Author: Frank Pagurko

This afternoon, at a time known only to the committee chair, the Senate Finance Committee will meet to hear a slate of bills. Among them is HB 291, yet another attempt to broadly raise taxes and stifle New Mexico’s economy. The property tax hike on second homes was amended out of the bill, but it still contains an added top income tax bracket and higher corporate taxes, among other changes. This is the last committee HB 291 needs to clear before it goes to the Senate floor.

You can watch the meeting webcast here, or contact the committee with your comments through the information contained here.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to HB 291.

In a meeting scheduled for 10 A.M. today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear HB 20, a paid sick leave mandate. This is the bill’s last committee before it goes to the Senate floor.

You can watch the webcast here, or submit written testimony to the committee using the contact information here.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to HB 20.

Tomorrow at 8 A.M., the House Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee will meet to hear SB 11, the Clean Fuel Standard Act. This bill would amount to a gas tax with the funds directed straight into the Environment Department, the same bureaucracy that would be tasked with regulating fuel. This kind of legislation has been implemented in other states and has produced little in the way of cleaner air and has done so at great cost to everyone who buys fuel.

You can watch the committee webcast here, or join the Zoom meeting for public comment here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to SB 11.

SB 66, which would cap interest rates on installment loans at 36%, is scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee at 11:30 morning. This is the bills last committee before it goes to the House floor. HJR 1 is scheduled in the Senate Finance Committee after the Senate floor session. This bill would open to voters the option to tap the land grant permanent fund for broadened early childhood education. Unfortunately, the data shows that these programs do not actually predict higher levels of academic achievement later in a student’s education.

You can watch the committee webcasts here, or join the Zoom meeting for public comment on SB 66 here.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to SB 66 and HJR 1.

Meeting tomorrow at 9 A.M., the Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee will hear many bills, among them two economically destructive proposals. HB 291 is a tax hike that, even after being heavily amended, is still a bad idea. HB 20 is one of many paid sick leave mandates in the legislature this year. This bill has gotten the furthest through the process.

You can watch the meeting webcast here, or find the senator’s information here to send them your comments on these bills.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to HB 291 and HB 20.

The Senate Finance Committee is planning to meet at 1 P.M. tomorrow to discuss a number of bills, including SB 130 and HJR 1. SB 130 would require 75% of the state’s vehicle fleet to be fully electric by 2030. The significant costs associated with this changeover would obviously be passed on to the taxpayer. HJR 1 would tap the land grant permanent fund to provide for expanded pre-K education. Unfortunately, the little data that exists does not support the notion that more pre-K leads to better education achievement down the road. Throwing more money at a broken system will not significantly move the needle on educational success in New Mexico.

You can watch the webcasts here, or contact the committee members with your comments using the information here.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to SB 130 and HJR 1.

Two economically destructive bills have made it to the House and will be heard in committee meetings tomorrow. Meeting at 9 A.M., the House State Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee will consider SB 112. This bill would create a task force to direct the economy to move away from the oil and gas industry. As a government intervention in the market, this bureaucracy would obviously lead to inefficiency and hinder economic growth. Another House committee, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee, will meet at noon to hear SB 66, a cap on interest rates for small loans, an issue we have written about before.

You can watch the meeting webcasts here, or join the Zoom meetings for public comment. The Zoom meeting for SB 112 can be accessed here, and the meeting for SB 66 can be found here.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to SB 112 and SB 66.

In a 1:30 P.M. meeting tomorrow afternoon, the Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee will hear HB 291, a tax hike bill. The bill would raise the top income tax bracket rate to 6.5% from 5.9%. It would also allow an annual increase of 10% of the property taxes on residences that are not occupied as a principal residence by the owner. Annual property tax increases are currently capped at 3%.

You can watch the committee meeting webcast here, or email the committee members for public comment.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in opposition to HB 291.

Legislative committees will be hearing several bad bills today, tomorrow, and Friday. Meeting after today’s Senate floor session, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear HB 4, the Civil Rights Act. This bill would open municipalities up to increased liability, putting strain on their reinsurance and raising costs to taxpayers. Next, the Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation Committee will hear SB 198 in a meeting starting at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon. This bill is another of several paid sick leave mandates. Finally, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee will meet at 1:30 Friday afternoon to discuss SB 66, a cap on small loan interest rates.

You can find all the committee webcasts here. To give public comment on SB 198, follow the instructions here. You can join the Zoom meeting for public comment on SB 66 here.

The Rio Grande Foundation submitted testimony in opposition to HB 4, SB 198, and SB 66.

One of the few good bills introduced this session, HB 177, is currently scheduled for a hearing in the House Health and Human Services Committee at 8:30 tomorrow morning. This bill would reform the cottage food laws in New Mexico, simplifying the permitting and removing the requirement for very expensive kitchen upgrades. The bill would also legalize the sale of non-perishable homemade food outside of farmers markets and roadside stands. After this bill stalled early in the legislative session, the Rio Grande Foundation helped work to bring it back. This is the second House committee the bill will need to move through to reach the House floor.

You can watch the committee meeting webcast here, or join the Zoom meeting for public comment.

The Rio Grande Foundation has submitted testimony in favor of HB 177.