Today is the last full day of the legislative session. It’s down to the wire for many critical bills and last minute changes or submissions from legislators, making it anyone’s guess how the session will conclude. Lets take a look at what’s afoot for the final hours of the Session:
Senate Bill 32, which would ban trapping on public lands, made it through it’s floor vote in the House of Representatives by a vote of 35-34 and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. This bill would establish misdemeanor penalties for violations and has exceptions for ecosystem management, cage traps and religious and ceremonial purposes by enrolled members of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or pueblo.
House Bill 20, The paid sick leave bill, made it through the Senate floor late last night after a vote of 25-16. The floor debate became testy in the wee morning hours after a Republican filibuster and heated exchanges between the bill’s sponsor, Senate Pro Tem Mimi Stewart and Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto. The amended bill will now move forward without including government employees in the sick leave provisions. It’s not right for government to pass mandates that they then exempt themselves from following. Click HERE to read more.
House Joint Resolution 1 the latest effort to plunder the Land Grant Permanent Fund from Rep. Moe Maestas also passed the Senate on a vote of 26-16. The resolution now goes to the Governor for her signature, but that’s not the final stop. On this piece of legislation, because it’s a House Joint Resolution, voters will have the final say during the next election on whether or not to further tap into the Land Grant Permanent Fund. Click HERE to read more.
House Bill 12, the contentious Cannabis legalization bill from Rep. Javier Martinez, also moved forward for a Senate floor vote on Friday. The bill was chided in the Senate judiciary Committee for it’s “sloppy” language by committee Chairman Joe Cervantes. Rep. Martínez said in an interview Thursday that he and co-sponsor Rep. Andrea Romero would work on “fixes” for the faulty language before bringing HB 12 to the Senate floor on Friday. Click HERE for more information.
NMBC will continue to monitor the session and push back where we can as the noon deadline on Saturday draws closer by the minute. Once the floor Session begins you can watch it live on the Legislative website HERE.