Latest news with #PublicSafetyPackage
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Attorney General's higher education reform package gets stopped in committee
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A controversial multi-million dollar payout at Western New Mexico University was blasted by a chorus of top state leaders while lawmakers heeded calls for reform, and now they've tabled a bill aimed at doing that. Attorney General Raul Torrez backed a reform package after the WNMU spending scandal, but today, opponents are saying the changes go too far. 'I mean we're talking about one incident but they continue to happen and continue to happen,' said Senator George Muñoz, (D- Gallup). That feeling from one lawmaker is about what happened at Western New Mexico University. That university's president stepped down late last year after the state auditor found misspending. However, before he left, the board also approved a buyout. Lawmakers look to set aside $5M for UNM/NMSU athletics 'The board of regents for Western New Mexico took the opportunity to negotiate the severance agreement which gave Dr. Shepard $1.9 million in severance compensation, full tenured-track professorship, and a sabbatical,' said Billy J. Jimenez, Deputy Attorney General, New Mexico. Aiming to stop that in the future, the Attorney General has proposed a series of reforms, under Senate Bill 266. The bill would, in part, empower the state's Board of Finance and the A.G. to review contracts for high-level university administrators before they're approved, but that idea is raising opposition. 'We are not going to have that ability if we have to tell a candidate, 'You have thirty days, and guess what? This contract may not be upheld by the attorney general or the board of finance,' said James Chavez with Central New Mexico Community College. Democrats, Republicans weigh in on Public Safety Package bills Others think the proposal would affect university accreditation, saying higher education institutes must have independent governing boards. 'It threatens institution's ability to obtain institutional accreditation as the board will have outside influence placed on it, in the hiring of the president,' said Vanessa Hawker, Executive Director for New Mexico Independent Community Colleges. Before tabling the bill on Monday, some lawmakers claimed the changes could scare away potential candidates for New Mexico University leadership positions. 'It is not just review, it is oversight and the ability to stop those. This bill, in my opinion, has already caused huge damage and harm to higher education, particularly those universities that are looking to hire new leaders,' said Senator William Soules (D- Doña Ana). Lawmakers tabled that bill unanimously in a committee hearing today, meaning it's unlikely to go any further this session. Responding to the decision, the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement they are quote 'profoundly disappointed' with lawmakers choice. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Yahoo
Newsfeed: Trial begins this week, Motel drug bust, Mild then stormy, Homicide investigation, Economic impact
Applications now open for New Mexico Farmer's Market Nutrition Program Democrats, Republicans weigh in on Public Safety Package bills Las Vegas to repair water system, boil advisory still in place Cyclist safety bill pedals its way through the Roundhouse [1] Trial begins Friday for suspect in shooting death of 11-year-old outside Isotopes Park – A man accused of shooting and killing a boy and brutally injuring his cousin as they were leaving an Isotopes game, is set to go to trial for his state charges. Nathen Garley is set to go to trial later this week for his role in that devastating shooting. This comes after he had taken a plea for his federal drug charges. [2] Arrest leads to discovery of 4 firearms, about $1 million in drugs in northeast Albuquerque – New Albuquerque police video shows officers arresting two suspects at a northeast Albuquerque hotel after one of them took off running from the room. It started as a routine arrest on a warrant but quickly led to something much bigger. Police say during the course of their investigation, they found about $1 million worth of drugs. [3] Mild Monday with another storm to hit New Mexico – Unstable weather to the north is slowly moving southward, allowing for west-to-east-moving clouds to sag southward, but almost all are starting off precipitation-free, as some areas from the East Highlands with westerly winds down the east-sloped mountains faces, the Rio Grande Valley, and South New Mexico, are starting off above the freezing mark, while most other areas are in the upper teens or 20s. [4] Cedar Crest deaths investigated as homicide – The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office is investigating after two people were found dead in a home in Cedar Crest. On Sunday, deputies responded to a welfare check. At the residence, deputies discovered 29-year-old Jesse Howser and 34-year-old Ashley Lopez dead. [5] Los Alamos National Laboratory shares economic impact on New Mexico – Los Alamos National Laboratory has released its annual report on how it has impacted the state, economically. According to their annual report, LANL spent more than $1 billion on local businesses over the last year and they now have over 16,000 employees, making it one of the largest employers in the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats, Republicans weigh in on Public Safety Package bills
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A package of crime bills is now headed to the Senate after a vote pushed it past the House floor. The Public Safety Package would provide resources for those in the criminal justice system suffering from mental illnesses and would enhance penalties for fentanyl traffickers, increase the penalty for shooting threats, and make it illegal to have an enhanced weapon. In addition, the set of bills would increase penalties for repeat and habitual offenders charged with theft, receiving, or transferring a stolen vehicle. 'Their cases are dismissed. We don't get them treatment, we don't work with them through the courts, and this will give the courts and the prosecutors a tool to address some of the mental health crises that they're seeing that's entering into the criminal justice system right now,' says Representative Christine Chandler (D- Los Alamos). New Mexico lawmakers look to change process to remove university regents However, the bill did see some opposition. Representative Andrea Reeb introduced an amendment that would have added changes to the Juvenile Delinquency Act, hoping to add it to the crime package. But those Republicans say this effort was killed by House Democrats who said the changes were unvetted and rushed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
