New Mexico permanent fund plan clears House, now heads to Senate
SANTA FE — A plan to take more money from New Mexico’s largest permanent fund for spending on home visiting and other early childhood programs cruised through the state House late Friday on a 41-27 vote.
But for supporters, now comes the hard part.
The proposed constitutional amendment, House Joint Resolution 1, now advances to the Senate, where similar proposals have run aground in previous years.
Backers say this year could be different, pointing to the election of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who supports the idea, and an expanded Democratic majority in the Legislature.
“New Mexico is hurting and we all know this,” said Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, one of the measure’s sponsors, during Friday evening’s debate.
Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/1281484/nm-permanent-fund-plan-clears-house-now-heads-to-senate.html