Bill Would Protect Pregnant Workers In New Mexico – The Associated Press
A New Mexico lawmaker has introduced legislation that would require employers to provide reasonable accommodations for working pregnant women.
Representative Terry McMillan of Las Cruces says the state can do a better job protecting pregnant women in the workplace. He says his bill would bring the state in line with federal standards.
Reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers would include more flexibility of schedules as well as shorter hours or leave time.
The legislation mirrors language in the Federal American with Disabilities Act. It ensures that a woman's job is protected during pregnancy while allowing her to look after her health.
McMillan filed the legislation yesterday. He says it balances a desire to protect working pregnant women as well as the economic needs of small businesses.
New Mexico Officials Talk To Feds About Fines For Nuke Leak - The Associated Press
New Mexico's top environment officials and the U.S. Energy Department are wrangling over more than $54 million in fines levied in the wake of a radiological leak at the federal government's underground nuclear waste repository.
Now, state officials are threatening even more fines if the Energy Department doesn't accept responsibility for numerous violations outlined in compliance orders issued by the state last year. The New Mexico Environment Department is working on a new compliance order that could include fines of more than $100 million.
Negotiations are ongoing.
State officials and community leaders from New Mexico traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to discuss cleanup efforts. Organizers of the trip want to ensure that fines against Los Alamos National Laboratory for its role in the leak are paid by Energy Department and not taken out of the lab's cleanup budget.
Commission Ex-Chairman To Participate In Diversion Program – The Associated Press & The Clovis News Journal
A former chairman of the New Mexico Game Commission has agreed to participate in a diversion program in return for having a misdemeanor charge of illegal hunting dropped.
According to the Clovis News Journal, District Attorney Tim Rose announced Monday that Tucumcari rancher Scott Bidegain agreed to participate in a two-year-old probation-style program that includes performing community service and touring a prison.
Bidegain resigned as chairman of the Game Commission after he and other members of a hunting party were accused of illegally killing a cougar in February 2014.
Rose said the pre-prosecution diversion program is designed for persons without a criminal record who are charged with non-violent crimes.
New Mexico House Passes Anti-Corruption Law – The Associated Press
The New Mexico House of Representatives has unanimously passed a law cracking down on corrupt government officials and employees.
Sponsored by Majority Leader Nate Gentry the bill can add as much as an additional year of jail time for those convicted of felony corruption offenses.
The Albuquerque Republican says lawmakers need to send a clear message that government corruption will not be tolerated.
The legislation bans corrupt officials from lobbying or contracting with the state, making it a third-degree felony if they attempt to do so. It also requires the posting of felony corruption offenses at government offices.
Approved on Monday, the bill now moves to the Senate for a vote.
Judge Hears Arguments In New Mexico Primary System Lawsuit – The Associated Press
A case that could transform New Mexico's two-party primary system is now in the hands of a judge.
State District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd heard arguments Tuesday on a lawsuit filed by Albuquerque resident David Crum on behalf of the state's 250,000 independent voters. Crum is seeking to allow people to pick a party on the day of the primary so they can vote.
Currently, only Republicans and Democrats can vote in primary elections — something critics say contributes to low voter turnout.
Turnout dropped 8 percent in New Mexico's June primary election, with only one in five Democratic and Republican voters casting ballots.
Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Sydow argued Tuesday that changing the law would hurt "the purity of the election."
Barela-Shepherd says she will issue her ruling soon.
Albuquerque Moving To Evict People From Homeless Encampment - The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal
Albuquerque officials are putting the wheels in motion to evict residents of the so-called "Tent City" homeless encampment.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that police and other city employees yesterday placed eviction notices on tents and in other locations in the encampment.
The notices say the city will invoke a state law to go to court to evict the campers if they refuse to leave.
The encampment has been declining in size from about 30 tents in January to about a dozen as of Monday.
Nonprofit groups have distributed temporary vouchers that allow people to stay in a motel.
Albuquerque Police: Person In Custody In Fatal Shooting - The Associated Press
Albuquerque police say they have a person in custody in connection with a fatal shooting.
Officer Fred Duran says the shooting occurred early this morning on the 4700 block of Irving Boulevard Northwest.
Duran says the investigation is continuing and that no additional information is available.
Company Co-Owner Gets Prison Sentence In Corruption Case - The Associated Press
An asphalt company's co-owner faces prison time in a corruption case involving Santa Fe County.
Joe Anthony Montoya of Advantage Asphalt and Seal Coating was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy.
However, District Judge Jim Hall suspended all but three years of the sentence, and Montoya may get out after 18 months due to good behavior and time served.
Montoya's wife and company co-owner, Marlene Montoya, was sentenced to a suspended nine-year prison sentence plus probation.
Advantage Asphalt was fined about $140,000 and ordered to pay the county approximately $263,000 in restitution. The company was convicted of fraud for billing the county for work it did with the county's own labor, material and trucks.
A former county official also has been convicted in the case.
New Mexico Officials In Washington For WIPP Talks - The Associated Press
Top environment officials and the leaders of some northern New Mexico communities are in Washington, D.C., this week to discuss cleanup efforts at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The trip was organized by a coalition of communities. Organizers say the focus is on growing federal investment in environmental cleanup.
The Regional Coalition of LANL Communities wants to ensure that fines levied by the state are paid by the U.S. Energy Department and not taken out of the lab's cleanup budget.
A container of waste shipped from the lab to an underground nuclear waste repository in southern New Mexico ruptured last February. Twenty-two workers were contaminated and the repository was forced to close indefinitely.
Just last week, investigators completed a project to get high-resolution images of the area around the breached container.
Hearing Set For New Mexico Primary System Lawsuit - The Associated Press
A hearing is scheduled on a lawsuit that could radically transform New Mexico's two-party primary system.
State District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd is expected today to weigh in on a lawsuit filed by David Crum on behalf of the state's 250,000 independent voters. The Albuquerque resident is seeking to allow people the right to pick a party on the day of the primary so they can vote.
Currently, New Mexico's state elections only let Republicans and Democrats vote during primary elections — something critics say contributes to low voter turnout.
Officials say voter turnout dropped 8 percent in New Mexico's June primary election, with only one in five Democratic and Republican voters casting ballots last year.
The Republican Party of New Mexico wants the lawsuit dismissed.
FBI Increases Reward In Attack On Iraqi Refugee Woman - The Associated Press
The FBI has increased the reward in a case involving a man who assaulted and robbed an Iraqi Catholic refugee in Albuquerque and yelled obscenities about Muslims.
The agency announced yesterday it will offer a $5,000 reward for the capture of a suspect who stole $20,000 in gold during the violent home invasion in June.
Authorities say the assailant forced his way into the home of Seham Jaber, shouted nasty remarks about Muslims and punched her. Investigators say the intruder then tore up her family's citizenship papers.
Carol Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque FBI office, says such a crime should make all Americans feel disgusted.
She says the FBI is working with Albuquerque police on the case.