Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Victoria Ramos, the 30-year old victim who was allegedly shot by Christopher Madrid at the Lintero Apartments in Silver City, passed away from her injuries Saturday afternoon. Madrid was arrested near Hwy 180 East and the 32nd Street Bypass after the incident during a brief pursuit. In addition, Madrid is also a suspect in the February 6th armed robbery of the Hudson Street Chevron station. The original charges of attempted murder, a second-degree felony, will be amended to first degree murder, a first-degree felony. Madrid has also been charged with armed robbery, another first-degree felony.
In some legislative news:
The New Mexico House Commerce and Economic Development Committee passed House Bill 497, introduced by Representative Bill Pratt of Albuquerque, to market New Mexico as a place to retire. House Bill 497 appropriates $1 million to implement a marketing campaign to attract retirees to New Mexico. The purpose of the bill is to promote New Mexico as a place to visit but also a place to stay. House Bill 497 now heads to the House Appropriation and Finance Committee.
Representative Debbie Armstrong, of Albquerque, introduced a bill to expand access to Medicaid coverage that passed the House Health and Human Services Committee. House Bill 416 calls on the Human Services Department to create a Medicaid Buy-In program that would allow eligible New Mexicans to pay monthly premiums to the state so they can be covered by Medicaid. The bill provides options for people who are currently not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or Affordable Care Act subsidies. The Medicaid Buy-In Act now heads to the House Appropriations and Finance Committee for consideration.
The Joint Resolution to invest in New Mexico’s children passed the House Floor by a vote of 41-27. HJR 1, is a constitutional amendment allows for 1% from the Land Grant Permanent Fund go towards early childhood education programs. The Early Childhood Education constitutional amendment now heads to the Senate for consideration.
And
House Bill 9 Introduced by District 32 Representative Candie Sweetser and District 4 Representative Anthony Allison, would create a Broadband Infrastructure Development Fund, enabling public agencies to enter into public-private partnerships for the development of broadband infrastructure across the state and providing $10 million for the awarding of grants and loans to local governments. The legislation addresses an issue across rural New Mexico, where there is a lack access to high-speed broadband, and specifically ensures the inclusion of tribal nations and pueblos, which have some of the lowest internet access rates.
Today was Presidents Day, an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present.
