New Mexico Democrats tackle climate change, shun marijuana

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Lawmakers winding up the legislative session were negotiating agreements Friday to increase annual spending on public school education by a half-billion dollars.

Two successive annual budget surpluses in excess of $1 billion are allowing the Legislature to plot a major economic stimulus package and respond to a judge's order to boost resources to public education. State general fund spending would increase by $700 million, or 11 percent, to roughly $7 billion.

Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made a last-ditch appeal to a Senate panel to provide greater funding for early childhood education, warning that the state is making a "Sophie's choice" to educate some young children and not others.

Lujan Grisham signed a bill this week to create a new childhood education agency that will work toward universal access to early childhood education programs.

The consequences of sweeping Democratic midterm election victories in New Mexico were coming into focus on the final full day of the state's annual legislative session.

"So far so good," said House speaker Brian Egolf, who says fall elections gave Democrats a mandate to pursue campaign promises on education, economic development and progressive social policies. "We are now literally at the tip of the spear in moving toward renewables and carbon-free electricity."

New Mexico's version of a "Green New Deal" aims for carbon-free electricity production within a generation.

A bill dubbed the Energy Transition Act was awaiting the governor's signature to provide incentives for electric utility companies to close down a major coal-fired power plant and invest in solar arrays and wind turbines.

At the same time, ideological divides among Democrats sunk efforts at a bipartisan effort to legalize...