Posted inNM Legislature

NM’s vaccine shake-up: Governor acts to set independent immunization standards amid CDC turmoil

A bill that temporarily allows New Mexico to formulate its own immunization policy was signed Wednesday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.  Senate Bill 3, which passed on a party-line vote during last week’s special session but had not yet been acted upon by Lujan Grisham, requires that immunization policy for children and the state purchase […]

Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety

The tragic death of Jayvon Givan and a family’s year without answers

Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers is demanding answers after learning that Jayvon Givan’s family wasn’t told of his death for more than a year, even though police ruled it a suicide. Givan, a 28-year-old homeless Black man from Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Sept. 17, 2024 outside a Westside business closed for renovations. His […]

Posted inCongress & Federal Gov, New Mexico

Leading NM House Republican calls on U.S. Senators to support government funding bill

A leading Republican state legislator is calling on New Mexico’s two Democratic U.S. Senators to reverse their opposition to a short-term government funding bill, after the Legislature passed its own fix to address the expiration of federal health insurance tax credits. Last week, New Mexico House Minority Floor Leader Gail Armstrong (R-Magdalena) posted a screenshot […]

Posted inHealthcare

NMDOH moves to make COVID-19 vaccines more available to children after CDC changes fed rules, again

The New Mexico Department of Health is responding after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that it would begin to allow individual-based decision-making to COVID-19 vaccination, allowing for anybody to get the vaccination, covered by insurance, without a prescription. Individual-based decision-making means the clinical decision to vaccinate is based on patient characteristics […]

Community questions prompt APD to revisit investigation into Black teen found hanging last year

Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina announced Tuesday that his department will seek an outside review of APD’s investigation into the death of Jayvon Givan, a young Black man found hanging from a chain outside a closed business a year ago on Albuquerque’s Westside. Social media posts — many incorrectly claiming Givan was found hanging from […]

Posted inLocal Gov.

Cracked under pressure: Why does it take months for the City to fix cracks in your street?

Albuquerque’s streets are cracking under pressure — literally.  The city faces a backlog of 1,000 crack sealing requests from residents across the Duke City, despite spending $1.4 million on contractors this year. At the Oct. 6 City Council meeting, Department of Municipal Development (DMD) Director Jennifer Turner said road repair requests have surged across all […]

Posted inHealthcare

As more New Mexico hospitals become owned out-of-state, legislators debate how to improve local care

New Mexico Lawmakers on Tuesday heard a presentation about the potential harms of private equity’s role in healthcare, something many New Mexico Democrats have argued has siphoned dollars away from addressing New Mexico’s healthcare needs while profiting out-of-state interests.  The Legislative Health and Human Services Committee heard the presentation from Olivia Kosloff, a senior fellow […]

Posted inPolitics & Elections

What happens if the mayor’s election goes to a runoff? How much will it cost?

If Burque’s crowded mayoral race goes to a runoff election in December, the city has set aside $750,000 to cover the cost, though county officials warn costs will “significantly exceed” previous elections, potentially requiring City Council approval for additional funding. The Bernalillo County Clerk’s office has not set a final price tag for a possible […]

Posted inNew Mexico Legislature #nmleg, New Mexico Statewide News

Governor still deliberating on vaccine bill passed by legislature

By Alex Ross, NM Political Report — Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is still contemplating what action to take on a bill passed during last week’s special legislative session that would temporarily allow the state to promulgate its own rules on vaccines, according to a spokesperson for the governor.  “The governor is still considering her course […]