SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Monday, March 13, legislators are digging in for the final week of lawmaking in the session. A lot of bills will be debated on the House and Senate floors, but a few bills are still scheduled for committee debate. Among those is a bill to reinstitute the state’s Sports Authority.

New Mexico sports

Senate Bill 389 would restart the New Mexico Sports Authority. That used to be an active division within the state’s Tourism Department.

Sponsored by Sen. Antonio Maestas (D-Abq.), the bill would bring the division back. The goal of the division would be to develop plans for statewide sports recruitment and events. The legislation would also direct the division to take inventory of the state’s existing sports venues.

The bill is scheduled for debate in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee. For more details on the idea, check out this KRQE News 13 story.

What the final week will look like

The 2023 regular legislative session ends March 18 at noon. But before that deadline hits, legislators have some big tasks to finish.

Not all the legislation introduced this year will make it to the Governor’s desk. But lawmakers will likely make big efforts to push key bills through the Roundhouse before Saturday.

Of course, key subjects include the state’s budget, the state’s capital outlay, and tax changes. A good portion of the final week will probably be spent debating those.

In case you missed it: Wildlife corridors

Legislators recently proposed funding for “wildlife corridors.” The idea is to help cut down on car crashes with large animals.

According to an action plan report, there were more than 2,500 crashes with deer around the state between 2009 and 2018. Senate Bill 72 looks to study and construct protections for both drivers and animals. For more info on the bill, check out this KRQE News 13 story.