Gov balks at tax package, indicators reproductive wellness bill

The omnibus spending budget bill worth $9.six billion hit the governor’s desk earlier this week and left area for tax reform, but a bill on those details is nonetheless snagged in debate. While the Senate and Home each passed bills that would problem taxpayer rebates, boost the tax on alcohol and other measures totaling $1.three billion, the two chambers had not come to agreement late final evening about the final language that would move to the governor. After the Senate amended and authorized a Home measure yesterday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statement asking lawmakers to take one more swing at House Bill 547.  “Most New Mexicans have stinging memories of past years of painful funding cuts spurred by an imbalanced recurring spending budget. Whilst this administration has accomplished remarkable function to diversify our economy and our income streams to shield ourselves from the busts of the oil sector, make no error that our state spending budget remains topic to unprecedented volatility with a higher reliance on power revenues. These days, I’m worried that the Legislature could have a brief-term memory,” the governor’s statement reads in portion. “Put just: this tax package cuts as well deep, as well swiftly.” Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, issued a statement just prior to 11 pm noting legislators have been generating an work at compromise. “The tax reform conference committee had a really productive meeting this evening, and I am grateful to my colleagues in each chambers for their efforts. Meetings will continue, and with each other this committee will provide for all New Mexicans,” Wirth mentioned. Another conference committee meeting is set for 9 am.

Although the governor has till mid-April to approve or veto legislation that emerges from the session ending Saturday at noon, she’s currently signed a quantity of bills into law. Yesterday, she place the pen to House Bill 7, which bars cities and counties from restricting access to abortion and other reproductive care, as each Clovis and Hobbs have attempted to prohibit the procedures. The Legislature has also adopted a $1.two billion capital outlay strategy that consists of an appropriation for a new wellness care clinic in Southern New Mexico.

NMSU releases report on shooting involving student athlete

Lawyers who reviewed policies, interviewed relevant witnesses, performed study, and analyzed reports and video from law enforcement and the media, concluded the New Mexico State University had not failed any legal obligations in events surrounding an athlete shooting final November on the campus of the University of New Mexico. NMSU basketball player Michael Peake was injured in a late-evening incident and police have said he acted in self-defense when he shot and killed UNM student Brandon Travis, but that the team’s coaches and players did not initially cooperate with their investigation. Even so, Rodey Law—hired by the college for an independent review—recommended in a summary released yesterday that the college get critical about its curfew guidelines develop a much more comprehensive policy particularly prohibiting the possession of any weapon or firearm by any student athlete though representing NMSU craft a policy on how coaches really should communicate with law enforcement in circumstances involving student athletes and “implement measures to strengthen a culture that encourages student athletes to adhere to the integrity and values of NMSU,” amongst other measures. NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu said in a letter that the university will quickly announce a job force to address the firm’s suggestions. “We’re sharing this information and facts with our campus neighborhood to show our commitment to transparency and to commence operating with each other to implement the suggestions in the report,” Arvizu wrote. “We mentioned from the starting, if this assessment highlights possibilities for improvement, we will pursue these.”

Fewer doc visits beneath healthcare cannabis bill

Individuals in the state’s Health-related Cannabis Plan would have to invest much less dollars on physician visits under alterations to the system adopted by the Legislature via Senate Bill 242, a measure Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is anticipated to sign. Rather than getting to annually certify eligibility with the help of a healthcare provider and also comprehensive a method named “re-enrollment” just about every 3 years, patients would have a likelihood to re-enroll and certify eligibility just about every two years. “This alter saves sufferers time and dollars spent getting their annual recertification signatures and application from their healthcare provider,” mentioned Dominick V. Zurlo, system director, in a news release from the wellness division. “It eliminates the confusion triggered by the present method which has diverse timeframes for annual healthcare certifications and Health-related Cannabis Patient ID Card renewals. This bill enables the two processes to occur at the identical time.”  The law would go into impact on June 16, and the wellness division says it will collectively save sufferers an estimated $11 million per year. The program currently includes 105,617 sufferers, including ten,802 in Santa Fe County.

Supreme Court lifts fine cap on contempt of court

A case involving discipline against an Albuquerque lawyer resulted in the state Supreme Court ruling to lift a cap on fines for contempt of court. Justices overruled a decades-old precedent that placed a $1,000 limit in circumstances with no a jury trial for the individual topic to the punishment, according to a news release from the court. Justices did not, even so, establish a new maximum monetary penalty for behavior constituting contempt of court (examples include: disobeying a court or disrespecting its authority). “We decline to spot an express limit on contempt fines right now. Alternatively, we adhere to New Mexico precedent and federal precedent granting courts the energy to ascertain no matter whether an offense is critical beneath the situations of the case,” the court wrote. At problem was a fine levied against Victor Marshall, who was suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in January 2022, then fined $two,000 for violating the requirements of conduct prior to the court when his behavior in a hearing to appeal the discipline “was extremely disruptive and lacked any sense of decorum.”

COVID-19 by the numbers

Reported March 16: New circumstances: 247 672,200 total circumstances. Deaths: two Santa Fe County has had 402 total deaths 9,078 total fatalities statewide. Statewide hospitalizations: 93. Individuals on ventilators: seven

The Centers for Illness Handle and Prevention’s most current March 16 “community levels” map shows two counties (San Juan and McKinley) are now yellow—aka medium—level. The rest of the state remains at green—aka low—levels. Corresponding suggestions for every level can be found here.

Sources: Obtain 4 absolutely free at-house COVID-19 tests per household via COVIDTests.gov Verify availability for extra absolutely free COVID-19 tests through Project ACT CDC interactive booster eligibility tool NM DOH vaccine &amp booster registration CDC isolation and exposure interactive tool COVID-19 treatment information NMDOH immunocompromised tool kit. Individuals looking for therapy who do not have a healthcare provider can contact NMDOH’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453. DOH encourages residents to download the NM Notify app and to report good COVID-19 house tests on the app.

You can study all of SFR’s COVID-19 coverage right here.

Listen up

SFR not too long ago had a likelihood to catch up with artist Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) and speak about her exhibition, Road Much less Traveled, on view at New York City’s Jack Shainman Gallery (by means of April eight) and her forthcoming look in the 11th season of the PBS documentary series, Art in the Twenty-Very first Century. Art in America also talks with Simpson in this new brief video in which she discusses how her artistic method reflects her life’s journey in a selection of methods.

Come out of the cold

Fingers crossed, the wet winter will translate to a fireless spring and summer season, great for outside adventures. The Travel delivers a roundup of New Mexico’s ten finest hikes, a list that consists of Santa Fe’s Aspen Vista Trail, natch, but also farther-flung excursions such as the Bisti Badlands Trail in Bloomfield the trails all through Roswell’s Bottomless Lakes State Park and Cave Creek Trail in the Pecos Wilderness. Narcity, meanwhile, offers the perennial praise for Truth or Consequences for these in will need of an reasonably priced hot springs trip, which it describes as the US most reasonably priced spa time (the story says it is been reality-checked, so we’ll assume that is correct). For these hunting to keep warm outdoors of the water, Travel Awaits includes Roswell at #ten on its assemblage of warm US destinations to go to in April, when temperatures are in the mid to higher 70s. “Crowds are thick throughout the summer season when temperatures are in the 90s,” Travel Awaits contributor Melody Pittman writes, “so April is an optimal time to go to.” (FWIW, #11 is Puerto Rico).

Cats and dogs

No, we’re not speaking about the rain but, rather, actual felines and canines. In addition to wind, spring in Santa Fe also delivers a proliferation of puppies and kittens. According to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter &amp Humane Society, of the much more than 500 puppies and kittens the shelter helped final year, most get started to arrive now. “We are approaching kitten season, and supplies are required suitable now, so when these vulnerable animals come into the shelter, we are prepared with the needed tools to give to our foster households,” shelter Public Data Officer Murad Kirdar mentioned in a statement. “Hundreds of orphaned and underage kittens will rely on our New Hope Division (foster system) for the about-the-clock care they will need to survive.” The shelter hopes to gather kitten and puppy supplies, which includes kitten milk, particular dry and wet meals, puppy pads, and nurser kits to care for the spring arrivals and to deliver to foster households (the shelter also is hunting for fosters). Obtain a list of the shelter’s distinct needs here. Meanwhile, Barker Realty in Santa Fe is operating a “Show the Love” drive to gather dog and cat meals treats toys pet beds towels and blankets for Española Humane. Drop these things off by means of the finish of the month at Barker’s Railyard District workplace, 530 S. Guadalupe St.

It is not more than

The National Climate Service forecasts a winter-ish day right now, with snow showers most likely, mostly prior to noon, and a higher close to 32 with southeast wind about ten mph. Santa Fe Public Schools are on a two-hour delay due to ice and snow in some components of the district. Keep bundled up heading into the weekend, with highs nonetheless beneath 40 degrees and much more snow achievable.

Thanks for reading! The Word’s present mood would be effectively-suited for reading Kafka’s diaries.