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State Rep. Jennifer Jones highlights health, roads and local capital funding for Luna County
Summary
State Representative Jennifer Jones briefed the Luna County commission on the recent legislative session, touting passage of SB1 (Interstate Medical Licensure Compact) and HB99 (malpractice-cap reforms), reporting $1,175,000 in capital outlay for county projects and discretionary GRO funds she helped secure for local nonprofits.
Jennifer Jones, state representative for District 32, told the Luna County Board of Commissioners that the recent legislative session produced several measures she called important to rural communities.
"I'm Jennifer Jones, state representative for District 32, which includes Hidalgo County, Luna County, and part of Dona Ana," Jones said as she opened her update. She singled out two measures: SB1, an Interstate Medical Licensure Compact bill she said will streamline licensure for out-of-state doctors and expand telehealth in rural areas; and HB99, a change she said reduced barriers for physicians who had been considering leaving the state.
Jones described the state budget as roughly $11.3 billion and said lawmakers directed more capital outlay and discretionary (GRO) funds toward local projects. She told commissioners she secured about $1,175,000 in capital outlay for projects across Luna County — including equipment for the county road department and several other local projects — and said she matched discretionary funds for community organizations, including the local humane society.
On transportation, Jones said she is pressing for a transportation trust fund to provide a steady revenue source rather than repeated bond borrowing; she also noted a $1.5 billion transportation bond passed this session but argued for avoiding additional borrowing when possible.
Jones characterized SB17 and SB18 (which she described as a gun bill and an environmental bill, respectively) as items members of her rural delegation opposed; she said some controversial measures were stopped and that rural voices had worked across the aisle to block bills they judged harmful to local economies and services.
Commissioners asked for clarification about capital outlay items, specifically a Deming multi-use path listed for $200,000; Jones said that project is a city effort. When asked about next steps, she encouraged residents to contact her office or her district aide, Aaron Diaz, for project-specific details and said her discretionary GRO funds would be used to support community needs.
The representative closed by urging continued attention to rural priorities such as physician recruitment, road maintenance and local economic development and said she would keep working with county leaders to direct state funds to Luna County.
