A new mexico house panel has approved legislation that would raise new mexico's tax on car and truck purchases... the motor vehicle excise tax would go up from 3-percent to 4-percent until 2028, to pay for 300-million-dollars in highway improvements. The increase would provide 42-million-dollars next year for bond financing ten highway projects. The measure passed the transportation and public works committee. It has to be endorsed by two committees before it goes on to the full house for a vote.

State lawmakers are reviewing proposals to raise the minimum wage in new mexico... it would go from 7-50 an hour to 8-50 an hour. One of the proposals before lawmakers would let voters decide on a constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage every year to be tied to increases in the federal government's consumer price index.