YNMG /tags/ynmg YNMG en-US Copyright Thu, 19 Jan 2023 02:19:35 GMT Longtime House budget committee chair replaced by more progressive lawmaker /local-news/2023-01-18/longtime-house-budget-committee-chair-replaced-by-more-progressive-lawmaker The 60-day state legislative session has just begun and already there are surprises. As the Speaker’s gavel changes hands, the longtime chair of an influential budgeting committee is out in the House of Representatives, replaced by a more progressive Democrat. Dan Boyd, capitol bureau chief for the Albuquerque Journal, reported on the day-one shake-up and spoke with 91°µÍř about what it could mean. Thu, 19 Jan 2023 02:19:35 GMT /local-news/2023-01-18/longtime-house-budget-committee-chair-replaced-by-more-progressive-lawmaker Nash Jones Let's talk about modernizing our state legislature /show/lets-talk-new-mexico/2023-01-17/lets-talk-about-modernizing-our-state-legislature Let’s Talk New Mexico 1/19 8am: Beyond the limits of the tight legislative calendar, lawmakers are faced with the challenge of understanding dozens of bills each session without having full-time staffers to help them. They often rely on industry insiders, lobbyists or activists for information on how proposed legislation will work. Furthermore, legislators do their work without a salary, earning only what they get for a per diem which is much too low to cover their stay in Santa Fe. Wed, 18 Jan 2023 03:41:51 GMT /show/lets-talk-new-mexico/2023-01-17/lets-talk-about-modernizing-our-state-legislature Kaveh Mowahed Lawmakers concerned about the race to spend pandemic aid /local-news/2022-12-19/lawmakers-concerned-about-the-race-to-spend-pandemic-aid Recently the Legislative Finance Committee met to review the progress of spending New Mexico’s share of federal pandemic aid. There are a lot of projects either on-going or in the planning stages and lawmakers want to make sure those projects get funded before access to those federal dollars expires. Tue, 20 Dec 2022 02:05:15 GMT /local-news/2022-12-19/lawmakers-concerned-about-the-race-to-spend-pandemic-aid Kaveh Mowahed Higher education secretary wants to forgive more loans, increase scholarships /local-news/2022-12-14/higher-education-secretary-wants-to-forgive-more-loans-increase-scholarships Enrollments are up at New Mexico’s higher education institutions, with an increase of more than 4% that’s second only to New Hampshire. And even though the higher education budget this year was more than $1 billion, the Higher Education Department Wednesday asked the Legislative Finance Committee for more. Thu, 15 Dec 2022 02:49:48 GMT /local-news/2022-12-14/higher-education-secretary-wants-to-forgive-more-loans-increase-scholarships Kaveh Mowahed Santa Fe Midtown plan moves through city council /local-news/2022-12-02/santa-fe-midtown-plan-moves-through-city-council This week the Santa Fe City Council unanimously passed the Midtown Master Plan, a framework for how the 64-acre city-owned property in the center of Santa Fe could be redeveloped after being largely vacant for more than four years. Sat, 03 Dec 2022 02:39:06 GMT /local-news/2022-12-02/santa-fe-midtown-plan-moves-through-city-council Kaveh Mowahed New laws impacting New Mexico schools take effect July 1 /local-news/2022-06-30/new-laws-impacting-new-mexico-schools-take-effect-july-1 A total of 23 New Mexico laws go into effect Friday, July 1. Most were passed in this year’s legislative session, though some were signed into law in 2020 and 2021. About 20% of the now-effective laws directly impact schools and those who work for and attend them. Fri, 01 Jul 2022 01:58:18 GMT /local-news/2022-06-30/new-laws-impacting-new-mexico-schools-take-effect-july-1 Nash Jones Nine New Mexico mayors keep their jobs, four defeated in municipal elections /local-news/2022-03-02/nine-new-mexico-mayors-keep-their-jobs-four-defeated-in-municipal-elections Ten cities, towns and villages in New Mexico will have a new face in the mayor’s office next month after Tuesday’s municipal elections, with residents in four of those communities voting out their current executive. Nine mayors were reelected, according to unofficial results. Wed, 02 Mar 2022 23:00:17 GMT /local-news/2022-03-02/nine-new-mexico-mayors-keep-their-jobs-four-defeated-in-municipal-elections Nash Jones ID issues sink some Rio Rancho absentee ballots /local-news/2022-03-01/id-issues-sink-some-rio-rancho-absentee-ballots Rio Rancho voters are heading to the polls Tuesday, March 1, to weigh in on several city offices, including mayor, along with bond measures and charter amendments. The city says its absentee board has rejected a number of ballots. Tue, 01 Mar 2022 23:59:54 GMT /local-news/2022-03-01/id-issues-sink-some-rio-rancho-absentee-ballots Nash Jones Early voting in 2022 municipal elections ends Saturday /local-news/2022-02-24/early-voting-in-2022-municipal-elections-ends-saturday Municipal elections are underway in 26 New Mexico cities, towns and villages, including all in Sandoval County. Most are electing a mayor among other local offices. Early voting wraps up Saturday, Feb. 26. Fri, 25 Feb 2022 02:32:50 GMT /local-news/2022-02-24/early-voting-in-2022-municipal-elections-ends-saturday Nash Jones Lawmaker plans to keep pushing after redistricting reform proposal stalls /local-news/2022-02-22/lawmaker-plans-to-keep-pushing-after-redistricting-reform-proposal-stalls State legislators passed only a fraction of the bills and resolutions introduced in this year’s short, 30-day session. One of proposals that stalled in committee was a resolution to reform the way redistricting is conducted in New Mexico. Its sponsor, Democratic Rep. Natalie Figueroa, spoke with 91°µÍř’s Nash Jones about what happened to the legislation and why she’ll continue to advocate for it. Wed, 23 Feb 2022 04:04:03 GMT /local-news/2022-02-22/lawmaker-plans-to-keep-pushing-after-redistricting-reform-proposal-stalls Nash Jones