NM Legislature passes budget bill

A budget that largely protects K-12 education, while cutting deeply into most state agencies, won approval from the Legislature Friday evening. The budget passage came after an exhausting and confusing day in which state lawmakers dueled and disagreed before finally finding common ground. Five Senate amendments were added to a bill that originated in the House of Representatives. The changes, which had appeared at first to be a major obstacle, turned out to be nothing more than a speed bump to passing the budget. The House agreed with four of the five amendments, and asked the Senate to withdraw the fifth amendment, which it did. That decision effectively sent the budget bill, which trims more than $200 million in spending, to Gov. Bill Richardson for his signature. Of the Senate amendments, the only one that substantially altered the budget restored $5 million for state police, which had been facing 7.5 percent cuts. Some anticipate that the state may face a much tougher challenge when state lawmakers convene the 2010 regular session in January, when a $1 billion shortfall may greet them as they cobble together a spending plan for fiscal year 2011...read more