It’s been a while since I’ve delved into politics in this space, but with the 2012 Legislative Session in New Mexico starting today, a particular piece of legislation has me worried. What’s worse, it comes from the lawmaker representing my hometown in Silver City. I’m speaking, of course, of the voter ID law proposed by Silver [...]

This year brings a landmark for the Sunlight Foundation. We’ve been hinting for some time that we’re going to make a serious play in state government, and New Mexico is one of the first where we’ll focus those efforts. As my colleague Noah wrote earlier this month, the state’s House of Representatives has voted to [...]

There’s a little more up at my other joint, and there’s this AP bit at KOB. As I said earlier, Howie is a capable guy with a strong record of commitment to the community. He’s a good choice for the position. I’ll be back with more later today.

I’ve been far too consumed by the New Hampshire results (seriously, wow) that I never had time to get a blog written about the state Senate seat opened by the untimely death of Ben Altamirano. Anyhoo, it looks like, after getting the nod from both Sierra and Grant counties, Howie Morales might be the newest [...]

I received word via e-mail this morning that. Sen. Ben Altamirano passed away following what’s believed to be a “massive heart attack.” KRQE is reporting he died here in Silver City, while the messages I’ve received indicate he was in Santa Fe. What this means for his district is entirely up in the air right [...]

The news that Rep. Manuel Herrera passed away this weekend came as a shock. I knew he had fought with cancer, but the last time I saw him he appeared to be in good health. Granted, I’ve been gone for a few months, but I thought I would have heard something if that was no [...]

This is old news (I meant to touch on it) but Gov. Bill Richardson vetoed SB1174 of last week: The New Mexico Medical Society didn’t voice opposition to a bill that would have required all girls entering sixth grade to be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cervical cancer until the measure [...]

I have to think that Sen. Dede Feldman is my favorite state legislator: This week I’m asking everyone to contact the Governor’s office by mail (Office of the Governor, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501) or  phone (505-476-2200) or via fax (ask for the number)  with a request that he [...]

As they did earlier this week, a majority of state senators voted to adjourn sine die, leaving members of the House with the tough choice of continuing on without per diem, or calling back the Senate. Heath Haussamen has more: The Senate didn’t approve the feed bill before adjourning today, so House members would be [...]

Read Heath Haussamen for the latest developments into what’s happening with the special session: The House appears to be on track to work through the night, and a GOP motion to adjourn sine die and end the session was defeated by Democrats. House Republicans are working every procedural angle they can find to try to [...]

The Albuquerque Tribune’s Kate Nash (hat tip to Heath) blogged yesterday that the Senate adjourned without considering any of Gov. Bill Richardson’s proposed legislation: Linda Lopez just moved the Senate adjourn SINE DIE. It passed. But there is a challenge to the ruling, which was on a voice vote. . . The vote was upheld. [...]

Craig Roepke, the Interstate Stream Commission deputy director, just passed along a list of the studies that would have been completed on the Gila this year, if Gov. Bill Richardson hadn’t axed the funding yesterday: Extinction Risk Analysis for Spikedace and Loachminnow ($30,000) Land-Use and Land Management of the Gila and San Francisco Rivers ($50,000) [...]