Editor’s note: This is a version of the legislative newsletter that went out earlier this morning. For future versions, sign up here.

Hello fellow political junkies!

This is the first edition of NM Political Report’s legislative newsletter.

I am Nicole Maxwell and I cover the state legislature and other political news such as general political or elections-based rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This newsletter will cover the New Mexico Legislature’s interim meetings, including schedules and agenda items plus county commission and city council meeting schedules and agendas for Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, Santa Fe County and city, Doña Ana County and Las Cruces city councils and county commissions.

This week looks to be a busy one on the legislative interim meeting front with five interim committees meeting across the state.

On Monday, the Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee met in Los Alamos where they discussed environmental management issues including chromium plume clean up, issues concerning the downwinders (people who lived downwind of the Trinity Test who are still affected by fallout) and transporting weapons-grade plutonium. 

A story by my colleague Hannah Grover about nuclear testing and the compensation finally coming to the New Mexico Downwinders can be found here.

Another meeting in the mountains was the Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommittee meeting in Las Vegas.

The interim committee discussed traffic-related crashes, fatalities and safety strategies, wildlife corridors and the state road fund.

Meetings beginning Tuesday include the Land Grant Committee meeting in Peñasco where they are expected to talk about watershed and fire prevention and other water topics on the land grants and acequias.

The other meeting beginning Tuesday is the Legislative Finance Committee meeting at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas.

The meeting lasts through Thursday with topics ranging from the preliminary Fiscal Year 23 general fund revenue updates, FY24-FY28 revenue outlook, and general fund financial summary to an update on Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire recovery.

A story, also by Grover, about Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire recovery can be found here.

Here’s a story I wrote about the state’s long term economic outlook: Long-term economic outlook envisions oil and gas funding dropping.

The final interim committee meeting of the week is the Legislative Ethics Committee meeting in Room 317 in the Roundhouse on Friday to discuss a summary of statutes and policies pertinent to the Interim Legislative Ethics Committee.

Most interim committee meetings are live streamed through the nmlegis.gov webcast tab, although sometimes the meetings are not posted until later due to technical difficulties including weak Wi-Fi connections at the meeting locations.

Upcoming interim legislative meetings

• Economic And Rural Development And Policy Committee will meet Aug. 28-30 in Sunland Park and Las Cruces.
• Legislative Health and Human Services Committee will meet Aug-28-30 at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center Auditorium In Albuquerque.
• Mortgage Finance Authority Act Oversight Committee will meet Aug. 30 at the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority Office in Albuquerque.
• Science, Technology And Telecommunications Committee will meet Aug. 31 in Santa Rosa and Sept. 1 in Corona.
• For more information about these or other legislative committees visit nmlegis.gov.

County Commission and City Council Meetings

• Albuquerque City Council meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month.
• Bernalillo County Commission meets at 5 p.m. on  the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.
• Doña Ana County Commission meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.
• Las Cruces City Council meets at 1 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month.
• Rio Rancho City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.
• Sandoval County Commission meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays 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.

Upcoming elections

The 2023 local elections are coming up on Nov. 2. Those wishing to run for local office must file their candidacy on Aug. 29 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at your local county clerk’s office.

Now is also a good time to check or update your voter registration which can be done through NMVote.org or by contacting your local county clerk’s office.

Tips, subscriptions and more info

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This is one of several newsletters produced by NM Political Report, check them out here.