Capital Outlay Bill Among Others, Die

Michael Sanchez

NMPolitics - Two behind-the-scenes battles exploded in public view and consumed the final hour of the 2011 legislative session today, causing the $240 million capital outlay bill to die as time expired. A bill that would have ended so-called “social promotion” in schools died as well. But instead of going quietly, both bills went down in flames. In the House, Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, prolonged debate on the capital outlay bill in the session’s final hour with a lengthy series of questions. Meanwhile, there were intense, behind-the-scenes negotiations between House and Senate members over which projects would be funded.

In the Senate, Republicans John Ryan of Albuquerque and Rod Adair of Roswell hijacked a bill that would have amended the Fraud Against Taxpayer’s Act, talking about topics ranging from the various St. Piuses to the sounds Ryan made while he spoke because his mouth was dry.Their filibuster was an attempt to force Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, to hear the social promotion bill, which was being pushed heavily by Gov. Susana Martinez. Sanchez didn’t back down, and after being on the Senate calendar for days, the bill died without a floor hearing. As the delays played out in the House and Senate, other lawmakers watched the death of bills they were hoping to pass. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Capital Outlay Bill Among Others, Die