Your NM Government: Roundhouse Update | 3.16.21

No More Normal

Things are definitely moving fast and furious in the Roundhouse, as you would expect with only 4 and half days left in this year's session.

One of the fastest moving bills is House Bill 47, which is the Medical Aid in Dying Measure that recently passed through the full House. It followed suit yesterday in the Senate after more than two and a half hours of emotional debate and discussion. Three democrats joined the republicans in opposing the bill, which now heads back to the House for concurrence on the changes made in the Senate. From there, it is headed to the Governor's desk, where she is expected to sign it.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is once again the center of a lot of attention in the legislative session. That's because chairman of the committee Joe Cervantes asked for the chance to consider the paid sick leave measure (House Bill 20). Originally scheduled for discussion yesterday on the Senate Floor, it has now been assigned to Senate Judiciary, with a hearing tentatively scheduled for Thursday morning. That doesn't leave a lot of time for the measure to make it across the finish line.

Senate Judiciary is also still where the two cannabis legalization bills are stalled (HB 12 and SB 288). The committee meets today, but neither bills are on the agenda. That leaves the outcome of legalization this year in murky waters. You can get much more on the cannabis news by subscribing to our "Growing Forward" podcast, a collaboration with New Mexico Political Report. And, be sure to read Andy Lyman's latest offering today about another cannabis-related measure that would tighten up the state's reciprocity practices for medical cannabis licenses.

And lastly, it appears we all should get used to changing our clocks twice a year, as the measure (SB 102) to follow daylight savings all year in New Mexico was tabled in committee yesterday. It's not a death sentence, but the proposal is definitely on life support as the hours tick down.

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Your New Mexico Government is a collaboration between KUNM, New Mexico PBS and the Santa Fe Reporter. Funding for our coverage comes from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you, with support for public media provided by the Thornburg Foundation.