2017 legislative session

Rep. Jim Trujillo of Santa Fe in Denver hospital

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State Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, remained in a Denver hospital Tuesday for treatment of a heart condition. Trujillo, 77, was flown to Denver last week. He couldn’t be reached for comment, but House Speaker Brian Egolf said Tuesday that Trujillo is out of the intensive care unit and is “up walking and talking.” “My understanding is that he is doing well and should be out of the hospital this week,” said Egolf, D-Santa Fe. I am not sure when he will be back in Santa Fe, but we are hoping in the next 10 days or so.”

2017 legislative session

State Rep. Salazar hospitalized; ex-Rep. Varela has heart attack

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New Mexico’s longest-serving legislator, Rep. Nick Salazar, D-Ohkay Owingeh, as well as former Rep. Luciano “Lucky” Varela, a Santa Fe Democrat who retired in 2016 after 30 years in the House, have been hospitalized, House Speaker Brian Egolf told lawmakers Wednesday. Salazar, 87, who just began his 23rd term in the House, was driven to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon, said Egolf’s chief of staff, Reena Szczepanski. “He’s being monitored. That’s all I know,” she said.

2016 elections

Here’s why candidates were disqualified from the ballot

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Friday marked the final day to challenge filing documents for candidates around the state ahead of the June primaries. In all,  the reasons for ten disqualifications for candidates range from simply not getting enough signatures to breaking campaign finance rules. Amy Bailey, legal counsel for the Secretary of State’s office, told NM Political Report that her office went through any evidence brought to them before each candidate was qualified. “The candidates that brought us what they purported to be evidence we checked,” Bailey said. “We didn’t go through and check all the petitions.”

Prospective candidates who found themselves disqualified still have a chance to challenge the disqualification, but they must file a challenge it in district court.

State Budget

House passes $6.3 billion budget, depends on transfers

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The House of Representatives passed the state’s $6.32 billion budget Saturday morning amid falling oil prices. The bill passed on a 38-31 vote, with two Democrats joining the Republican bloc in voting on the bill. “We did the best we could with the revenues that are there,” House Appropriations and Finance Committee Chair Larry Larrañaga, R-Albuquerque, said when presenting the bill. Larrañaga said Medicaid, education, public safety, corrections and early childhood funding marked the top priorities. “Almost all of the increases are in five particular areas in this budget,” he said.