Hello fellow political junkies!
This week is the 2024 legislative session’s first full week.
What will be discussed in more than one committee this week? What will be heard on the house or senate floor?
We don’t know.
What we do know is where to find the tentative schedules for legislative committees which can be found on nmlegis.gov.
The “What’s Happening” tab lists current floor schedules and some of the committee meetings.
Not all of the committee meetings and agendas are listed there; however, they can be viewed under the “Committees” tab.
Clean fuel standards bill clears first hurdle
Legislation that would enact new standards for gasoline and vehicle fuel in New Mexico cleared its first committee on Saturday.
The Clean Transportation Fuel Standards, HB 41, passed the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee on a 7-4 party-line vote. It now heads to the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill would require the Environmental Improvement Board to adopt standards that would reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels by 20 percent from the 2018 levels by 2030 and 30 percent by 2040.
Read the rest of Hannah Grover’s story here
Environment Department pushing forward with strategic water supply
Despite the fact that the legislature has not yet approved funding for a strategic water supply, the New Mexico Environment Department already issued a request for information related to this proposal.
The request for information is the first step toward developing this strategic water supply.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced her plan to develop a strategic water supply late last year. Under her proposal, companies would clean up produced or brackish water to be used in certain settings, such as industrial processes or hydrogen energy production.
Read the rest of Hannah Grover’s story here
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The general schedules for committee meetings during the session is as follows:
- House Agriculture, Acequias and Water Resources Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 315
- House Appropriations and Finance Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Monday-Friday in room 307
- House Commerce and Economic Development Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 317
- House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 317
- House Education Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 309
- House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and sometimes Saturdays in Room 317
- House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on Room 305
- House Health and Human Services Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 315.
- House Judiciary Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 309
- House Labor, Veterans’ and Military Affairs Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 315
- House Rules and Order of Business meets at the call of the chair.
- House Rural Development, Land Grants and Cultural Affairs meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 309
- House Tax and Revenue Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 317
- House Transportation, Public Works and Capital Improvements Committee meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 305
- Senate Committees’ Committee meets at the call of the chair.
- Senate Conservation Committee meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 311
- Senate Education Committee meets 9 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 311
- Senate Finance Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday in Room 322
- Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. in Room 311
- Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 303
- Senate Judiciary Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 321
- Senate Rules Committee meets at 9 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Room 321
- Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 321
Agendas and meeting days can change due to the whim of the chairperson. Agendas can be updated throughout the day so it is best to check to see if the desired agenda item will be discussed or if a meeting is happening that day.
-Nicole Maxwell
Feed Bill becomes law
The governor signed the first bill of the session into law. That’s right, the always-exciting Feed Bill, which funds the legislative session itself including paying staff, passed both the House and Senate quickly and the governor signed it into law on Friday.
You can see it at HB 1.
In all, the feed bill appropriates just over $7 million for expenses related to the session.
The next bill to be signed into law will likely not come for another couple of weeks.
-Matthew Reichbach
Meanwhile on the Hill
Both the U.S. House and Senate approved a budget deal to prevent a government shutdown, at least through March. The bill was signed by President Joe Biden Friday.
The short-term budget extension is the third stopgap funding bill in four months according to The Washington Post.
These were in October and November. One of my stories on the stopgap measures can be found here.
-Nicole Maxwell
Local and county meeting schedules
- Albuquerque City Council meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month.
- Bernalillo County Commission meets at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
- Doña Ana County Commission meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
- Las Cruces City Council meets at 1 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month.
- Rio Rancho City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.
- Sandoval County Commission meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
- Santa Fe City Council meets at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
- Santa Fe County Commission meets at 2 p.m. on the second and last Tuesday of each month.
-Nicole Maxwell
Tips, subscriptions and more info
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Have a tip? I can be contacted by email at nicole@nmpr.nm.news.