Days remaining in session: Half a day.

Ballot access: A proposal heading to the governor would give candidates an alternative means of getting on the primary election ballot if they fail to gather enough support at a political party nominating convention.

Unless the legislation is signed into law, it's possible some candidates in this year's crowded U.S. congressional races could be squeezed out at Democratic and Republican preprimary nominating conventions in mid-March.

The bill won final approval in the Legislature when it passed the House 65-1 on Tuesday. It previously cleared the Senate.

Candidates for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and other statewide offices can earn a place on the June primary ballot only if they receive at least 20 percent of the votes of delegates at their party's nominating convention.

Previously, candidates who missed that 20 percent threshold still could get on the ballot by submitting additional nominating petitions to the secretary of state. That option was eliminated last year by a change in law.

The bill heading to Gov. Bill Richardson would restore the system to the way it was before last year's change.

Filling a vacancy: The Senate on Wednesday voted unanimously for a proposed change to the state Constitution to provide a way to fill a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor.

There's no way now in law for such a vacancy to be filled. If the sitting lieutenant governor were to become governor, for example, the position would remain empty until the next election.

If voters approve the proposed constitutional amendment, the governor would appoint someone, subject Senate confirmation.

"Given the fact that you don't have security, this could be a great idea," Senate Republican Whip Leonard Lee Rawson of Las Cruces told Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who presides over the Senate. He was referring to a spat between the lieutenant governor and Richardson over when — and whether — she gets state police security.

A similar proposal passed the Senate last year but died in the House. Because this year's proposal cleared the Senate and went to the House with less than 24 hours left in the legislative session, it appeared unlikely to survive.

Energy saving: The Legislature has approved a measure that requires electric utilities to become at least 5 percent more efficient in 2014 than they were in 2005. By 2020, utilities would have to achieve at least 10 percent energy efficiency savings.

The measure goes to Richardson, who had asked for the bill this session.

Housing audit: The House and Senate have approved a measure that calls for a complete audit of the state's regional housing authorities by Dec. 1, 2008.

"We need to get to the bottom of what is going on at our regional housing authorities," said Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces said in a statement. "It seems like each time we turn our head we hear about other unscrupulous financial dealings. The public needs to know that is really going on. An audit will reveal plenty."

Looking ahead: The Legislature, by law, must adjourn at noon today.

Quotes of the day: "As the head of your security detail, I will not be tasting any food for you that comes from the Governor's Office."

Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, after Denish jokingly appointed Jennings as the head of her security detail. Denish was making the point that Richardson has denied her state police security when she's acting governor.

"If we film it (the Senate) and record it, there will be less dumbness that goes on." ~ Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell.



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