14 March 2025: Bills in play
As the session soon draws to a close, Representative Cates continues working on several bills:
Representative Cates’s bill becomes state law
The governor signed a six-bill crime package from the House of Representatives and three behavioral health bills from the Senate. This group of bills provides the tools for law-enforcement and our district attorney‘s office to address our growing juvenile crime problem, as well as building the infrastructure of behavioral health and addiction services so we…
Keep tickets affordable: no to scalpers
House Bill 26, which passed by a vote of 41-26, would prohibit for-profit ticket reselling for events hosted by the state, a municipality, or a non-profit organization. HB 26 is sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) and HouseMajority Leader Reena Szczepanski (D-Santa Fe). “Internet scammers are targeting New Mexicans with overpriced tickets for public events…
Get rid of water-guzzling grass at government buildings
With the state in a water crisis, Rep Cates has proposed legislation that would eliminate nonfunctional turf around government installations, replacing lawns with drought resistant landscaping. Her legislation will help preserve New Mexico’s supply of drinkable water. See KRQE coverage here.
Representative Cates’s ticket-scalping bill progresses through committees
Source NM reports on the progress of Representative Cates’s bill expanding the state’s ticket-scalping law beyond college sports, to include arts and nonprofit organizations. “Co-sponsor Rep. Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) presented House Bill 26 to the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Committee members voted 4-2 along party lines to pass the bill…
Representative Cates interviewed by Sandoval Signpost
“State Rep. Kathleen Cates is focused on water, public safety and healthcare in Sandoval County” Jesse Jones interviews Rep. Kathleen Cates: “State Rep. Kathleen Cates, a Rio Rancho Democrat, is fresh off her reelection for District 44 and just began her second term. She said she is ready to address some of Sandoval County’s most…
Albuquerque Journal features Representative Cates on Healthcare
The Journal covered a meeting of 3 representatives, including Kathleen Cates, on their plans to introduce bills improving New Mexico’s healthcare, in part by recruiting and retaining health care professionals. From the Journal: Rep. Kathleen Cates of Corrales plans to introduce a bill that would provide housing subsidies for licensed medical providers earning 150% of…
Two Bills highlighted in Albuquerque Journal
Two bills sponsored by Representative Cates are highlighted in the Business section of the 13 Jan 25 Albuquerque Journal: on Ticket Scalping and on Healthcare appropriations. From the Journal: Economy New Mexico could join about half a dozen other states that have laws aiming to prevent ticket scalping. Ticket scalping is selling, offering for sale…
Library Protection Bill in the News
KRQE NEWS 13 reports: “The window has opened for lawmakers to file bills they want to introduce during this year’s 60-day legislative session.Legislative bill would cut funding for public libraries that ban books in New Mexico.” See: KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico
6 November 2024: Victory for Kathleen Cates
Voters returned Kathleen to the NM House of Representatives for a second time! The final count showed her winning by over 1,000 votes ahead of her opponent.