Time is short and budget unfinished
With time ticking down Tuesday a budget bill seemingly done suddenly wasn’t so done. In a rare move the House failed to concur with amendments the Senate had placed on the $8.48 billion budget. The Senate changes resulted in $142 million in non-recurring expenses added and $11.1 million in recurring expense. The measure will now go to a conference committee comprised of members from each House to try and hammer out a compromise. The budget is set to be the largest ever for the state.
Teacher pay on Governor’s desk
Among the handful of bills so far across the line and on to the Governor’s office was one that will increase teacher pay in the state to levels greater than surrounding states. Late Monday the House unanimously passed the bill which will raise starting teacher pay from $40,000 a year to $50,000. Similar $10,000 increases will go into affect at other salary levels as well. Portales Schools Superintendent told the Chamber board Tuesday he was happy for his teachers but worried about paying for the raise down the line as well as the consequences of other measures such as the $15 hour minimum wage for state employees if that bill is passed.
Crime bill revamped
With many of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s signature crime bills dying on the vine, a new bill, SB231 has launched in an effort to get some of the measures passed before noon on Thursday. The bill will offer police officer retention pay of 5 percent every five years. It would split the state’s law enforcement academy into two divisions, one for traditional training and the other for officer enforcement. The bill also adds three judges and a violence intervention program modeled after one in Albuquerque for the entire state.
Tax relief coming back
A new tax relief bill worth $380 million arose in a House committee on Monday and by late that day had passed the full body and headed to the Senate. HB163 features the first sales tax decrease in decades along with Social Security tax exemption for those earning lower amounts and a child tax credit of $175 as well as other items. The House passed budget bill leaves $400 million in the budget for tax relief.
Crazy moves continue on voter rights
After the Senate used a procedural move requiring all members of the body be present to debate a voter rights bill last week it appeared the idea was dead for this session. House Democrats took it on themselves to find a way to get the measures back in play early this week. Amendments to SB144, a bill simply crafted to provide protection against threats for poll workers and election officials had many of the voter rights measures grafted onto it. Republicans cried foul saying the move was unconstitutional. Despite that the bill passed out of House Judiciary with the amendments still attached. It’s anybody’s guess where this thing is headed now.
The end is near
Come hell or high water, things will stop at the Roundhouse at noon on Thursday. The question between now and then is how much transparency is sacrificed and how sloppy things become. After it’s all over New Mexicans will hold their breath in anticipation of just how big a slice of this whole slab of bacon comes home in the form of capital outlay. It will be epic.
