Days remaining in session: 45

•Work longer: New state employees would have to work a few more years to get their pensions if a proposal becomes law.

Sen. Steve Neville, R-Farmington, said his Senate Bill 268 would require that employees hired after July 2011 would have to be at least 55 years old to apply for benefits - except for police officers and adult correctional officers.

Also, the state's contribution to the Public Employees Retirement Association for the new employees would be reduced to 14 percent from 16.59 percent of the employee's salary.

"It stops the bleeding, but it isn't the full solution to shore up the (PERA) fund," Neville said in a written release.

"We cannot keep telling state employees they have to pay more into their retirement. We could end up taking a third of their salary," Neville said. "Even though the effects of this legislation will become apparent in the future when new hires begin to retire, we need to take action now to begin to remedy the situation."

The bill is scheduled to be heard this afternoon by the Senate Public Affairs Committee.

•Make scholarships more difficult: Senate Republican Whip Bill Payne of Albuquerque says that in order to keep the state's lottery scholarships afloat there should be some stricter rules for college students who receive them.

Payne's SB226 would require students who don't graduate within six years to repay the scholarship money. The free tuition would turn into a

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loan that must be paid back.

"This bill is a wake-up call," Payne said in a written statement. "The lottery scholarship fund has been in danger for some time and could run out of money for the truly serious student who works toward actually graduating from college if we do not make changes now to the program requiring students using it to become more accountable,"

Payne said the program could run out of money by 2014 if changes aren't made.

The bill has been assigned the Senate Education, Judiciary and Finance committees.

Looking ahead

•Today is "Immigrant Call to Action Day" at the Legislature. Protesters organized by Somos un Pueblo Unido will travel to the state Capitol to visit with lawmakers and protest against proposals they see as "anti-immigrant." A march to the Capitol starts at noon at Santa Fe's DeVargas Park. A rally at the Roundhouse is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

•The Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice is sponsoring "Peace and Justice Day," including a 10 a.m. press conference in the Rotunda.

•It's also Boys and Girls Club Day at the Legislature.

•Social events scheduled for lawmakers include the Lea County Electric Cooperative Legislative Breakfast at Hotel Santa Fe, 7 a.m.; the Conservation Voters NM Legislative Reception at the Rio Chama President's Room at 5 p.m.; The Ruidoso Day Legislative Reception at La Fonda, 5:30 p.m.; and the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association Dinner at 6 p.m. The location isn't listed on the Legislative Social Calendar.

The New Mexican