A former journalist who’s now a New Mexico state senator believes democracy depends on an informed public, and local news providers are set to benefit.

In the recent legislative session, Sen. Carrie Hamblen, D-Las Cruces, got a bill passed that offers tax credits worth up to $15,000 per journalist to local newspapers, broadcasters and online outlets. Across the state, the legislation is worth up to $4 million a year, which Hamblen said is designed to help save newsroom jobs and support new hiring.

As newspapers close and newsrooms shrink, she said, New Mexicans have fewer options for staying informed.

"Especially in rural communities, where they're either looking at their social media or media from parts of the state that don't impact them," she said, "local news coverage is incredibly important for an informed democracy."

New Mexico is the fourth state – along with California, Illinois, and New York – to address the diminishing number of local journalists and its impact on the democratic process. A second bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, will provide tax credits of $5,000 to $10,000 per employee at the state’s two remaining newspaper printing presses to help offset rising production costs. The state also budgeted $3 million in emergency funding to support public broadcasters affected by federal cuts.

Before running for state office in 2020, Hamblen worked at New Mexico's KRWG radio station as a student employee and later as operations manager. She also hosted national news and a public affairs program. But according to the State of Local News Project, the number of journalists in New Mexico has dropped about 60% compared with a decade ago.

Hamblen said a limited flow of information leaves many of her constituents in Doña Ana County in the dark about important local issues.

"As somebody who worked in the field for 20 years and understands how important it is, to not only the bigger cities, but the smaller cities," she said, "I really hope they take advantage of this, because this will impact them on a number of levels that aren't even known yet."

The tax credit is only available to local bylines, and won’t go to any publicly held company based elsewhere. It also supports established digital-only sites that sometimes fill news gaps in rural communities.

Source: Public News Service