New Mexico

When does the 2025 New Mexico Legislative session begin? What to know

Published

1 year ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

When does the 2025 New Mexico Legislative session begin? What to know

What is the legislative session?

New Mexico lawmakers will address various issues important to New Mexicans, including budgets, education reforms, healthcare policies and infrastructure developments during the 2025 legislative session in Santa Fe.

The session will be historic; women will hold the majority of seats in the New Mexico Legislature, making it the largest female legislative majority in U.S. history.

When is the New Mexico legislative session?

Jan. 2 – Jan. 17: Legislation may be prefiled
Jan. 21: Opening day (noon)
Feb. 20: Deadline for introduction
March 22: Session ends (noon)
April 11: Legislation not acted upon by governor is pocket vetoed
June 20: Effective date of legislation not a general appropriation bill or a bill carrying an emergency clause or other specified date

How to connect with your legislators

New Mexicans are encouraged to engage with the legislative process by following bill progress, attending public hearings and communicating with their elected representatives to ensure their voices are heard in the state’s lawmaking process.

Phone calls: A direct way to voice your concerns.
Email: A good option for providing detailed information.
Letters: Can be impactful, especially when sent as part of a larger campaign.
In-person meetings: Best for building a personal connection.
Public testimony: Share your perspective at legislative hearings.

Use the New Mexico Legislature’s “Find My Legislator” tool online at https://www.nmlegis.gov/Members/Find_My_Legislator.

What are the Legislative priorities for the 2025 session in New Mexico?

Budget requests

Governor Lujan Grisham released the 2026 fiscal year budget recommendation of $10.9 billion in recurring spending — an increase of 5.3% over current year spending. The budget contains an additional $172 million for state employee pay raises, which includes additional compensation for New Mexico educators, according to the Office of the Governor.

“This fiscally sound budget proposal prioritizes early childhood education, clean energy, infrastructure, affordable housing and expanded healthcare access to build a stronger foundation for New Mexicans,” said Grisham. “My administration looks forward to discussing these proposals with state lawmakers and reaching consensus on the priorities that matter most to our state.”

Public safety

Improvement to public records requests: The New Mexico Counties (NMC) Board of Directors is seeking to amend the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). This would bar certain requests made to “compromise and obstruct critical local government services,” according to NMC.

Reckless driving: Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Police Department Chief Harold Medina are pushing for increased penalties for reckless driving, aiming to make the consequences as severe as those for homicide. This includes penalties for street racing and driving that result in death or serious injury.

Felons with firearms: Keller and Medina are also advocating for stricter laws against felons caught with firearms, seeking harsher penalties to enhance public safety, alongside Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story.

“We cannot do this alone,” Keller said. “The challenges facing Albuquerque, New Mexico, are a combination of homegrown and national, and they’re big, and we will keep fighting in every single way, every single day to push back against crime, against housing challenges around homelessness.”

Corrections and detention

Detention workforce: Funding the Corrections Workforce Capacity Building Fund will address staffing shortages in county detention centers. Legislators are focusing on recruitment and retention of detention officers.

Detention Reimbursement Fund: Fully funding the County Detention Facility Reimbursment Act Fund would reimburse counties for the costs associated with housing state inmates. The current fund is $5 million and legislators are looking to increase it by $3.2 million.

Healthcare and family support

Paid family and medical leave (PFML): AARP New Mexico is prioritizing legislation for paid family and medical leave, reflecting broader efforts to support families and workers across the state.

“We will be putting a lot of time and effort into getting PFML passed this time,” AARP New Mexico Associate State Director for Advocacy Othiamba Umi said.

Infrastructure and economic development

Courthouse funding: Investment in the construction and renovation of state district courthouses would ensure they meet modern standards of security and functionality, according to the NMC.

Municipal revenue sources: The New Mexico Municipal League will address the financial impacts of state policy changes on municipal revenues.

Community services and quality of life

Affordable housing: Priorities in Las Cruces include funding for affordable housing projects like Paseos Verdes and Amador Crossing, which aim to provide housing for veterans, low-income families and the elderly.

Public transportation: Investment in infrastructure would support electric bus charging stations and enhancements to public transit facilities.

Firefighter and EMS recruitment

Funding for emergency services: Legislators are looking for continued funding for the operational costs of 700 MHz radios and recruitment funds to ensure adequate staffing and resources for firefighters and EMS personnel, according to NMC.

Border-Related Humanitarian and Crime Efforts

Funding for border security: Legislators are seeking $5 million to go to counties for state and federal resources to combat drug and human trafficking networks, according to a release from NMC.

U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico have comprehensive lists of priorities published on their sites that will be discussed during the 2025 Legislative Session.

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New Mexico

Warm start to the week across New Mexico

Published

5 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Warm start to the week across New Mexico

Grant’s Monday Night Forecast

A few evaporating rain showers are possible again Tuesday with warmer temperatures. Windier weather later this week will bring a high fire danger back to New Mexico.

It’s been a warm day with a few isolated showers and thunderstorms across central and northern New Mexico. Some of that rain has made it to the ground, while other showers have evaporated before reaching the surface. Temperatures have climbed into the 70s and 80s for most of the state. Showers will fade after sunset, with mostly clear skies overnight and mild temperatures.

Even warmer weather is on the way Tuesday with lighter winds. More areas will reach the 80s by the afternoon. A few spotty showers will develop again, especially near the mountains, with some of that rain evaporating before reaching the ground.

Winds pick up Wednesday afternoon, with gusts between 25 and 45 mph. This will begin another stretch of high fire danger across the state. The strongest winds arrive Thursday, with westerly gusts of 35 to 55 mph. That will expand the fire danger statewide. A dry cold front will move through Thursday as well, but temperatures will only drop slightly, ending up closer to average.

Breezy conditions continue Friday through the weekend as the jet stream pulls more moisture into New Mexico. That will bring increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms this weekend, with a few lingering into early next week.

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New Mexico

Landlord AC ordinance, Rio Grande water levels, Spotty rain, New legislative office, New Mexico Motorfest

Published

17 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Landlord AC ordinance, Rio Grande water levels, Spotty rain, New legislative office, New Mexico Motorfest

Monday’s Top Stories

Monday’s Five Facts

[1] ABQ City Councilor aims to bolster protections for renters amid unseasonable warmth – Albuquerque city councilor is looking to make sure city landlords are not only providing cooling systems, but also ensuring they actually work when they’re needed. City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn spearheaded an ordinance in December of 2024, requiring all Albuquerque rental properties to have a cooling system. Now, Fiebelkorn is taking it a step further, hoping to establish cooling system performance requirements. The ordinance is expected to be voted on in final action at Monday’s city council meeting.

[2] Rio Grande showing dry spots in Valencia County amid record-low snowpack – Portions of the Rio Grande are now seeing dry spots earlier than expected. Officials say the timing is not normal. In Valencia County, parts of the river are already running dry. Near the river crossing in Los Lunas, the river has open pockets. Further south, it is being reported as dry as well. There is a slight positive outlook for the monsoon season, with forecasters and officials predicting a strong season in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

[3] Very spotty rainfall, warmer, & mostly calm week – Warmer weather will continue building in across the state throughout the upcoming week. A few isolated rain chances will return Monday in parts of New Mexico, but some of that rain may evaporate before reaching the ground. Temperatures will continue to increase through the middle of the week.

[4] NM representatives celebrate grand opening of new office with open house – A new state legislative office made its debut for representatives Eleanor Chavez and Yanira Gurrola. The new location is just one of the handful of new legislative offices now open across the state. They hosted a grand opening for the building that was open to the public. Representative Gurrola says it’s just one step towards modernizing the state’s legislature. The new office will allow residents to stay more connected to each representative.

[5] New Mexico Motorfest 2026 takes place in celebration of Route 66 Centennial – Another Route 66 celebration took place over the weekend and this one was all about cars. The New Mexico Motorfest happened at the Expo New Mexico racetrack. Over 300 vehicles from classic hot rods to lifted trucks were featured at the event. Some of the proceeds went to New Mexico veterans.

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New Mexico

Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair

Published

1 day ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair

Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Photo CourtesyLAPS

LAHS junior Tate Plohr and freshman Linus Plohr qualified to attend the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May in Phoenix, Ariz. Photo Courtesy LAPS

Los Alamos Middle School student Branden Keller was awarded the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair. Photo Courtesy/LAPS

LAPS NEWS RELEASE

Twenty students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) competed, with several garnering awards at the 2026 New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.

LAHS junior Tate Plohr qualified to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) next month in Phoenix, Ariz. He was awarded the 3rd-place Grand Award. Freshman Linus Plohr qualified as an alternate and will also be attending the Regeneron ISEF.

Students who participated in the state competition include, from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Sydney Chen, Mary Beth Kelsey, Lily Neale, Aurora Roberts Voss and Henry Rodarte; and Glyn Lo and Ernest Maupin, Mountain Elementary.

Students from LAMS who competed include Evelyn Fobes, Mason Garcia, Andrew Gilbertson, James Junghans, Sequoya Ke, Brandon Keller, Nejan Liyanage and Daniel Yampolsky.

LAHS students Julia Neale, Linus Plohr, Tate Plohr, Lilia Veteva, Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch competed at the senior level.

2026 Award winners:

Category Awards – Junior Division

Animal Science, Cellular & Molecular
Biomedical & Health Science
- Honorable Mention: Sequoya Ke
Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, Software & Technology
- 2nd place: Nejan Liyanage
Physics & Astronomy
- 1st place: Sydney Chen
- 2nd place: Mason Garcia
- Honorable Mention: Marybeth Kelsey
Plant Science

Category Awards – Senior Division

Behavioral & Social Science:
- Honorable Mention: Linus Plohr
Earth & Environmental
- Honorable Mention: Lilia Viteva
Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, & System Software
- 3rd Place: Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch
Physics & Astronomy

Grand Awards

ISEF finalist 3rd place: Tate Plohr
Brandon Keller received the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. James Jungans and Marybeth Kelsey garnered Thermo Fisher Awards.

Other special award winners include:

CO2 & Greenhouse Reduction Awards (Junior Division)
- Daniel Yampolsky, 2nd place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Sequoya Ke, 1st place, Biomedical & Health Science
- Brandon Keller, 1st place, Energy & Materials Science
- Andrew Gilbertson, 1st place, Physics & Astronomy
CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award (Senior Division)
- Lilia Viteva, 1st place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
Office of Naval Research Award
David Shortess Award
New Mexico AVS Award
Citadel Award
Naval Research Award
NM Network for Women in Science & Engineering Award
Yale Science & Engineering Award
Rose Baca Rivet Award