◆ Legislative roundup.

Days remaining in session: 53 Transparency bill moves forward: Members of the House State Government, Election and Indian Affairs Committee voted 8-0 to advance House Bill 55, which would require the Legislature to publish a searchable database identifying capital outlay projects sponsored by each lawmaker and how much money those lawmakers allocate to each. Funds for some public infrastructure are allocated to all 112 legislators and the governor, who have discretion on how to spend them. But they do not have to say how much they gave to each project. Previous efforts to push similar efforts through the Legislature have failed. The bill, introduced by Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, next goes to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

The power of solar: Community solar could provide a huge boon to the state, according to a new report by the University of New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research. The construction and operation of community solar facilities could generate 3,760 jobs over the next five years, $517 million in economic benefits and $2.9 million in annual tax revenues, according to the Coalition for Community Solar Access, which commissioned the report. The report comes as state lawmakers consider legislation that paves the way for new solar facilities in New Mexico.

Can’t blame him for trying: Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, is not giving up on efforts to get New Mexico to remain on standard time. Pirtle, who has tried without success to do away with the time change several times in the past, has introduced Senate Bill 102, which would exempt New Mexico from adhering to

Daylight Saving Time. An October 2020 American Academy of Sleep Medicine report said 63 percent of Americans favor a fixed, year-round time.

Quote of the day: “When I was 28, I hopped freight trains throughout the Northwest, from Montana to Seattle and so forth and so on, and I’ve never been the same since. But I guess I’m still well enough to be a state senator.” — Sen. Bill O’Neill, D-Albuquerque, when asked to share something most people don’t know about him during the Senate Rules Committee meeting Monday.

“Sometimes they think this place is full of shenanigans.” — Minority Leader Jim Townsend, R-Artesia, speaking of public perception of the Legislature during a House debate on changing the rules for running the session virtually.