New Mexico state Senate approves 8% spending increase

  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's Democrat-led Legislature is haggling over annual spending priorities as a yearly 30-day session winds down. Lawmakers are racing to lock in significant policy initiatives on public safety, education funding, tobacco regulation, and incentives for infrastructure investments. The session marks a second consecutive year of unified Democratic control of the governor's office and both chambers in the Legislature. A sweeping overhaul of the state's collective bargaining laws for public employees was approved by the Legislature that could reduce delays on petitions to unionize workplaces. The Legislature has until Thursday at noon to send an approved budget and other bills to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.