impoverished areas.
And the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated that problem, especially when it comes to public school students trying to learn remotely.
That’s the message members of the House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee heard from a number of lawmakers, experts and members of the public during a Tuesday hearing on the issue.
“We don’t need to talk about the need, we need to talk about the how how are we going to do this?” said Rep. Natalie Figueroa, D-Albuquerque.
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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.
SB42 Requiring Employers To Pay More Into Retirement Fund For New Mexico Educators Passes Senate Committee
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
SFNM News:
A bill that would require employers to pay more into the retirement fund for New Mexico educators passed the Senate Education Committee on a 5-3 party-line vote Wednesday.
Under Senate Bill 42, the employer contribution rate to the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board would go up by 1 percent a year for the next four years.
Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said the legislation would “go a long way towards the solvency” of the pension system, which covers all employees in K-12 schools, public colleges and universities.
Legislative Roundup: 51 Days Remaining In Session
SFNM
A longer academic year: A bill that would extend the academic year and require all public elementary schools to provide K-5 Plus or extended learning programs cleared the Senate Education Committee on a 7-1 vote.
The K-5 Plus initiative would add 25 days to the regular school calendar, and the Extended Learning Time program would add 10 more school days and also require schools to provide after-school programming and 80 hours of teacher professional development.
Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, cast the lone dissenting vote on Senate Bill 40, raising concerns about another mandate from lawmakers in Santa Fe and an extended school year.