Jan 21, 2025
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico lawmakers are back in the Roundhouse for the 2025 legislative session. Before lawmakers got to work Tuesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivered her State of the State address, outlining her agenda for the 60-day session. With Democratic control over the House and Senate, the governor called on bipartisan support to get laws over the finish line. "What we do in this session can and should cement our collective and enduring legacy in lifting up all New Mexicans," said Lujan Grisham. Story continues below Legislature: Push for education and housing bills expected this legislative session Weather: Coldest in years for some before slow warm-up New Mexico: CYFD settles lawsuit over failure to protect abused children Crime: One in custody after shooting at officers during traffic stop The governor put emphasis on education and family policy; in part, she called for officials to fix problems with the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department. Lujan Grisham said she would like to see the department receive more funding and for an outside oversight group to be created to ensure CYFD adequately resolves all complaints from families and foster parents.  In regards to education, the governor would like to permanently establish an Office of Special Education, which would set statewide standards for all K-12 special education students. She also proposed incentives for schools that ban cell phone use during school hours and funding for improved safety measures. Gov. Lujan Grisham also touched on housing, saying the state should create an Office of Housing to oversee new developments. In addition, she would like to see $50 million go toward development subsidies to help build houses and make homebuying more affordable in New Mexico.  The governor also requested that an additional $50 million go toward fighting homlessness, $50 million go toward the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund, and $100 million be set aside for behavioral health expansion.  "The state has a duty to provide a fully supported behavioral health system that meets New Mexicans where they are," said Lujan Grisham. This session comes off of the governor's failed special session on crime last summer. In Tuesday's address, Lujan Grisham did outline specific public safety proposals, including updates to criminal competency laws, and creating stronger penalties for convicted felons who are found with a gun while committing a crime. "It is a small but significant group of repeat offenders and criminals who wreak a large percentage of the havoc on our people and our businesses. We can not, we must not let this continue. We need the tools to overcome this challenge," said Lujan Grisham Republican leaders in the Roundhouse said they share the governor's commitment to fight crime and said they hope to see their proposals get approved this session. "She more focused on behavioral health than on what the real crime was, and so, we as Republicans have been talking about real crime solutions for a long time," said Minority Floor Leader Sen. Bill Sharer (R-Farmington). The minority leadership called for changes to keep accused criminals in jail pending trial, ramping up penalties, and creating "certainty" among criminals by emphasizing that if they commit a crime, they will go to prison. GOP leaders also called for independent oversight of CYFD but through a special office within the New Mexico Department of Justice. Click here to see the governor's full State of the State address.
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