Session recap: Sanchez says Senate effectively passed their legislation

In a press conference following the Senate adjourning sine die, the Senate Majority Leader said he believed that the chamber had a productive session, at least when it came to passing Senate legislation. He repeatedly said that he wasn’t sure what happened when bills went over to the House once the Senate passed the legislation, which he said […]

Session recap: Sanchez says Senate effectively passed their legislation

In a press conference following the Senate adjourning sine die, the Senate Majority Leader said he believed that the chamber had a productive session, at least when it came to passing Senate legislation.

New Mexico State Senate.  Wikicommons
New Mexico State Senate. Wikicommons

He repeatedly said that he wasn’t sure what happened when bills went over to the House once the Senate passed the legislation, which he said the Senate did effectively.

One highlight that Sanchez mentioned was the economic bills that passed the Senate.

“I think the Senate Democrats had a good economic plan, a ready to work plan,” Sanchez told reporters in his office. He said they passed most of the plan, though the controversial increase in the gas tax did not pass.

The Senate Republicans typically have not held a press conference following the session and 2015 was no exception. However, the Senate Minority Leadership Office sent a press release shortly after the end of the session.

“The main responsibility of the state Senate was to pass a balanced budget, and we did that,” Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, said. “But as a minority, it is difficult with only 17 votes to pass many of the initiatives we believe will improve the state. We will return another day to work on the issues we feel are important to the state.”

Another major talking point was the implosion of the bill for capital outlay.

The Republican release mentioned the short filibuster of a tax package that was sponsored by Ingle. The filibuster by Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, closed out the session.

The release said, “a  significant tax package died in the Democratic-controlled Senate while  time ran out before  a $264 million dollar capital outlay package could pass both chambers.”

“There is no money to go into our individual districts, which hurts our individual districts but what they did was irresponsible,” Sanchez said of the failure of capital outlay.

He said the extensive amendments put in place by the House Ways and Means Committee were a “sucker punch” to the Senate.

If capital outlay had been sent to the Senate with more time, Sanchez said that the bill would have been sent to the Senate Finance Committee, which would have stripped the House amendments from the bill.

With less than half an hour to go in the session, the Senate did not hear the capital outlay bill.

He blamed the House Republicans for adding priorities of Gov. Susana Martinez and particularly opposed the use of severance tax bonds for building roads, saying that the state was still paying for funding a highway in this fashion when Gary Johnson was governor.

One Democratic priority that did not pass the Senate was a minimum wage increase.

“If you put in a minimum wage bill then they’re going to put in a right-to-work bill,” Sanchez said of the House Republicans. Sanchez said the House would do that for political purposes “and we were not going to let that happen.”

Sanchez was asked about how he would see the inevitable blame from House Republican leadership and the governor on holding up legislation.

“I’ve been around for a few years and I can take the criticism,” Sanchez said. He also reiterated that he believed the Senate worked together to pass good legislation.

Post-adjournment floor speeches

Another Senate tradition after the session is speeches by Senate leadership and the Lieutenant Governor.

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez spoke about the Senate working together.

“If there was ever a time that this body had to come together, both Democrats and Republicans, and I, as I represent the executive branch in this body, it was this session,” Sanchez said. The Lieutenant Governor presides as President of the Senate.

Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, also mentioned the chamber working together.

“We don’t always agree, we don’t always vote the same, I don’t question your vote, I hope you don’t question mine,” Papen said.

Ingle called Senators “the only lobbyists for the people we serve” and said,  “The people who are home working, we are their only spokesman.”

Sanchez spoke about the Senate being family.

“Sometimes we love family more at one time than we do other time,” Sanchez joked.

“We are family and we always will be. I think we became closer,” he said.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report