SANTA FE — The first session of the 54th New Mexico Legislature closed Saturday, leaving lawmakers representing Lea County voters both pragmatic and disappointed. Largely due to the booming oil and gas industry, the 2019 session started with a record budget surplus, a projected billion-dollar surplus for this year, and more than a billion dollars anticipated above this year’s for …

Minimum wage hike advances despite restaurant industry’s fight By Andrew Oxford aoxford@sfnewmexican.com Democrats campaigned last year on a promise to raise New Mexico’s minimum wage, which has remained at $7.50 an hour for a decade. How high it will go, exactly, is a question that quickly has become wrapped in a battle waged by the restaurant industry and could get …

Sanctuary bill advances on party-line vote By Milan Simonich msimonich@sfnewmexican.com A panel of Democrats in the New Mexico Senate used their superior numbers Friday to advance a bill that would prohibit state and local police agencies from using any resources to enforce federal immigration law. The Public Affairs Committee voted 4-3 for the measure, Senate Bill 196. All the Republicans …

Legislative roundup The New Mexican Days remaining in session: 23 Against the wall: In her State of the State address last week, Gov. Susana Martinez called for building more infrastructure on the border. “Relax Mr. Speaker,” the governor said. “I’m not talking about a wall.” Democrats want that in writing. A group of state lawmakers is backing legislation that would …