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State lawmakers brief Hobbs commission on session wins, budget and local funding
Summary
State legislators visiting Hobbs summarized the 30-day legislative session: medical malpractice reform and targeted capital outlay passed, some bills were defeated, and members urged the city to pursue infrastructure and housing funding in House Bill 2.
Four state lawmakers — Senator Gallegos, Senator Scott, Representative Pettigrew and Representative Sena Cortez — visited the commission to recite session outcomes and local funding wins.
Senator Gallegos told the commission he was troubled by Senate Bill 30, which he said "shielded information from the public," and described concerns about transparency for certain clinic- and health-related reporting. Senator Scott summarized session results that included passage of medical malpractice reform and defeat of several bills he said would have harmed Southeast New Mexico’s energy and agricultural economy. Representative Pettigrew urged the city to pursue House Bill 2 funding for infrastructure and housing and offered to provide a document identifying local opportunities; he cautioned about long-term recurring budget growth. Representative Sena Cortez listed three bills she carried that were signed into law and said she delivered about $2,000,000 in capital outlay and smaller grants for housing assistance and victim services to the city.
Why it matters: legislators’ remarks framed priorities and available capital outlay that the city can pursue for roads, public safety training, animal services and affordable housing. Several commissioners thanked the lawmakers and signaled willingness to coordinate on interim committees and local project priorities.
Representative Pettigrew closed by offering his staff contact information and a packet of suggested projects and funding routes, and Cortez said she hopes to host interim committees in Hobbs to push city priorities further.
The legislators remained available for questions after their presentations.
