SB 81, a hiring freeze enforcement, was killed, failing with a vote of 17 to 22.

The bill was a reaction to Gov. Bill Richardson's administration putting 416 people on the payroll just before the freeze took effect. At the time, State Personnel Director Sandra Perez said the hiring was normal for that time of year. She also said that the state lost 359 employees during the same time period through normal attrition, including retirements.

The fiscal impact report on the bill points out that the bill would effectively restore legislators appropriations "… presumably as a reward for agencies complying with this section …"

Five of Beffort's bills and memorials have passed the Senate with none voting in opposition to any of them.

SB 213; a weight distance tax under-reporting penalty would fine commercial vehicle operators up to $4,000 for failing to report and pay the state for their miles traveled on New Mexico roads, effective July 1, 2009. The bill has moved on to the House Transportation and Public Works Committee.

SB 167 adds a new section to the Pre-Kindergarten Act so that any money appropriated for pre-kindergarten programs is to be divided equally between the Public Education Department and Children, Youth and Families Department. There is no appropriation associated with the bill, but it "would require the precedent for the equal distribution of pre-kindergarten program appropriations followed for the past four fiscal years be established statutorily. The appropriation for prekindergarten programs in fiscal year 2009 is $18.9 million," according to the bill's fiscal impact report.

The bill is now in the House Education Committee.

SJM 40 forms a task force to study and implement a voluntary health insurance exchange to provide businesses and individuals greater choice in health insurance. It would also allow participants to retain their health plan if they change or lose a job and would help to reduce costs by acting as a centralized market that may be more responsive to consumer demands, it says. It is now in the House Health and Government Affairs Committee.

SJM 30 instructs the State Investment Council, which oversees the incentives and investments for the state, in their approach to local and low budget films and to weigh the economic impact of supporting local projects. This bill is now in the House Business & Industry Committee.

SB 441 could reduce the charges to veterans applying to practice medicine in New Mexico. It is currently in the House Health and Government Affairs Committee.

King honored

Rep. Rhonda King, D-Stanley, was recently honored by three organizations. The Lutheran Advocacy Ministry named her the "2009 Legislator of the Year," and the Disability Coalition honored her as a "Legislative Champion," according to a news release from the House of Representatives.

The New Mexico Association of Community Colleges, which represents two-year community colleges in the state, presented King with a plaque for her support of the state's community colleges, especially her support for dual credit legislation that enables high school students to earn college credit.