The Senate Public Affairs Committee moved forward a proposal to make New Mexico’s driver’s licenses REAL ID-compliant on an 8-1 vote following a lengthy hearing that got contentious at times. The Public Affairs panel was considering five separate driver’s license proposals Tuesday and essentially opted for a bill backed by GOP Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, and Senate Finance Chair John Arthur Smith, a Democrat. That proposal, Senate Bill 256, calls for the state to offer a driving privilege card and a federally compliant driver’s license. New Mexicans with legal status would be allowed to get either the driving privilege card or the REAL ID-compliant license. Those in the country illegally would only be allowed to get the driving privilege card.
A constitutional amendment aimed at reforming New Mexico's bail bond system has cleared the state Senate. The chamber voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal, sending it to the House for consideration. If approved, the question of whether to give judges the authority to deny bail to dangerous defendants would be put before the voters during the next general election in November. The proposal would also allow judges to grant pretrial release to low-risk defendants who are being held because they are too poor to make bond. The amendment's sponsor, Democrat Senator Peter Wirth of Santa Fe, said the proposal is the result of many months of work by a task force of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, bail bondsmen and others. He said the current system simply hasn't been working.
Today marks the half-way point of the New Mexico Legislature’s 2016 30-day session. Joe Monahan is author of the popular website “Joe Monahan-dot-com.” His daily reporting on New Mexico’s political news has been a must-read for New Mexico elected officials and its citizenry across the state for years now.
AM-Feature-Monahan Runs 3:06 Q: 50th in so many categories.”
Three former employees of Los Alamos National Laboratory are asking federal prosecutors to reopen a fraud case at the lab and investigate the death of a former lab deputy director. The whistleblowers sent a letter Tuesday to New Mexico U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez. They say the probe is needed to ensure the lab runs smoothly as the Department of Energy looks for a new contractor to manage operations. The lab was rocked by a purchasing scandal in 2002 that led to at least 18 senior managers being dismissed, demoted or transferred. Former lab director John Browne resigned after the investigation. The whistleblowers also suspect there's more to the death of former deputy director Richard Burick, which police said was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound a year after he retired.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Commission has voted to eliminate its executive director position, a decision that cuts payroll costs and ousts its top staffer amid fraud and embezzlement allegations.
The commission voted Tuesday to remove executive director Kimberly Greene's position and that of a programming coordinator who works on the commission's budget. Commissioners say there's no longer funding for the positions because the agency has exceeded its budget. The commission promotes diversity and organizes events around Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The state attorney general is investigating the commission and search warrants show what's believed to be a forged invoice for more than 51-thousand dollars and checks issued to Greene. The state auditor says the commission has been on an "at-risk" list for two years for failing to file required audits.
Santa Fe Weather: This morning: A 10 percent chance of snow before 11am, then mostly sunny, with a high near 26 Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around two-above, with wind chill values as low as -13. Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33.