Waiting on governor

Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort, R-Sandia Park, has a few bills awaiting Gov. Bill Richardson's decision.

SB 213 is a weight-distance-tax underreporting penalty that 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.

SB 82 would permit redispensation of unused prescriptions. The bill requires the state Corrections Department to accept and use the unused portions of prescription drugs for inmate care.

The inmates' pills come individually bubble-wrapped, and the current law requires the unused portions of a prescription to be discarded.

SB 161, Premium Assistance for Low Income Households, would amend the Medical Insurance Pool Act to adopt a schedule to provide coverage at lower rates for those who qualify as low income.

One of her bills sailed through the House and Senate but was vetoed by the governor.

One of Beffort's memorials, which does not have the weight of law and requires no action on the part of the governor, did pass.

SM 60 requests that the New Mexico Environment Department look into the use of biodegradable wood chips for mulch, rather than have it go into a landfill.

It also requests that the department and green-oriented organizations and businesses develop a plan to maximize use of wood chips in the state.

King's bills

Rep. Rhonda King, D-Stanley, sponsored 26 House bills this session, and one House memorial. Seven of her bills passed during the session including House Bill 691, which clarifies the minimum length of an instructional school year and length of the school day for public schools statewide.

A school year now will consist of at least 180 full instructional days for a regular school-year calendar, exclusive of any release time for in-service training. Also, days or parts of days lost to weather, in-service training or other events that are not school-directed programs must be made up, according to the fiscal impact report.

HB 691 provides for the maximum number of hours of the instructional year set aside for home visits and parent-teacher conferences depending on the grade of the student.

An amendment to the bill provides for the education secretary to waive the number of school days where the established minimums would create undue hardship.

Some bills came close to passing but didn't make it.

The House Judiciary Committee Substitute for HB 630 and HB865 changes a section of the drug precursor act by adding a caveat that if over-the-counter medications are being used or possessed with the intent of being used for the unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance, the drug precursor no longer falls under the legal use as defined by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

The bill made it all the way to the Senate calendar, but was not considered before the session ended.

Another of King's bills made it through the House, but was halted in the Senate Judiciary Committee. House Judiciary Committee substitute for House Bills 433 and 24 would have required sex offenders to register any electronic identities used, and to notify the county sheriff of any subsequent identities that the sex offender intends to use prior to using them to communicate with others.