Republicans in the legislative minority voted in unison against the spending provisions, arguing that big federal changes to Medicaid are still far away and that New Mexico should focus on reducing errors in benefit distributions.

The nine-day hearing kicked off Wednesday, with state Rep. Joe Moody, a Democrat from El Paso, testifying that his Republican colleagues absolutely had partisan goals.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta kicks off Saturday with a mass ascension at Balloon Fiesta Park.

New Mexico legislators are pushing to shore up safety-net spending in response to President Donald Trump’s spending and tax cuts, in a state with one of the highest enrollment rates for Medicaid and federal food assistance.