Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Governor Signs Wine Shipment Bill

Gov. Susana Martinez today signed a bill that I wrote about in this morning's paper, SB 445, which is designed to help the state's wine industry.

Some supporters of the bill were worried about a possible veto because the bill had been opposed by one of the governor's biggest campaign contributors, Mack Energy of Artesia. Apparently, however, those fears were for naught.

Martinez also signed House Bill 172, which will end the practice of corporal punishment in public schools. To paraphrase Patti Smith, the governor decided "to spare the child and spoil the rod."

And to absolutely nobody's surprised, she signed SB 365, which will expand Katie's Law, requiring law enforcement to collect DNA samples from anyone arrested on a felony charge. Martinez worked hard for this  one during the session.