Richard Rubin remembers last May like it was yesterday. That’s when the New Mexico Medical Board declared him an immediate danger to the public.

Hashtag: The definitive hashtag for all things legislative, #nmleg includes posts by state lawmakers, lobbyists, reporters and gadflies.

Tom Udall gets about halfway to SFR’s conference room before an advertising rep stops him to ask what’s wrong with Congress. “It’s a mess up there,” Udall admits, shaking his head. Then he tells her a story about his wife’s similar frustrations: “She said, ‘I wouldn’t vote for any of you guys again, either!’” They both laugh. It’s a cold morning in January, and Udall wears a scarf thrown over one shoulder of his gray suit. A slight man of 64, he wears his sandy, graying hair combed to one side and speaks matter-of-factly, fixing a steady gaze on whomever he’s talking to. When I offer him something to drink, he asks for hot water.

The family of the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility inmate who died of an apparent suicide plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, according to Richard Martinez, a paralegal at The Rothstein Law Firm.

At noon on Jan. 15, New Mexico’s legislative session opens for business. Each year, the Legislature alternates between 30-day “budget-only” sessions and 60-day general sessions, at which pretty much anything and everything is up for debate. This year’s 60-day session is sure to be an exciting one—not only because the Democrat-controlled state House and Senate will once again face off against Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, but also because close to one-third of all state lawmakers are brand-new, fresh off a heated election cycle. With two months of committee meetings, floor hearings and exciting (seriously!) debate, it’s your perfect chance to get involved, even if you don’t know the first thing about how a bill becomes a law. So read up: With our “Dummiez” guide (yes, we know it’s spelled wrong; it’s a copyright thing), you’ll learn to legislate, lobby and lounge around like a pro. In bed.

State Rep. W Kenneth Martinez, who is poised to become the second most powerful official in New Mexico next Tuesday, loves watching football games, especially when his youngest son, Agustin “Tino” Martinez, is on the field.

New Mexico needs jobs. The state has lost roughly 40,000 jobs over the past five years; last year, even as the rest of the country recovered, New Mexico lost another 4,800 jobs.

If government is truly to be for, by and of the people, then we should know what’s going on—and several lawmakers are trying to make sure that happens.

After eight years and more than $200 million, Spaceport America still hasn’t taken off.

By now, you’re probably familiar with the big issues—jobs, education reform, tax reform, campaign finance, the state budget, etc. But many state lawmakers have filed bills that have nothing to do with those issues—and in some cases (but not all), that’s a good thing.