Legislature roundup — Feb. 20

Days remaining in session: 29

Homegrown lab management: Northern New Mexico's representative in Congress called on the state Legislature to lead a movement toward homegrown management of the national laboratories in the state.

Addressing a joint session on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., said lucrative federal contracts to manage Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory, in particular, present a unique economic development opportunity in the financially struggling state. He said the Legislature should explore ways to assemble a consortium capable of managing the labs.

Sandia's management contract is in the process of being rebid, and the contract with Los Alamos National Security, the private contractor that manages LANL, expires Oct. 1, 2017.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., addressed the Legislature on Tuesday and urged bipartisan cooperation. He emphasized the importance of oil and gas to the state's economy. On Wednesday, in another joint session of the Legislature, U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., touched on the woeful state of behavioral health care in the state.

Extracting New Mexico from its economic malaise was common theme in the congressional delegates' speeches. Luján said it's time for the state to chart a new economic path. "New Mexico is at a crossroads ... ," he said. "The signs of economic recovery are all around us, but yet seem to be passing us by."

Breaking fast: Native New Mexican and critically acclaimed actor Steven Michael Quezada and his wife, Cherise, ordered breakfast burritos with avocado, his with green chile, at the Roundhouse cafeteria on Thursday.

Quezada, who portrayed federal agent Steven Gomez in the series popular TV series Breaking Bad, was at the Capitol to track education issues in his capacity as a member of the Albuquerque school board.

Webcast archives killed: The House Appropriations and Finance Committee on Thursday voted down a proposal to archive internet videos of legislative committee hearings. On a party-line 7-5 vote, with Republicans in opposition, House Resolution 2, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, was tabled.

Currently, committee hearings are broadcast online during the legislative session, but they are not archived. Gov. Susana Martinez's office webcasts selected proceedings, including floor sessions of the House and Senate, which are archived on the governor's website.

After voting down the bill to archive committee hearing webcasts, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee approved a separate measure, House Concurrent Resolution 1, also sponsored by Steinborn, to webcast interim committee meetings when feasible, but without archiving them. That proposal received a "do pass" recommendation on a unanimous vote. Next, it moves to the House Rules and Order of Business Committee.

Stay away: The House on a 66-0 vote Thursday passed legislation that would allow rape victims to ask judges to impose permanent restraining orders against their convicted attackers.

Racheal Gonzales of Grants has been the public face of House Bill 123. Her biological father was sentenced to prison for raping her when she was a child. She has told legislative committees that for victims, the periodic expiration of restraining orders is at best inconvenient, and at worst terrifying.

The bill now moves to the Senate.

Looking ahead: The House Appropriations and Finance Committee is scheduled to consider a revised state budget proposal that reflects a downward turn in revenue expectations, driven by falling oil prices, during its meeting at 8:30 a.m. Friday in Room 307.

• U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., is scheduled to take his turn in addressing state legislators at 10:15 a.m. Friday. His office said Udall "will call on lawmakers to work together and focus on improving the well-being of New Mexico's children."

• KNME-TV's public affairs show New Mexico in Focus will air a segment Friday asking state lawmakers how they are trying to help children and families. Among scheduled guests for the broadcast, which airs at 7 p.m. on Channel 5.1 and repeats at 7 a.m. Sunday, are Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs, and Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales.

Quote of the day: "That's an applause line." — U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., when a joint session of the Legislature greeted his proclaimed support for economic development initiatives with silence.

— Santa Fe New Mexican