Rep. Christine Chandler addresses the Rotary Club of Los Alamos Tuesday at Cottonwood on the Greens. Photo by Linda Hull

BY LINDA HULL
Rotary Club of Los Alamos

Christine Chandler, District 43 New Mexico State Representative, spoke Tuesday to the Rotary Club of Los Alamos about the 2020 Legislative Session that ended last month.  In addition to serving Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Sandoval Counties, Chandler’s committee assignments included House Taxation and Revenue and Judiciary and participation in committees on Radioactive and Hazardous Materials, Science Technology and Telecommunication, and Water and Natural Resources.

Chandler described this year’s short session, 30 days, as very productive. Over 725 bills were filed, 88 were sent to Governor Lujan-Grisham. The state’s $7.6 billion budget includes a $320 million early childhood endowment and $8 million for a census “complete count” on which federal funding relies.  Bills considered beneficial to health care, labor, public safety, military families and veterans, and animals were also approved.  Two bills that Chandler either sponsored or co-sponsored are the NM Work and Save Act, “providing access to a voluntary retirement program for private and self-employed workers;” and Post-Secondary Institution Disclosures that requires private schools to disclose to prospective students information on job placement rates and debt-load.

Chandler said she tries to support the critical needs of District 43’s poorest communities, citing her ability to acquire a four-wheel drive ambulance for the village of Cuba, whose residents live in rugged and isolated rural areas.

Before election to the New Mexico House in November 2018, Chandler served two terms as a Los Alamos County Councilor. She was also a Los Alamos National Laboratory lawyer and group leader, managing the Litigation Group in the Office of Laboratory Counsel.  Chandler has degrees from Boston College and Georgetown University Law Schools.  She will be running for re-election later this year, like many of her colleagues.  To reach NM State Representative Chandler, please go to: www.christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov.

The Rotary Club of Los Alamos meets on Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. at Cottonwood
on the Greens; members of the public are always welcome.