AARP New Mexico

Soon, New Mexican workers will no longer have to go to work when they are sick, thanks to a new law.

Long before the pandemic hit, New Mexico leaders were aware the State’s high-speed internet, or broadband system, needed work. Some areas still have no internet access at all while others have it but it is either slow or unreliable. However, as the state went into lockdown last March and people began working from home; using more telemedicine; home schooling and trying to stay connected to loved ones; those issues were exacerbated and underscored. The need to fix them became more urgent.

AARP New Mexico seeks applications for a new State President, a volunteer position that helps guide the work that AARP does in the state.

AARP New Mexico is taking some of today’s trending technology, and getting people’s most burning questions answered through a six-part series that begins Wed., March 3, at 1 p.m. 

With the 2021 New Mexico Legislative Session just past the halfway point, a number of AARP New Mexico’s priority bills still have a way to go in order to end up on the Governor’ s Desk. This Session seems to be moving slower than year’s past with only three of the 904 bills introduced making it through both houses, as of Tuesday, Feb. 23. Still it is not unusual for things to start moving quickly in the second half of the Session.

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide will be operating this year at various sites throughout New Mexico but service will be limited and the process will look a little different this year. “We know how many people rely on Tax-Aide to get their taxes done so we want to be able to offer this vital service in some capacity even if we can’t get to everyone this year,” said Gene Varela, the New Mexico State Coordinator for the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program.

When lawmakers return to Santa Fe this month, they will likely consider budget cuts because of the COVID-19 crisis and the economic downturn.

AARP New Mexico supports the creation of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to oversee and monitor prescription drug costs in the state and will work during the 2021 New Mexico Legislative Session to get a bill passed establishing the board.

AARP New Mexico is joining with the Parkinson’s Foundation for a special virtual presentation, Thursday, Dec. 10, on recognizing the early signs of Parkinson’s disease. The free event is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MT. “We felt it was important to bring some light to this disease because its progression can develop overtime and the symptoms can vary --- meaning they may be the result of Parkinson’s disease or possibly caused by other issues, so it is important to gather more information,” said Joseph P. Sanchez, AARP New Mexico State Director.

AARP New Mexico is hosting a virtual teletown hall Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., connecting veterans across the state with resources.