New Mexico News

Gov. Susana Martinez on Tuesday signed into law liability-waiving legislation aimed at saving the state's nearly quarter-billion-dollar investment in a futuristic spaceport and retaining its anchor tenant, British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.

Negotiations to lock space tourism company Virgin Galactic into a long-term lease at the spaceport New Mexico taxpayers built for it are on hold while a proposal to broaden liability exemptions for space companies lingers in the Legislature, Gov. Susana Martinez said Tuesday.

Observers often complain that New Mexico’s legislative process is way too slow. But that’s certainly not the case with a bill that would limit lawsuits against firms that supply parts for spacecraft used in Virgin Galactic’s operation at the $209 million spaceport in Southern New Mexico.

Spaceport America officials are urging legislators to limit potential lawsuits from wealthy outer space tourists who take off from New Mexico, saying such a bill is crucial to the future of the project.

A New Mexico woman has filed a claim in the Fen-Phen mass tort litigation in Philadelphia over allegations that she developed abnormally high blood pressure as a result of taking the diet drug for about two years.

At the Rio Grande Foundation, we’ve focused on economic and education policies that we believe hold New Mexico back from prosperity. There is another issue out there that, unfortunately, holds New Mexico back. It is our legal system.

Many New Mexico voters are concerned about the economy. So it is important they ask their legislative candidates who should lead the way in drumming up emerging business in the Land of Enchantment: Entrepreneurs or trial lawyers?

There has been much talk about the dismal economic conditions in New Mexico and the need for the governor and/or the mayor of Albuquerque to do something. The “do something” usually involves the spending of taxpayer money in the form of noble civic projects, subsidies for some politically correct industry, or just hiring more government employees.

A former pension fund official behind a whistleblower lawsuit on Thursday tried to stop Attorney General Gary King and a state agency from taking over legal efforts to recover money for New Mexico from investment deals allegedly influenced by political considerations.