SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The Legislature sent a string of bills to New Mexico’s Democratic governor for consideration Wednesday that had been vetoed by her Republican predecessor.
The state House of Representatives gave final approval to bills that would expand cave exploration opportunities, require greater reporting of expenses by lobbyist and limit the ability of police to seize information from personal electronic devices.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has three days to approve or veto the bills. Bills also become law if the governor takes no action.
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A House- and Senate-approved bill from Senate majority leader Peter Wirth of Santa Fe would require a court order before law enforcement agencies can take electronic information from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
The House gave final approval to a bill from Democratic Sen. Daniel Ivey Soto of Albuquerque and Democratic Rep. Christine Chandler of Los Alamos that would close a loophole that allowed lobbyists to buy politicians meals and drinks of up to $100 without reporting it to state campaign finance regulators.
Lujan Grisham also will consider a bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Soules of Las Cruces aimed at allowing cave exploration underneath private property by waiving liability for land owners under most circumstances.
Legislators are expediting a “rocket docket” of bills that were vetoed in recent years by former Gov. Susana Martinez, who left office in December after two terms.
The Legislature has entered the third week of a 60-day session than concludes March 16 at noon.
In other legislative action, a proposal to divert about an additional $145 million a year toward early childhood education from a New Mexico state trust fund cleared its first hurdle Wednesday in the Legislature. That proposed constitutional amendment requires approval by the Legislature, a statewide public vote and Congress.
Lawmakers are confronting a court order to provide greater resources to public education, including early childhood programs. Attempts to increase distributions from the Land Grant Permanent Fund have repeatedly failed in recent years as fiscally conservative lawmakers seek to safeguard future investment returns that help fund public schools.
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