New Mexico’s 57th Legislative Session opened in high spirits yesterday, as lawmakers in opposing parties spoke glowingly of each other in floor sessions.
Several legislators brought along spouses or children to opening day and expressed pride and gratitude for the people closest to them who have supported their efforts to work so hard on behalf of the state.
And governor Michelle Lujan Grisham struck a decidedly optimistic tone in her seventh State of the State address to a packed joint session at the Roundhouse.
The governor began by citing a few of what she called “shared achievements”—including in jobs, the environment, healthcare, and the state’s upgrades in credit and bond ratings.
Then she shifted to her checklist for the upcoming 60-day session. Lujan Grisham talked about a range of legislative proposals, including ones relating to behavioral health, climate, affordable housing, and economic development.
It wasn’t until the middle of her speech that she talked in depth about the subject that has arguably been the focus of her administration since the beginning: public safety.
There’s bipartisan agreement that there is a crisis in public safety in New Mexico, where the rates of violent crime make it one of the most dangerous states in the country.
Near the end of her speech, she underscored her case, seemingly mindful of the pushback she received last year on her public safety proposals from members of her own party.
”We need the tools to overcome this challenge, and I know that we can do so while respecting civil rights," said Lujan Grisham.
"And to protect the right of every family to live safely, the right of small businesses to conduct commerce securely, and the rights of our children to grow up in communities free from danger.”
Governor Lujan Grisham received applause several times during the speech.
The most enthusiastic standing ovation came after she spoke of a plan to ensure that repeat violent offenders are held accountable.
There was a little bit of legislative business conducted yesterday, as lawmakers introduced bills by reading them into the record.
The real work begins today, when committee meetings and floor sessions kick into gear and legislators begin considering the dozens of measures on the table.
