SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s Democrat-led Legislature forged ahead Wednesday toward final votes on a record-setting state budget increase, election-year tax cuts and a suite of crime-fighting initiatives, during the final hours of a 30-day legislative session.
A six-member negotiating committee of House and Senate legislators put final touches on a plan to increase general fund spending by more than $1 billion to $8.48 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1 — a 14% boost over the current year spending.
The budget plan would boost salaries by at least 7% across public schools and state government, with other major new investments in K-12 education, Medicaid health care for the poor, public safety initiatives, and grants and loans to support private industry.
Democratic state Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, a lead House budget negotiator, said new budget amendments ensure funding to help local policing agencies retain officers. A 16% salary increase is slated for state police, raising the bar for competitive pay at local law enforcement agencies.
Lawmakers are racing against the clock to approve a $385 million package of tax cuts, credits and rebates that would narrow the scope of taxes on Social Security income and provide a per-child tax credit of up to $175 to parents. The Legislature adjourns by law at noon Thursday.
The Legislature also inched toward final approval of a package of crime-fighting initiatives that would expand surveillance of criminal defendants as they await trial, with 24-hour monitoring of ankle-bracelet tracking devices.
Legislators balked at proposals to ban pretrial release for people accused of some serious crimes. They have focused on efforts to expand police training and oversight, with funding for alternatives to traditional prosecution and incarceration. Some enhanced criminal penalties are included.
Time was running out on efforts to shore up election oversight and expanding voting access after fractured proposals were combined into one bill.
Proposals endorsed by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver would have expanded access to mail-in ballots, drop boxes and voter registration opportunities, in a counterpoint to new restrictions on voting access in at least 19 Republican-led states.
The Legislature also inched toward final approval of a package of crime-fighting legislation that would expand surveillance of criminal defendants as they await trial, with 24-hour monitoring of ankle-bracelet tracking devices.
Legislators balked at proposals to ban pretrial release for people accused of some serious crimes, and they have focused on efforts to expand police training and oversight, with funding for alternatives to traditional prosecution and incarceration.
New Mexico’s legislature looks for last-minute compromises to advance a suite of tax breaks, crime-fighting initiatives and an unprecedented increase in spending on public education, health care and economic development.
Time was running out for efforts to shore up election oversight and expanding voting access after fractured proposals were combined into one bill.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and allied Democratic legislators have sought legislation to expand access to mail-in ballots, drop boxes and voter registration opportunities in a counterpoint to restrictions on voting access in Republican led states.
Budget negotiators assigned $50 million to possible support for public-private ventures — redirecting money from a failed proposal to provide incentives for hydrogen fuel production. Environmentalists and consumer advocates fought the proposals to incentivize hydrogen production from natural gas and coal based on concern that the industry would prolong dependence on fossil fuels and invest in unproven technologies to capture and store climate pollution.