SB 14, the Clean Fuel Standard, was one of the VERY worst bills in the 2022 legislative session. Here is a write-up on the bill that we did early on in the session which would have resulted in substantial increases in the price of gasoline. But, as if that were not enough, at the very last minute (a day before the session ended) a provision was added in the House Judiciary Committee to allow the San Juan Generating Station to operate through October of 2022 (instead of being shuttered in June).

As we discussed recently, the “rumor” that we had been hearing about extending the life of San Juan was very truthful. So, the Democrats on House Judiciary amended SB 14 to close the bill in October as opposed to June in order to get PNM past this summer (AND past MLG’s reelection) for the purpose of avoiding blackouts and brownouts. The idea was to ram the entire mess through before the end of Session (today, Thursday at 12).

Well, it appears to have failed in the House on a tie vote. Here is a picture of the vote. This will be one of the most important votes in our Freedom Index. How did your Representative vote? Thanks to Rep. Stefani Lord for posting this on her Facebook page.

Dem. State Rep. Georgene Louis was arrested for DUI and also facing charges of speeding and failing to show her vehicle registration and proof of insurance.

Super Bowl fans and celebrities attend the game (largely indoors) sans masks despite being in LA County. Kids in California (and New Mexico) continue to attend school in masks.

Numerous (blue) states continue to drop masks both indoors and in schools. New Mexico has not and will likely be among the last to do so. 

More coverage on PNM in New Mexico media. Where’s discussion on the Energy Transition Act? What will happen next?

The GOP introduced a bill to allow natural gas plants to be considered “renewable” and extend the life of San Juan. HB 220 Sierra Club opposed.

Have you noticed the sudden increase in gas prices? We have. Here’s how the Biden Administration has contributed and here’s what the Legislature is doing to increase them:

New Mexico’s AG Balderas signs NM onto anti-natural gas brief pushed by city of Berkeley, CA natural gas ban case.

As the 30-day Legislative session hurtles to a close, we discuss the dysfunctional Legislature and where things stand at this point.

Freedom Index votes are being tallied in real time at the Rio Grande Foundation’s website. How are your legislators voting?

The new City of Albuquerque Council is starting to discuss numerous important issues. Efforts are underway to repeal the plastic bag ban, reduce taxes, remove emergency powers, ban vaccine mandates.

Gov. Lujan Grisham made it a point to dramatically increase education spending this legislative session. She had plenty of money thanks to both federal bailout $$ and the booming oil and gas industry to increase teacher pay and spend more on K-12 education.

But nothing she can or will do can make up for her mismanagement of New Mexico schools during COVID. The worst decision she made was keeping New Mexico students out of school for so long. This is something that numerous health and education experts including prominent Dr. Jay Bhattacharya noted in the following tweet:

As you can see below from Burbio, New Mexico students lost more time in the classroom than students in all but a handful of (mostly heavily-populated, more broadband-connected) states.

This chart does not even include the loss of two cycles of student testing from 2020 and 2021 meaning that little data exists to show how far behind students are as a result of all this. According to the respected consulting firm McKinsey, poor and minority kids will be hit hardest by this loss of classroom time with the “AVERAGE K–12 student in the United States losing $61,000 to $82,000 in lifetime earnings (in constant 2020 dollars), or the equivalent of a year of full-time work, solely as a result of COVID-19–related learning losses.”

Considering that New Mexico students lost much more time than average, Lujan Grisham’s fateful decisions could have dire long-term impacts on New Mexico children.

Here is our letter as a PDF, but you can read the full letter below:

We write to you to express our opposition to H.B. 132, a bill that would impose a 36% rate cap on most consumer loans. New Mexico Republicans must stand united for consumer choice and access to credit. There has been a great deal of misinformation spread on the matter of interest rate caps, but little attention focused on what a rate cap would mean for the citizens of New Mexico.

Making small dollar loans more affordable for consumers is a goal we can all get behind, but this bill will eliminate consumer choice and hurt consumers. In other states with a 36% rate cap on small dollar loans, we’ve seen what happens: responsible lenders are forced out of the state taking jobs and financial opportunities with them. Workers and families that need credit to make ends meet some months are left with fewer choices – and less desirable ones at that.

The fact of the matter is 40% to 50% of New Mexicans have access to bank accounts, savings, credit cards, and lines of credit to draw upon to meet their financial needs.  But there are more than 500,000 New Mexicans, whether because they do not have bank accounts or due to subprime credit scores, who do not have access to any form of credit other than short-term installment loans.

It is an indisputable fact that financial institutions cannot make a small dollar loan at 36% and make a profit unless it for an amount of about $3000. The National Commission on Consumer Finance study confirmed it.[i] The CFPB’s Taskforce on Federal Consumer Financial Law report confirmed it. [ii] A Federal Reserve study on interest rate caps confirmed it.[iii]

But most customers don’t want or need a $3000 loan.  In New Mexico, more than 60% of small dollar loans are for less than $1000.

Credit unions in New Mexico claim they will “step up” to fill the vacuum in the wake of this legislation’s passage and offer small dollar loans. But New Mexico’s credit unions haven’t offered these small dollar loans to the subprime customers who will be impacted the most.

The president and CEO of the credit unions’ national association, Jim Nussle, has stated that rate caps will not work for his members. “[T]he establishment of a national all-in rate cap applicable to all creditors is an unproven one-size-fits-all policy, the consequences of which will likely include reduced access to credit from reputable lenders.” iv

State financial regulators in North Carolina and Georgia have reported real economic suffering in the wake of 36% rate cap impositions.v  Should you support this legislation you will be denying more than 500,000 of your fellow New Mexico citizens and constituents access to the only form of credit they have today.

There must be a more responsible way to approach this issue.

Conservative advocates agree. Oppose HB 132.

Respectfully,

Paul Gessing
President, Rio Grande Foundation

Carla Sonntag
President and Founder, New Mexico Business Coalition

Heather R. Higgins
CEO, Independent Women’s Voice

David Williams
President, Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Jeffrey Mazzella
President, Center for Individual Freedom

Matthew Kandrach
President, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy

Saulius “Saul” Anuzis
President, 60 Plus Association

Mario H. Lopez
President, Hispanic Leadership Fund

Stephen Pociask
President and CEO, American Consumer Institute

CC: All Members of the New Mexico Legislature

[i] National Commission on Consumer Finance. Consumer Credit in the United States. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1972.

[ii] Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Taskforce on Federal Consumer Financial Law [hereinafter CFPB Taskforce]. (2021, January). Taskforce on Federal Consumer Financial Law Report. Retrieved from https://www.consumerfinance.gov/documents/9449/cfpb_taskforce-federal-consumer-financial-law_report-volume-1_2021-01.pdf..

[iii] Chen, L., Elliehausen, G. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (2020, August). The Cost Structure of Consumer Finance Companies and Its Implications for Interest Rates: Evidence from the Federal Reserve Board’s 2015 Survey of Finance Companies. Retrieved from https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/the-cost-structure-of-consumer-finance-companies-and-its-implications-for-interest-rates-20200812.htm.

iv Credit Union National Association. (2021, July 15). Proposed ‘all-in’ rate cap would reduce access to credit. Retrieved from https:// news.cuna.org/articles/119673-proposed-all-in-rate-cap-would-reduce-access-to-credit.

v North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (2018). Consumer Finance Annual Report. Retrieved from https://www.nccob.gov/Public/docs/News/Pub%20And%20Research/2018_Annual_Report_Final.pdf.

For many years now the Rio Grande Foundation has tracked floor votes made by individual members of the Legislature. Every vote taken has a score ranging from -8 for the most anti-freedom bills to +8 for the most pro-freedom bills.

You can access the Index here. It is updated every day as bills are analyzed and votes are taken. You can also click on the image below which offers a representation of how the page looks and the information you might find about individual members and their votes.

This afternoon at Albuquerque City Council, a bill  O-22-3 , will be discussed at the Albuquerque City Council Finance & Government Operations (FGO) Committee meeting. If adopted, the ordinance would repeal the City’s ban on plastic bags.  The meeting is today, February 14^th at 3:00 PM (agenda attached).  

You can help repeal the City’s absurd ban on plastic bags. SUPPORT O-22-3 by click here  to contact City Councilors directly; to speak at Monday’s FGO meeting or submit your written public comments, click  here.

It is time to restore bag freedom in Albuquerque.

TAX CUT 0-22-1

This ordinance introduced by Councilor Lewis Repeals 2018 Council Bill No. 0-18-9 which imposed a 3/8 percent gross receipts tax  (Sponsored by Councilor Lewis)

It is scheduled to be heard in the Finance and Government Operations Committee today (Feb 14) at 3pm

• Committee Sub rescinds 1/8 of a percent of the tax

• Reduces GRT tax by $20 million dollars annually

• Designates remaining ¼ cent tax to public safety ($29 million) and homelessness ($18 million) with a 5-year sunset

• Click here  to contact City Councilors directly

REPEALING EMERGENCY POWERS

0-22-2 (Lewis) Updating the Civil Emergency Powers Ordinance relating to public health orders

• Scheduled for Finance Committee Feb 14, 3pm

• Removes the mayor’s ability to order shutting down city streets, mass assemblies such as churches, closing of private businesses, and other declarations related to public health emergencies.

• Gives the mayor the ability to advise and make recommendations but not orders.

• Click here  to contact City Councilors directly

PROHIBITING VACCINES

R-22-2 (Lewis) Amending the Declaration of Local Emergency due to Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 to ban vaccine requirements for city employees; setting policy for future declarations

• Scheduled for Finance Committee Feb 14, 3pm

• Prohibits the city from mandating COVID-19 vaccines to city employees

  • Click here  to contact City Councilors directly

The following is a chart from Gasbuddy.com. Since right before Joe Biden took office a little over a year ago, prices have been rising rather quickly. Of course, prices really started to go up AFTER he took office. Here is a list of 25 ways in which Biden’s policies have contributed to those higher prices.

As if that isn’t bad enough, the New Mexico Legislature is considering SB 14 and HB 6, both of which will dramatically increase gas prices. SB 14, the “Clean Fuel Standard, would increase gas prices by 35 cents a gallon or more. It remains very much alive in the 2022 session.

The oil and gas industries are markets and prices vary in markets, but when government gets involved, prices go up.

The Rio Grande Foundation has firmly and repeatedly pushed back against the organized efforts of radical environmentalists and their left-wing politician allies (like Sen. Martin Heinrich) to get rid of natural gas for heating and cooking in peoples’ homes.

But Heinrich was recently joined in his opposition to natural gas in the home by left-wing New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. How so? Balderas just signed the State of New Mexico on to an Amicus brief in support of the City of Berkeley, California in its case against the California Restaurant Association which is suing in opposition to the ban on natural gas which also applies to businesses.

Berkeley was the first city in the U.S. to approve such a law, when its City Council unanimously agreed in July 2019 to prohibit natural gas infrastructure (such as gas hookups) in any new buildings that applied for permits after Jan. 1, 2020.

Despite “representing” one of the most important natural gas producing states in the nation here in New Mexico, Balderas saw fit to sign on in support of Berkeley. Whether you are just a New Mexican who benefits from the money natural gas benefits for the State of New Mexico or whether you heat your home or cook with natural gas, Balderas represents radical environmental groups, not you.

On this week’s podcast conversation Paul discusses New Mexico’s election system with former Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones. During her tenure in the Legislature Arnold-Jones was known for her work on government transparency. She has been working hard to educate voters on SB 6 and SB 8, two election bills moving forward in the current legislative session. While concerned about SB 6, Arnold-Jones has dire concerns about SB 8. Paul and Janice discuss both as well as the current state of New Mexico’s election law.

Earlier this week while most of us were sleeping, the House passed HB 132, a cap on loan rates. As I’ve written before it wasn’t just another bill getting passed, it was a “no holds barred” push by Speaker Egolf and Representative Herrara for a legislative win. Whether you like the bill or not, the process that has been used to pass this bill makes New Mexico look like a banana republic.

During the debate the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep Herrera (D-41), conceded that lenders cannot make a profit – or even breakeven – on small dollar unsecured loans under the terms of her bill.

We couldn’t agree more.

HB 132 Matters Because Every Citizen of New Mexico Deserves Access to Some Form of Credit

Unexpected expenses and financial challenges are a part of life. When an unplanned medical bill or home repair pops up, small dollar loans can be a lifesaver. For many families, these loans provide a critical lifeline. 

New Mexico Legislators Must Protect Access to Credit for New Mexico Workers and Families

If passed it would make it harder – sometimes even impossible – for low-income New Mexicans to access the credit options they need.

Consumer credit rate caps will drive responsible loan providers out of the market, and will deny tens of thousands of New Mexicans with less than perfect credit access to the only form of credit they may have.

It’s essential that all New Mexicans have access to resources like credit to survive and thrive.

Contact Your Senator and Tell Them Vote NO on HB 132 to Preserve Access to Credit and Consumer Choice

Call the Roundhouse switchboard at 505-986-4600 and ask for your Senator’s office.

The New Mexico Legislature is a mess. There are too many reasons to fully flesh out in a short blog post, but while governors come and go the Legislature has remained under one-party control for decades.

Even prior to the pandemic the system the ability for an average person to testify on a given bill was limited. Constant scheduling changes, lengthy hearings and floor sessions, and committee chairs that accept or reject public comment on a whim are among the most serious problems.

Now, during the pandemic, we have Zoom. Last session was exclusively online. This session is mostly Zoom depending on the Committee.  On the good side, Zoom DOES open the process up somewhat. With large numbers of people living a long distance from Santa Fe and unable to give up a day or two of work to attend committee meetings, Zoom is a godsend (and we hope it will continue to be used in the future even when the Legislature returns to totally in-person meetings.

But, as occurred in a few committees yesterday, the process remains deeply problematic and, dare we say “undemocratic.” For starters, RGF has been following HB 132 which places an arbitrary cap on loan interest rates. It was heard Wednesday evening in Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee with Jerry Ortiz y Pino chairing. RGF’s president was “in the Zoom room” throughout and “raised his Zoom hand” to present public comment only to be completely ignored by the Chair. This was a disappointing end to approximately 6 hours of waiting for other bills to be hear and other comments on HB 132.

Another bill of concern to many New Mexicans (and RGF) is SB 8 which dramatically-rewrites New Mexico’s election laws (opening them up to all kinds of issues). In Senate Judiciary Committee, Chair Joseph Cervantes, apparently in an effort to ram the bill through more quickly, simply dispensed altogether with public comment. 

On top of all of that, the Legislature’s website has been extremely slow to be updated which makes finding information about bills as they move through the session especially hard.

The Legislature is New Mexico’s leading obstacle to economic growth. It is no surprise that its own processes are poorly managed and lacking in openness. Some combination of internal process reform AND competitive shift is needed.

This picture of the Capitol in Santa Fe was taken when the public was totally locked out of the building during the “virtual” 2021 session.

UPDATE:

The latest list of statewide mask mandates is here. As it stands now, New Mexico is one of 8 states with a universal indoor mask mandate.

A total of 13 states (according to this site) mandate students wear masks in schools.

EVERY state that has a mask mandate of either type would be considered a “deep blue” state with a Democrat Governor. But, things are changing quickly and suddenly Democrat governors are deciding to eliminate such mandates. Here’s the latest from the New York Times.

• • • Massachusetts will end its statewide school mask mandate on Feb. 28;

    • Connecticut will drop its mandate by no later than Feb. 28.

    • New Jersey will drop its mandate for students and school employees in the second week of March.

    • Delaware will end mandates by March 31.

    • Oregon will lift restrictions for schools on March 31.

    • Nevada announced a total end to its mask mandate (including in schools) on Thursday.

   

• Stupidly (as children are less susceptible to COVID), California and New York  are dropping their indoor mask mandates for the general population, but will keep forced-masking in schools in place. Illinois has just announced that it will ALSO be eliminating its indoor mask mandate, but like CA and NY are keeping the school mandate in place as well for the time being.

  What about New Mexico? MLG JUST extended the universal indoor mask mandate which also includes schools. So far there has been no movement on the issue in the Land of Enchantment.  

  

PNM’s newfound concerns about blackouts and brownouts coming this summer has spurred the local print media outlets to report on the high likelihood that, upon closure of the San Juan Generating Station Coal-fired power plant, New Mexicans could be sweltering in the heat and dark come July and August (this summer) upon closure of the coal plant. You can read recent articles here and here.

This is a VERY serious issue that could have deadly consequences for New Mexicans and could inflict serious harm on our economy. Unfortunately, you’ll have to search long and hard through these articles to find the ACTUAL cause of PNM’s problem: the 2019 Energy Transition Act. The bill forces PNM and others to transition to so-called “clean” electricity.

In practice that means shutting down coal and even nuclear and replacing it with some combination of batteries and wind/solar. The articles DO offer details on the challenges PNM is having in finding those energy sources, but they abjectly fail to pin the blame on Gov. Lujan Grisham and the supporters of this terrible legislation.

And the Rio Grande Foundation has been THE MOST VOCAL opponent of the law when it passed in 2019. Here’s a podcast from March 2019. We rated the ETA (SB 489) as one of the very worst bills of the 2019 session. We testified on the bill in a key Senate committee during the session. And, we highlighted the issue at public meetings shortly after the 2019 session.

Sadly, the New Mexico media seem to be working on MLG’s behalf to deflect blame from her awful policies in an election year.

Is PNM looking for last-minute legislation to keep San Juan Generating Station open?

Senator Ben Ray Lujan’s stroke (at age 49, no less) creates issues for Washington Democrats.

MLG extends New Mexico’s health order to March 4, by which time we’ll have been in a COVID “emergency” for 2 years (technically March 11).

Unfortunately, bills limiting the Governor’s powers in an emergency have gone nowhere.

Several “blue” states have taken major steps towards ending mask mandates for adults and children. In addition to Delaware, New Jersey, and Connecticut, Oregon and California have changed course.

A John Hopkins. working paper says “COVID-19 lockdowns imposed by a variety of governments worldwide had “little to no effect” on COVID-19 mortality. But, they “imposed enormous economic and social costs.”

Georgia Governor candidate Stacey Abrams disregards Georgia mask mandate as masked school kids look on.

Here are some of the worst bills moving in Santa Fe. Unfortunately only “progressive” bills are seeing the light of day with the Gov.’s move to the center having failed (so far) to move the needle.

Egolf mangles process in search of a legislative win.

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HB 132 is one of the worst bills in the New Mexico Legislature this session. It sets the Legislature up with the power to place arbitrary caps on interest rates. The Rio Grande Foundation has previously written about it here.

As noted HERE, Speaker Egolf engaged in numerous questionable tactics in order to get the bill introduced and through the House Judiciary Committee.

On the merits, well-off legislators and others MAY not find a high-interest-rate loan attractive, but unlike many working class and poor people they have collateral available.

This legislation is being heard on Saturday, January 28, 2022, in the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Every Citizen of New Mexico Deserves Access to Some Form of Credit

Unexpected expenses and financial challenges are a part of life. When an unplanned medical bill or home repair pops up, small dollar loans can be a lifesaver. For many families, these loans provide a critical lifeline. 

New Mexico Legislators Must Protect Access to Credit for New Mexico Workers and Families

The COVID-19 pandemic (and the Governor’s response to it) hit New Mexico hard. Thousands of businesses closed forever, and many of our fellow citizens are struggling to pay bills.

Now, some state politicians in Sante Fe could make things worse by placing an arbitrary cap on interest rates on small dollar loans.  If passed it would make it harder – sometimes even impossible – for low-income New Mexicans to access the credit options they need.

Consumer credit rate caps will drive responsible loan providers out of the market, and will deny tens of thousands of New Mexicans with less than perfect credit access to the only form of credit they may have.

As we work to recover from the pandemic, it’s essential that all New Mexicans have access to resources like credit to survive and thrive.

Normally RGF doesn’t dabble in rumors, but THIS is an exception. We have written extensively about how Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2019 Energy Transition Act will likely cause outages this summer when the San Juan Generating Station coal plant closes.

We are now hearing that PNM is offering to keep that station open for a few months which would avoid rolling blackouts THIS summer AND avoid them in the runup to the election for Gov. Thus, MLG would likely be inclined towards support.

The GOP (which doesn’t have much say-so in Santa Fe these days) would understandably like to keep the coal-fired plant open a bit longer. We understand they would like 4 more years.

Democrats run things in Santa Fe, but the “progressive”/radical environmental wing of the Party may not care if we are sitting in the dark (and hot) this July or August. This could give the GOP some influence. Four months is nothing but an election-year ploy to push the problems beyond this year, but a few years’ delay could help PNM cope with what is shaping up to be a serious problem keeping the lights on.

STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS!

On this week’s podcast Paul interviews Fred Nathan. Fred is the founder of Think New Mexico which describes itself as a “results oriented think tank.”

Rio Grande Foundation and Think New Mexico are both working on Social Security tax elimination this session. Fred’s organization is working on several other issues that the Rio Grande Foundation is generally in alignment with, but we disagree on the issue of state regulations on loan interest rates. If you care about what is happening in the Legislature, be sure to check this conversation out.

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During several hours of testimony from both sides on SB 8 (full write-up of the latest version here) numerous supporters of the legislation cited “Jim Crow” and voter suppression and numerous other reasons for the legislation which, among other provisions, would allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote.

Now, setting aside the fact that record numbers of New Mexicans turned out to vote in 2020, we at the Rio Grande Foundation fail to see the further loosening of New Mexico’s already-loose election laws as a solution to what seems like a nonexistent problem.

But, “democracy” is more than just casting votes. It is also about accountability for our political leaders. So, it is frankly bizarre that after two full sessions and a few special sessions, the Legislature STILL has not seriously-considered limiting the power of one person, our Gov., in a so-called emergency. The current situation is NOT democratic or even befitting of a democratic-republic.

Unfortunately, when it comes to voting and allowing 16-17 year olds to vote in local elections, age is an arbitrary number. But, why not a well-informed 9 year old or a 12 year old? Should we require some kind of test of the basic workings of our government in order to vote? The truth is that most ill-informed 16 and 17 year olds turn into ill-informed 18 year olds, but at least at 18 you are legally responsible for yourself and you can get a full-time job to support yourself.

There are numerous problems with the push for expanded voting and the fact that SB 8 went through three iterations before its first committee illustrates that point.

On this week’s podcast Paul interviews Fred Nathan. Fred is the founder of Think New Mexico which describes itself as a “results oriented think tank.”

Rio Grande Foundation and Think New Mexico are both working on Social Security tax elimination this session. Fred’s organization is working on several other issues that the Rio Grande Foundation is generally in alignment with, but we disagree on the issue of state regulations on loan interest rates. If you care about what is happening in the Legislature, be sure to check this conversation out.

UPDATE:

In a sign that even the Democrats are struggling to come to agreement on their “voting rights” power grab, SB 8 has been revised yet again.

As originally described in the Albuquerque Journal the bill was awful.

As introduced SB 8 was stripped of some of the worst provisions, but a NEW committee substitute has its own serious problems. This substitute will be heard Friday morning in Senate Rules Committee.

The first major provision of concern is expanding voting to 16 and 17 year olds.

Here are some of the major points of the bill  in bold.

• Automatic voter registration at MVD;

• Allowing 3rd party groups to register voters through a Secretary of State-provided portal;

• Tells Human Services Department register welfare recipients to vote;

• Creates “permanent” absentee voter list;

• Removal of statement regarding perjury from the vote-by-mail envelopes.

When you spend enough time in New Mexico politics, it is easy to be jaded by what is shocking to folks who ALSO deal in politics, but across the country.

So, when the House Judiciary Committee passed HB 132, a cap on loan rates, on Wednesday, Feb. 2nd, it wasn’t just another bill getting passed, it was a “no holds barred” push by Speaker Egolf. Whether you like the bill or not, the process makes New Mexico look like a banana republic.

RGF testified on the bill and watched the process (as described by the ABQ Journal’s Dan Boyd here), but (absent a message from the Governor), Egolf attached an appropriation to the bill. That appropriation was then removed from the bill, but not before it began moving through the process. One might expect the Gov. to veto the legislation on the principle of executive power alone, but we will have to wait on that.

As if that wasn’t shady enough, knowing that Judiciary was a tough committee, the Speaker added a new member to the Committee (Democrat Rep. Deborah Armstrong), just in time for the hearing in order to tilt the balance in favor of Democrats.

It is perhaps not surprising that a member of Egolf’s own party (Democrat Rep. Miguel Garcia) had some strong words for Egolf recently.

There are often studies that come out from national researches that address critical issues the Rio Grande Foundation is working on.

This fall, New Mexico voters will have an opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment You can read the full study here which is based on the findings of a randomized controlled experiment that looked at nearly 3,000 children in Tennessee. Reason Magazine discusses the article here.

On the contrary, a recently published study of a state-run pre-K program in Tennessee found that not only did the program not produce any long-term educational gains, by sixth grade, the children who attended the state’s pre-K program were actually performing worse on both educational attainment and behavioral metrics relative to their peers. State-run pre-K appears to have entirely negative effects for children enrolled.

A second, unrelated new working paper from Johns Hopkins University’s “Studies in Applied Economics” found that:

COVID-19 lockdowns imposed by a variety of governments worldwide had “little to no effect” on COVID-19 mortality. The study, conducted by three professors from around the world, also found that lockdowns “imposed enormous economic and social costs” and are “ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument.”

Both of these studies are no surprise to the Rio Grande Foundation which has been critical of the case for government-funded pre-K AND has been critical of Michelle Lujan Grisham’s failed COVID policies which had a heavy emphasis on lockdowns.

The media is saying it has been a tough start for MLG this session (hydrogen hub, GRT bill, Social Security tax).  

NM’s current public health order expires on February 4. We know it will be renewed which will take us to the 2 year anniversary of COVID.  Gov. Newsom and numerous Hollywood stars attended the LA Rams game mask free. The Super Bowl which is ALSO in Los Angeles is a masked event. Canadian truckers are having a massive convoy to protest vaccine mandates.

One bill restraining the Gov. ‘s emergency powers stalled in committee, but a new bill, SB 196 limiting those powers in an emergency has been introduced in the Senate. HB 75, the public banking act was tabled, SB 8 voting bill is bad and a top priority of MLG and the Legislature. Here’s what it would do.

PNM is now saying it expects power outages this summer.  

A new study attacks natural gas appliances in homes, but we have an article debunking it. 

Another new study finds pre-K programs can actually have a negative impact on children. 

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