House Passes REAL ID Bill After Heated Debate – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
The state House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday aimed at putting New Mexico in compliance with the federal REAL ID Act.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the legislation passed 39-30 with all Republicans voting for it. Only two Democrats voted for the bill. A Democratic lawmaker says it would make some immigrants "indigent servants."
Rep. Miguel Garcia said the proposal would discriminate against immigrants living in the country illegally and transform the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department into a deportation "pipeline."
Garcia's remarks came during a partisan debate over the bill. Rep. Javier Martínez, an Albuquerque Democrat, compares the proposal on his Facebook page to slavery.
Under the proposal, New Mexico would begin to issue REAL ID-compliant licenses and end the practice of granting state driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally. Instead, the bill would allow such immigrants to obtain "driver's permit cards."
The bill now heads to the Democratic-controlled Senate, however it will likely focus on a two-tiered license system.
New Mexico State Revenues Plunge On Low Energy Prices – Associated Press
New Mexico is revising downward estimates for revenue growth to $30 million from previous expectations of $232 million as the Legislature crafts a new budget.
The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration announced Wednesday that a perfect storm of low energy prices had eroded revenue expectations for the budget year starting in July. Economists from three executive agencies and the Legislature agreed on the new estimate.
The revised figures threaten to upend priorities for spending during the Legislature's abbreviated 30-day budgetary session.
Prior to the revisions, Republican Gov. Susana Martinez recommended a $230 million increase in spending. That plan included increased funding for Medicaid health care, law enforcement, early education programs and teacher pay.
Low oil prices in particular have eroded state income from severance taxes and royalties.
Roswell Republican Considering Secretary Of State Run – The Associated Press
A Roswell Republican is thinking of throwing her hat into the Secretary of State race.
Rep. Nora Espinoza told The Associated Press on Thursday that she is gathering signatures and will make a decision later on whether she'll seek the statewide office.
So far, Espinoza is the only Republican to publicly say she wants to run for the seat to fulfill the remaining term after Dianna Duran resigned amid a fraud case.
Bernalillo County clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver says she will seek the Democratic nomination for the office.
The secretary of state is charged with administering and enforcing the state's election and campaign finance reporting laws.
Espinoza, who has lived in Roswell for more than 40 years, says she supports new voter ID laws.
Review: 81 School Employees Don't Have Background Checks – The Associated Press
A new review says 81 newly hired employees in schools district and charter schools throughout New Mexico don't have required background checks.
Results of the New Mexico Public Education Department review released Thursday also found that background checks weren't available for 14 administrators statewide.
The department ordered a comprehensive review of background check policies for every school district after it became public Albuquerque Public Schools last year hired an administrator facing child sex abuse charges in Colorado. He later resigned.
Mora Independent School District superintendent Charles Trujillo also resigned last year after an investigation found he faked his credentials.
Under the School Personnel Act, every education professional must hold a valid professional license or certificate. Employees also must be fingerprinted and undergo background checks.
State Police: Santa Fe Police Officer Fatally Shoots Suspect – The Associated Press & The ABQ Journal
Authorities say a Santa Fe police officer fatally shot an armed robbery suspect at a motel, and a Montana man says he feels blessed he wasn't caught in the crossfire..
New Mexico State Police said no officers were hurt during the Wednesday night shooting. No details were released about the suspect or circumstances of the shooting.
However, Tim Quigg of Billings, Montana,, said he was talking to a man staying in the motel room next to his when two police officers arrived and got into a shootout with the other man.
Quigg told the Albuquerque Journal that the other man began shooting at the officers who returned fire before the man ran around a corner of the building. He said the shooting ended when officers fired four more shots.
Border City Works To Put Scandals Behind Amid New Ones - The Associated Press
The border city of Sunland Park, New Mexico, thought it was shedding the taint from a series of scandals but troubles have started again.
One councilor was arrested recently during a council meeting on drug charges and another was arrested on allegations he gave beer to his 19-year-old girlfriend.
The troubles have prompted renewed calls to disband the city along with an effort by leaders to transform the town. Mayor Javier Perea recently hosted a meeting to encourage residents to run for office in March elections.
Last year, a former mayoral candidate in Sunland Park pleaded guilty to extortion for secretly recording an opponent receiving a lap dance from a topless woman.
Perea has created new committees aimed at getting more civic involvement from residents. He hopes one committee helps craft a code of ethics for elected officials.
Poll: 3 Out Of 5 New Mexicans Support Marijuana Legalization – The Associated Press
A new poll finds that three out of five New Mexico residents support the legalization and taxation of recreational marijuana.
The survey released Thursday by Albuquerque-based Research & Polling, Inc. found that 61 percent of residents support proposed legislation to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana sales among adults of ages 21 and over.
Support rises to 69 percent when residents are informed that tax revenue generated by marijuana sales would be used to pay for health care and substance abuse programs.
The telephone survey of 406 residents took place on Jan. 8-13. The error margin is 5 percent.
The poll was commissioned by private and nonprofit groups including licensed marijuana producers and the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance.
Albuquerque Tax Preparer Is Indicted For Identify Theft – The Associated Press
Authorities say a tax preparer in Albuquerque has been indicted for filing fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities.
They say 54-year-old Flora Mascarenas has been charged with two felony counts each of identity theft, forgery and computer access with intent to defraud or embezzle.
Authorities say the charges carry a maximum sentence of nine years in prison and $30,000 in fines.
Mascarenas was indicted by a Bernalillo County Grand Jury in the Second Judicial District of New Mexico.
In 2011 and 2012, Mascarenas allegedly filed false electronic personal income tax returns with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department utilizing personal identifying information of individuals without their authorization or consent.
It was unclear Thursday if Mascarenas has a lawyer.
University Of New Mexico Looks To Build New Hospital – Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press
University of New Mexico Hospital is planning a $600 million hospital intended to reduce emergency room wait times.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that hospital officials on Tuesday told Bernalillo County commissioners that the 408-bed facility would require an 18-month planning phase and three years of buildout.
UNM Health Sciences Center Chancellor Dr. Paul Roth says project funding would come from Federal Housing Authority bonds and internal UNMH funding.
County taxpayers pay about $90 million a year in property taxes for UNMH operations.
Roth says the current hospital was able to accept almost 6,000 patients from other hospitals in 2015, but rejected about 800 because of a shortage of beds. Space limitations required emergency room patients to wait an average of 10 hours for an available bed last year.
Dexter's Ex-Police Chief Is Facing Battery, Stalking Charges – Roswell Daily Record, Associated Press
Dexter's former police chief is facing charges of battery and stalking after a state police investigation of alleged misconduct while in office.
The Roswell Daily Record reports Mario R. Contreras is accused of three misdemeanor charges of battery and two misdemeanor counts of stalking for alleged inappropriate conduct with women while on duty and in uniform.
The 45-year-old Contreras was arrested and released Dec. 22 on $1,500 bond.
Contreras waived his preliminary hearing and pleaded not guilty to the five charges on Jan. 4.
His next scheduled court appearance is a Feb. 23 pretrial conference in Roswell.
Court records show Contreras is charged with stalking and battery against three different women.
Contreras was hired by Dexter in 2009 and appointed police chief in December 2014. He was fired last August.
Warrant Points To Allegations Of Fraud At MLK Commission – Associated Press
A search warrant targeting bank records, emails and other documents related to the financial activities of the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Commission is shedding new light on accusations of fraud and embezzlement by the commission's executive director.
The warrant was made public Wednesday, a day after state agents seized documents and computers from the commission's office in Albuquerque.
State prosecutors have yet to file any charges, but investigators detailed checks issued to executive director Kimberly Greene and what's believed to be a forged invoice for more than $51,000.
Greene hasn't returned phone messages or emails left by The Associated Press, and the phone went unanswered at the commission's office Wednesday.
Greene faced intense questioning last month when she went before the State Board of Finance to request nearly $100,000 in emergency funding.
Lawsuit Seeks Halt To Work Requirements For Food Aid – Santa Fe New Mexican
An advocacy group is seeking an injunction to temporarily prevent the state from implementing work requirements for food assistance.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty filed the suit. It accuses the Human Services Department of sending incorrect information about the work rules that took effect on Jan. 1 and also failing to tell recipients if they are exempt from the rules.
The suit seeks a ruling on whether the department is violating a federal consent decree and other federal laws by preventing eligible recipients from getting assistance.
The lawsuit notes HSD sent notices to all state residents getting food benefits notifying them they had to comply with work rules, even though the new rules impact only a fraction of recipients.
A spokesman for HSD said the new requirements bring the state into alignment with federal rules and help people become self-sufficient.