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Mar. 20 First News: N.M. Senate Leader Michael Sanchez: Senate Not Playing 'Defense' (Listen)

As the 2015 New Mexico Legislature prepares to adjourn it 60-day session at noon tomorrow, the State Senate’s Majority Leader says the top accomplishment to this point, anyway, is approval of a budget. Democrat Michael Sanchez, from Bernalillo and Valencia Counties, says in addition to the six-point-two billion dollar spending plan, another highlight is the Senate Dems jobs package and economic development bills in House committees or on their way for a vote. *****032015-Sanchez-2 :19***** Sanchez says he didn’t have any disappointments this session to share, but *****032015-Sanchez-3 :30***** I asked Sanchez that with the new GOP majority sending over contentious bills, including so-called ‘right to work,’ social promotion and immigrant driver’s license law repeal, if the Senate playing defense this session? *****032015-Sanchez-4 :51***** Democratic Senate Majority Leader, Michael Sanchez.

The New Mexico Senate has approved legislation that would revamp the membership of the powerful Interstate Stream Commission. The bill sponsored by Santa Fe Democratic Senator Peter Wirth, passed Thursday on a 28-13 vote. It now heads to the House for consideration. Under the measure, there would be new criteria for appointing commissioners and one of the positions on the panel would have to be filled by a conservation advocacy organization. The Office of the State Engineer has argued that changing the commission's membership would cause disruption in its operations as New Mexico faces one of the most severe droughts in over a century. Supporters say the bill would provide more political and geographic balance in addition to requiring a minimum of professional water resources experience.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a two-tier driver's license bill, sending it on for a full Senate vote. The Judiciary panel voted Thursday to approve the measure that calls for two distinct licenses, allowing people in the country illegally to still have driving privileges. The bill by Republican Senator Stuart Ingle of Portales and Democratic Senator John Arthur Smith of Deming calls for one driver's license that complies with federal requirements and another that does not. The House last month rejected an amendment akin to the long-serving senators' proposal and approved a bill to end the state's practice of giving driver's licenses to people even if they can't prove they are in the country legally. More than 100-thousand licenses have been issued to foreign nationals since 2003.

Albuquerque State Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino is trying again with a bill that would provide Medicaid to people being released from jail or prison. Ortiz y Pino’s Senate Bill 42, very similar to a bill that was vetoed by Governor Susana Martinez in 2013, would allow prisoners about to be released to apply for Medicaid-- the federal and state-funded health care plan. The Albuquerque Democrat says the beauty of his bill is that people being released from custody who are in need of services could get them as soon as they’re on the outside. *****031915-OYP-1 :35***** Ortiz y Pino says he thinks that if it gets through the legislative process before the session adjourns, there’s a greater chance the Governor will sign the bill this time around, with new encouragement from both the Human Services and Corrections Departments.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will visit Santa Fe Community College later this morning with Congressman Ben Ray Luján.  Pelosi and Lujan will tour the SFCC Trades and Advanced Technology Center and discuss the important role that community colleges play in the effort to prepare students and retrain workers. Luján has introduced legislation to support and expand community college’s effort to train students in the renewable energy field.

In Taos, new tourism banners are going up next week, but some Taosenos are scratching their heads over the banner’s message. Created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Taos Society of Artists, the banners read “100 Years of Taos Art.” To some, the wording of the banners seem to imply art is only recognized once the artists from the East Coast arrived. Cindee Gustafson leads the group that crafted the banner’s message and says that is not the case. *****Gustafson-2 :06*****The banners will go up along the Paseo, around Taos Plaza and along Kit Carson Road.

Santa Fe Weather: Mostly cloudy today through tonight with showers and thunderstorms. Today’s high, 52, the overnight low tonight, 36. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny with the high near 60 and a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms.