Senate passes budget bills, adjourns

The Senate, saying their business was done for the legislative session, passed a number of bills to fix the budget deficit this year and the recently-completed fiscal year that ended on June 30, adjourned sine die. This means the Senators can go home. The state constitution provides that the House would need to stay in […]

Senate passes budget bills, adjourns

The Senate, saying their business was done for the legislative session, passed a number of bills to fix the budget deficit this year and the recently-completed fiscal year that ended on June 30, adjourned sine die.

Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, presenting a bill on the Senate floor during the 2016 special session.
Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, presenting a bill on the Senate floor during the 2016 special session.

This means the Senators can go home. The state constitution provides that the House would need to stay in session for three days—not including Sundays—to force Senators to come back.

The House Appropriations and Finance Committee passed a feed bill that would fund the Legislature during the special session for three days; the Senate passed their own version.

 

Budget fix

As for the actual budget, the Senate passed eleven bills, including the bill to fund the special session.

Most of the bills were sponsored by Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, usually with a member of the other party. Smith is the chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

If all the bills became law, they are projected to generate a little more than $415 million. The projected shortfall is nearly $460 million. This means legislators would have to patch the remaining budget deficit in the legislative session that starts in January.

One of the biggest bills was to show what state entities would see cuts.

And, in fact, there are many agencies in the state that will see budget cuts of five percent of their total funding. And many areas that escape those largest cuts will still see smaller reductions.

A handful of areas, like the protective services of CYFD and the entire Veterans’ Services Department, will see no reductions in spending.

But other areas that usually are safe from drops in spending will see cuts. This includes a 1.5 percent cut to Behavioral Health Services, and a 2.5 percent cut to the Human Services Department (outside of Medicaid spending, including Medicaid behavioral services, which escapes any cuts).

And education itself sees some cuts, including $37.8 million to the State Equalization Guarantee, $25 million to “below-the-line” funding at PED and $33 million in cuts to categorical appropriations.

In all, the 2.8 percent reduction in spending will save the state $174.6 million.

In all, public education saw a 3.5 percent cut.

Higher education saw a five percent cut.

Sine die

When asked why they adjourned without hearing any crime bills, Sanchez told reporters, “Our responsibility was for the budget.”

Sanchez also noted the Senate has done their work and went home without addressing all the priorities of governors before, including Gov. Richardson. In 2007, the Senate adjourned twice.

Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, indirectly mentioned the crime bills when speaking to the Senate shortly before adjourning.

“There are issues I think the public wanted us to consider this session,” he said.

Still, Ingle praised the Senate for working together.

“And that is the most important thing,” he said.

As for what’s next, Sanchez said he’ll be headed home.

“I’ll be knocking doors in the morning,” the Senate Majority Leader said.

Senators, while walking out, joked they would be seeing each other in a few days.

Gov. Susana Martinez’s staff did not seem pleased with the Senate’s actions, judging by Twitter.

https://twitter.com/chrisanchezzz/status/782104441298100225

 

https://twitter.com/NJPiatek/status/782104612522254338

Other bills

The Senate also passed seven pieces of legislation that earlier passed the Senate Finance Committee. These were also all related to helping bridge the budget deficit that the state faces.

One, a bill that moved tobacco settlement funds to the general fund to fix the deficit, would close the books on the previous year’s budget, which ended June 30.

The most controversial of these, or at least the one which had the most debate, was on delaying the corporate income tax cuts that were passed in the dying moments of the 2013 session.

The bill would delay the tax cuts for two years.

The arguments against this echoed those in the Finance Committee.

“I do think this does send somewhat of a message,” Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, said, of the state’s attitude toward businesses.

Sen. Clemente Sanchez said he didn’t think the bill would do much to help the budget.

“The corporate tax is going to be minimal,” he said. “I think it’s a feel-good bill. It’s a feel-good bill in an election year and I understand that.”

Senators who supported the bill acknowledged it was difficult, but said it was necessary.

“There’s just no good solution here,” Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, said. “Everybody is going to have to hurt.”

The bill eventually passed on a very narrow 21-20 vote.

All of the bills that passed now need the House to pass them and the governor to sign them to become law. Meanwhile, unless the House stays in session until they force the Senate to come back, any House bills will be dead.

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

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…
Gov signs bills with some vetoes 

Gov signs bills with some vetoes 

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed 69 bills that the legislature passed during the 2024 legislative session. These included the General Appropriations Act which contains…
Guv signs state budget

Guv signs state budget

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the budget bill for Fiscal Year 2025 and the Capital Outlay spending bill. The FY25 state budget bill passed…
Advocates travel to D.C. to push for additional protections for the Gila River

Advocates travel to D.C. to push for additional protections for the Gila River

New Mexico advocates seeking to have the Gila River designated as a Wild and Scenic River will travel to Washington D.C. this week to…

NM Supreme Court annuls $10,000 penalty in PNM/Avangrid merger case

The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a penalty the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission levied against the state’s largest utility was…
State fines oil company more than $2 million after spill

State fines oil company more than $2 million after spill

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department fined an oil and gas company operating in the Permian Basin more than $2 million over produced…
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…
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…
Supreme Court censures attorney over conduct in anti-COVID policy suits

Supreme Court censures attorney over conduct in anti-COVID policy suits

The New Mexico State Supreme Court censured a New Mexico attorney because of her “misconduct” in two unsuccessful cases pushing back on COVID-19 regulations…
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…
How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

President Joe Biden highlighted reproductive rights issues as part of his State of the Union speech Thursday. Biden delivered his 2024 State of the…
Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

U.S. House of Rep. Melanie Stansbury has invited an OB-GYN doctor from Roswell as her guest for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
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…
How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

President Joe Biden highlighted reproductive rights issues as part of his State of the Union speech Thursday. Biden delivered his 2024 State of the…
Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

U.S. House of Rep. Melanie Stansbury has invited an OB-GYN doctor from Roswell as her guest for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
See who’s going to be on your primary ballot in June

See who’s going to be on your primary ballot in June

Tuesday marked the official beginning of the 2024 New Mexico primary season for the legislature, with candidates officially filing for candidacy. This is the…

Bill to require disclosure of use of AI in campaign materials goes to governor

The Senate approved a bill aiming to require the disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence or other changes made by computers to campaign…
House amends, passes bill banning firearms near polling places

House amends, passes bill banning firearms near polling places

The House narrowly approved a bill that would ban firearms near polling places. The House voted 35-34 to pass the bill following an extensive…
Advocates travel to D.C. to push for additional protections for the Gila River

Advocates travel to D.C. to push for additional protections for the Gila River

New Mexico advocates seeking to have the Gila River designated as a Wild and Scenic River will travel to Washington D.C. this week to…
U.S. Supreme Court lets ban on Couy Griffin from holding office stand

U.S. Supreme Court lets ban on Couy Griffin from holding office stand

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of a Republican official who was barred from holding office after being convicted for a…
Politics Newsletter: legislative leaders not running for reelection

Politics Newsletter: legislative leaders not running for reelection

Hello fellow political junkies! Candidate filing day has come and gone, and members of House and Senate leadership opted to either not seek reelection…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report