The state legislative session ends at noon today and lawmakers worked late last night to send more bills to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's desk.
Although the Senate Finance Committee stripped raises for government employees from House Bill 2, the state's budget bill, the House found another way. Senate Bill 151, an omnibus tax bill, passed the House on a 43-19 vote last night and included a 1 percent raise for government workers. The bill also included tax credits for physicians and local news organizations and a gross receipts tax reduction for affordable housing projects.
Both chambers also passed Senate Bill 240 which allocates more than $1.2 billion for capital outlay projects. Over $175 million of those funds will be spent in Santa Fe and Santa Fe County.
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 273 which authorizes $15 million to support communities affected by the passing of the Immigrant Safety Act. New Mexico's three Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities are at risk of closing down since that bill passed earlier this session. The Immigrant Safety Act bars New Mexico state, county or city entities from contracting with ICE. Counties that contract with ICE currently receive federal subsidies. Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher told KSFR that if her county's facility closes, the county's general fund will be cut in half, leading to a significant reduction in services.
The House passed Senate Bill 241, the Child Care Assistance Program Act, on a 37-19 vote late Tuesday night. The Senate concurred on Wednesday, sending the bill to the governor, who plans to sign it into law. The bill makes New Mexico's universal child care program permanent by placing it in state statute and locking in dedicated annual funding.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement, "this historic initiative will serve generations of families who no longer need to worry if quality care for their children is within reach."
House Bill 66 passed the Senate unanimously and will expand New Mexico's Health Professional Loan Repayment Program if it becomes law. The program incentivized healthcare workers to work in New Mexico by paying off educational debt if they practice in the state. The bill would allocate $25 million into the state's general fund for the program. Licensed physicians would be eligible for up to $75,000 a year for four years. Other healthcare professionals would be eligible for awards based on their training and qualifications.
