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The first session of the 56th New Mexico Legislature, which began Jan. 17 in Santa Fe, is nearing the halfway point as legislators consider a record $12 billion budget.
Thursday, Feb. 16, is the last day for legislators to introduce bills during the 60-day session, which ends Saturday, March 18.
Follow all the action at www.nmlegis.gov.
You can search for a bill, resolution, memorial or capital outlay request filed this session and going back as far as 1996 on the site’s home page. Or, click on “Legislation,” or on “Legislators,” find a senator or representative and scroll down to “Sponsored Legislation” on his or her page.
For example, the page for state Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Doña Ana, shows he had introduced 10 Senate and two House bills as of Feb. 1, and had co-sponsored four bills.
The page for freshman state Rep. Jenifer Jones, R-Luna, Hidalgo, Doña Ana, whose district includes two precincts in Las Cruces, shows she has sponsored one bill and one memorial in the House and one bill in the Senate as of Feb. 1, and has co-sponsored one House bill.
You can click on any bill by number to see its sponsors and co-sponsors; committee(s) it has been assigned to; text of the bill as introduced and amended; votes on the bill, if any, in either or both chambers; a fiscal impact report on the bill by the Legislative Finance Committee; committee reports; amendments; committee and floor action; and the governor’s action on the bill, if any.
Click on “What’s Happening” on the home page to see calendars of upcoming House and Senate floor and committee actions. Click on “Webcast” to watch live and recorded committee and House and Senate meetings.
Legislator pages also provide contact information for each senator and representative. The Committees page shows membership on House, Senate and interim committees and committee chairs.
The legislature has 112 members: 42 in the Senate, including six who represent Doña Ana County, and 70 in the House of Representatives, including nine who represent the county.
Las Cruces senators and representatives chair some of the legislature’s most important committees, including House Appropriations and Finance (Rep. Nathan Small), Senate Judiciary (Sen. Joseph Cervantes) and Senate Education (Sen. Bill Soules).
Steinborn and Sen. Crystal Diamond, R-Sierra, Luna, Hidalgo, Doña Ana are members of the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Ron Griggs, R-Otero, Eddy, Doña Ana, is ranking member of the Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee.
Rep. Doreen Gallegos is chair of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, Rep. Joanne Ferrary is chair of House Consumer and Public Affairs, Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena is vice chair of House Taxation and Revenue, Rep. Angelica Rubio is vice chair of House Consumer and Public Affairs and Reps. Ray Lara and Willie Madrid are members of the House Education Committee.
Freshman state Rep. Tara Jaramillo, D-Socorro, Sierra, Doña Ana, is a member of House Appropriations and Finance and Jones, a Deming nurse, is ranking member on House Health and Human Services.
