NM’s New Environmental Crimes Task Force, Modernizing the State Legislature & Selecting Members of the Public Regulation Commission

This week on New Mexico in Focus, Gene Grant and the Line Opinion Panel discuss the decision for the Governor as she considers a list of nominees for the Public Regulation Commission. The panel also debates the state’s announcement requiring thousands of government workers to return to the office in January. And Gene and the panelists react to a proposal from Albuquerque city council that would make it a crime to avoid paying a bus fare, unless the rider has a valid photo ID.  

Our Land Senior Producer Laura Paskus explores a new task force created to investigate and prosecute environmental crimes. She talks with NMED Secretary James Kenney and the EPA’s special agent in charge of the criminal investigation unit, Kim Bahney, about how the task force will work to crack down on crimes from dumping hazardous waste to falsifying records. 

Gene Grant catches up with Mario Jimenez from Common Cause New Mexico to talk about a new poll showing broad public support for modernizing the state legislature. That includes changes like lengthening sessions, expanding legislative staff and paying lawmakers.  

Host: Gene Grant 

The Line opinion panel: 
Inez Russell Gomez, editorial page editor, Santa Fe New Mexican 
Algernon D’Ammassa, editor, Deming Headlight 
Tom Garrity, founder and president, The Garrity Group Public Relations 

Segments:

New Task Force Targets Environmental Crimes 
Correspondent: 
Laura Paskus 
Guests: James Kenney, cabinet secretary, New Mexico Environment Department 
Kim Bahney, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigation Division, US EPA 

Modernizing the State Legislature 

Correspondent: 
Gene Grant 
Guest: Mario Jimenez, executive director, Common Cause New Mexico