SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The Latest on activity in the New Mexico Legislature (all times local):
3:20 p.m.
New Mexico’s Democratic House speaker says he is contemplating rule changes to limit the length of floor debates as the end of the legislative session approaches on March 16.
House speaker Brian Egolf of Santa Fe told reporters Tuesday that Republicans colleague may be prolonging floor debates as a delay tactic that eventually could threaten major reform proposals on public education and more.
Republican House minority whip Rod Montoya of Farmington attributed lengthy House floor debates this year to hastily written bills that require amendments and said the House is rapidly taking up Democrat-sponsored bills.
Current House rules allow for up to three hours of deliberations on each bill before a motion can be made to close debate and vote. Deliberations lasted three hours Monday on a Democrat-sponsored bill to allow the utility customers without access to rooftop solar electricity to subscribe to community solar energy installations. It passed on a 42-25 vote over unified Republican opposition.
Rule changes to reduce debate time would require majority approval of a rules committee and the full House, and have not yet been formally proposed.
___
12:20 p.m.
The University of New Mexico would have to reinstate its intercollegiate sports teams for skiing, men’s soccer and women’s beach volleyball in the fall or do without $4.6 million in state funding under a proposed state budget.
The $7 billion annual House spending bill was published on Tuesday and makes general fund appropriations to the athletics department contingent on reviving the defunct sports teams. It also says the teams must be reinstated prior to state approval of the university’s operating budget.
The University of New Mexico Board of Regents voted last year to cut the programs to get spending under control within its troubled athletics department.
A full House vote is expected this week on the proposal to boost state general fund spending amid a surge in oil-related state income. Approval would send the plan to the Senate for consideration.
Legislators including House appropriations committee chairwoman Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup are seeking greater accountability for university athletics expenditures.
___
7:00 a.m.
The New Mexico House of Representatives has passed a bill aimed at ensuring ready access to contraceptives.
The bill that requires insurance plans cover a full range of contraceptives without co-payments from customers now heads to the Senate after Monday’s approval on a 40-24 vote.
Bill sponsor Deborah Armstrong of Albuquerque casts access to contraception as a “family issue” and provides parity between men and women. Her initiative would provide access to birth control pills and vasectomies at no cost to consumers.
Under the bill, religious groups that purchase insurance coverage may exclude prescription contraceptives from covered purchases.
Republicans opposed the bill in unison, along with Democratic Reps. Harry Garcia of Grants and Anthony Allison of Fruitland.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.