Sen. Jeff Steinborn has taken heat over his bill to legalize the hallucinogenic drug psilocybin, with critics citing the mostly disappointing results from legalizing marijuana and the continued damage drugs cause to the state's large fragile population. But Steinborn says the criticism of SB219 is misleading because the measure is akin to medical marijuana not wide-open legalization:

Regarding medical use of psilocybin, the FDA has labeled psilocybin as a "breakthrough therapy" for people with major depressive disorders, and its proven effective for PTSD, and other behavioral health conditions. Unlike cannabis, this will be only be administered in a clinical setting. Given the research, it’s humane to provide this medical option to thousands of New Mexicans suffering with difficult conditions.  

The bill would appropriate $4 million, mostly for personnel to administer the program. Chances of passage this session? About as good as Sen. Peter Wirth downing psilocybin on a Saturday night.

So if that drug seems destined to flame out at the Roundhouse how about ABQ Dem Senator Harold Pope's annual proposal to stop the boozing in the Senate? His SR1 is one of the simplest bills:

No senator shall consume alcohol before or during any floor session or meeting of a committee to which a member has been appointed.

The proposal has been sent to two committees. Chances of passage? About as good as the Bull Ring cancelling happy hour.

As expected, that sweeping GOP proposal to eliminate the state personal income tax was smacked down in committee by House Speaker Javier Martinez, but that doesn't mean there isn't a shot at tax relief for lower income households this session. This bill is starting to advance, say the Dems:

The legislation (HB14) would increase refundable credits for qualifying taxpayers and expand eligibility for those credits, including to single filers without children. It would effectively eliminate state income taxes for New Mexico families making less than $55,000 a year. 

The tax credit plan is to be included in an omnibus tax package. 

THE BROADBAND LAMENT

Leger-Fernandez (Moore, Journal)

Senator Ben Ray Lujan and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez aren't about to throw business to Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Starlink that is delivering fast internet to homes across the globe. But perhaps they should. Their comments to the legislature this week expressing frustration with how long the roll out of broadband to the state's rural areas is taking appears out of touch:

(Lujan) urged funding tied to closing gaps in broadband access in the state.“It’s time for the state to start investing these dollars,” Lujan said. “If you don’t believe me, just go back and chat with the folks back at home, and take time to travel down that long, dirt road to that one farm where you know the family but you know there’s no connectivity.” Leger Fernández agreed.“We can’t just have broadband in the big house. We need it in the adobe house. We need it in the ranch house,” she said, generating applause. “We need it in every house in New Mexico.”

Billions have been appropriated for laying expensive fiber in the ground to delver broadband to remote areas but it is taking years and is being left behind by satellite service that our rural kids and seniors could have right now. That is, If our congressional reps would not only urge the state to more rapidly deploy the millions already appropriated but work on legislation to give the state authority to spend more on satellite broadband. Then those ranch and adobe houses that Fernandez laments are still not being served would be.

Starlink covers the entirety of the lower 48 states at a cost of just $120 per month for unlimited residential use. Typical download speed easily exceeds the FCC’s 25 Mbps threshold for “unserved” and often exceeds the FCC’s 100 Mbps threshold for “underserved.” 

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.