Difficult Conditions Reported On Some New Mexico Highways – The Associated Press
Difficult driving conditions are reported on some northern New Mexico highways as a major winter storm begins to drop heavy snow.
Affected highways include Interstate 25 between Glorieta and Watrous.
The National Weather Service says the most significant impacts are expected overnight.
According to the forecasters, areas along and east of the central mountain chain will be hardest hit by heavy snow today.
Strong winds are expected to develop tonight in the middle Rio Grande Valley.
The forecast calls for snowfall to increasingly hit southern New Mexico areas tomorrow.
New Majority Republicans In NM House Revamp Committees - The Associated Press
New Mexico Republicans have cleared the first hurdle in overhauling the House of Representatives.
The new majority Republicans have passed a resolution that revamps committees by eliminating some and consolidating others.
The resolution was approved with heavy Democratic opposition on Wednesday in the Committee on Rules and Order of Business. It must still go before the full House.
Republican leaders say they want committees to be more time-efficient and that it's time for a change.
Democrats oppose several provisions of the resolution and say the changes should be made after more discussion.
Republicans are the majority party in the House for the first time in 60 years.
Judge To Hear Comment On Albuquerque Police Settlement - The Associated Press
A federal judge is set to hear comments from advocacy groups on a proposed settlement between the city of Albuquerque and the U.S. Justice Department to overhaul the city's police force.
U.S. District Judge Robert Brack is scheduled Wednesday to take comment on the pending blueprint after accepting friend-of-the-court briefs.
The reform agreement calls for new training and protocols for investigating officer shootings. It also calls for the agency to dismantle some troubled units.
An independent monitoring team will oversee how the changes are adopted, provide technical assistance and publicly report on the city's compliance.
The police department serving a city of about 560,000 people has faced scrutiny for more than 40 police shootings since 2010.
Martinez Makes Another Run At Driver's License Law - The Associated Press
Republican Gov. Susana Martinez says she wants the Legislature to repeal a law that allows the state to issue driver's licenses to immigrants who are in the country illegally.
Martinez took aim at the law during her State of the State address before the House and Senate on Tuesday, the opening day of the 60-day legislative session.
Martinez has tried repeatedly to have the law repealed, but those efforts have generated staunch opposition from Democrats. Despite the Republicans winning control of the House, Democrats lead the Senate and vowed Tuesday to fight back.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez says 90,000 immigrants in New Mexico would be affected. He says those who are parents would not be able to drive their children to the doctor or to afterschool activities.
House Panel Oks Bill To Fund NM Legislative Session - The Associated Press
A bill that would fund the Legislature's 60-day session has cleared its first hurdle.
The House Appropriations and Finance Committee approved the measure Tuesday to provide nearly $9.4 million for session costs. That includes salaries for staff and expenses for legislators. Legislators don't receive an annual salary but are reimbursed for expenses.
Last year, legislators approved a $5.4 million measure but the session was only 30 days.
House Majority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, said there was an increase in costs this year because of a spike in temporary employees who claim unemployment when the session ends.
The measure traditionally is the first piece of legislation approved during annual legislative sessions. It is known as a "feed bill" and will go before the full House of Representatives next.
Senator Seeks Water Class For New Mexico Students - The Associated Press
High school students would be able to earn credit for taking an elective course covering water management and conservation under a bill introduced by a New Mexico lawmaker.
Sen. Michael Padilla is proposing the class as part of a two-year pilot project to be established by the state Public Education Department. The Albuquerque Democrat is calling for $100,000 for the project.
He says the goal would be to prepare students for the workforce or higher education programs in a subject area vital to New Mexico's future.
The state is entering its fifth year of severe drought. Despite recent snowfall, nearly two-thirds of New Mexico are dealing with moderate drought or worse.
Under the legislation, the education department would have to report back to the Legislature and the governor on the project's success.
Officials: New Mexico Precipitation Near Normal For 2014 - The Associated Press
New Mexico recorded near normal amounts of rain and snow in 2014, and officials say forecasts are pointing to the drought easing up by May.
A panel of state and federal weather forecasters and water managers met Tuesday to discuss the drought. They say the latest map shows nearly two-thirds of New Mexico are dealing with moderate drought conditions or worse.
That's better than the 80 percent reported at this time last year.
The state received 95 percent of its normal precipitation last year. The most rain fell in far southeastern New Mexico near the Texas border.
In the last month, snowpack levels have increased significantly in the southwestern mountains and only slightly in the high elevations of north-central New Mexico.