SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – The 2020 legislative session has officially come to a close in Santa Fe. Lawmakers passed the massive $7.6 billion dollar budget with just hours to spare, but which bills were signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham?

House Bill 1

The Feed Bill provides funding for the salaries and travel costs of lawmakers for the 2020 session. It also funds costs associated with the legislature, like dues and fees for national organizations the New Mexico State Legislature is a member of, the legislative information system, and the legislative intern program. It totals out to a $5,494,700 appropriation from the general fund.

House Bill 83

The Early Childhood Education and Care Bill will act as an insurance policy for early childhood education in the state of New Mexico. To get the fund up and running, the bill calls for a one-time appropriation from the general fund of $320 million dollars, an excess from the state’s oil boom. Each year after, the fund will be filled with money allocated from the Emergency School and Federal Mineral Leasing taxes. Teachers say it will directly benefit their classrooms by ensuring that children have access to free education during their formative years.

Senate Bill 4

The Complete Count in 2020 Census Bill makes an $8 million appropriation from the general fund to the Department of Finance and Administration for outreach efforts to achieve a statewide complete count in the 2020 census. This bill also declares an emergency, stating that it “is necessary for the public peace, health, and safety that this act take effect immediately.” Participating in the census is in everyone’s best interest because it is used by the federal government to determine which communities, schools, hospitals, and roads in each state need federal funding. It helps local governments work out congested schools, tells national rescue organizations how many people will need help in case of a natural disaster, and helps the government come up with an action plan in case of a disease outbreak.

KRQE will continue to update this post as bills get signed.