Legislature roundup
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Luis Sanchez-Saturno/The New Mexican
Photo: Savanna Smith, 5, of Albuquerque touches a cast of a phytosaur fossil from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History at the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday. Savanna and other students from Shining Star Preschool came to the Capitol for the PreK Advocacy Day. The event was organized to showcase state pre-kindergarten programs and advocate for increased funding to increase enrollment.
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1/22/2008 - 1/23/08
Days remaining in session: 22
May I please use your restroom? Rep. Thomas Anderson, R-Albuquerque, has a measure that would help people who urgently need to use the restroom.
The proposal, House Bill 161, dubbed the Restroom Access Act, would make it clear that businesses that don't normally allow the public to use their facilities should allow access to those with valid medical conditions, including Crohn's disease.
Children's report card: Good news about New Mexico's children: Math and reading proficiency increased from 2003 to 2007, according to the Children's Cabinet Report Card.
In math, 3.4 percent of students increased their proficiency while 7 percent improved in math. At the same time, the number of teens giving birth decreased from 38.9 teens per 1,000 in 2000 to an estimated 35 in 2006.
Pole (dance) tax: Sen. John Grubesic, D-Santa Fe, wants patrons of adult entertainment facilities to pay a $5 fee on top of other entrance charges.
The money generated would go to a fund that is meant to prosecute sex crimes in the state as well as treat sex offenders.
Senate Bill 64 would apply to any "sexually oriented business." The bill has three Senate committees to stop at before the whole Senate could consider the measure.
Gov blog: Gov. Bill Richardson's Office has a new blog, which is supposed to have behind-the-scenes information about the Legislature. (Come on, gov, tell us how you really feel.) Check out the blog at www.governor.state.nm.us and look under the Newsroom section.
Looking ahead: Today is Senior Citizen Day at the Roundhouse. Expect members of the American Association of Retired Persons to have a large presence. Keynote speaker Bill Thomas, president of the Center for Growing and Becoming Inc., will speak at the Rotunda after other senior-related events that start at 10 a.m.
- The Barack Obama campaign has scheduled a news conference at 1:30 p.m. today at the west entrance of the Capitol. A campaign spokesman said about 16 past and present state officials will endorse Obama's candidacy for the Feb. 5 Democratic state presidential caucus. Among those will be state Treasurer James Lewis, former U.S. Sen. and state Democratic Party Chairman Fred R. Harris, former state Reps. Max Coll and Patsy Trujillo of Santa Fe, and Santa Fe lawyer John Pound, who chaired the state campaign for John Kerry in the 2004 caucus.
- The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe will hold a service on the Roundhouse steps at 11:30 p.m. Sunday in support of HB 9, which would extend spousal benefits to domestic partners. "Love Makes A Family" will be the theme of the Rev. Stephen Furrer's sermon.
WEB SITE COVERAGE
Follow legislative coverage on the Web at www.santafenewmexican.com/legislature, with updates throughout the day, reader comments and a resource guide with essential links. Visit Kate Nash's and Steve Terrell's blogs at www.santafenewmexican.com.