New Mexico

Pressure mounting for Lujan Grisham to cancel special session of New Mexico Legislature – Carlsbad Current-Argus

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2024

Pressure mounting for Lujan Grisham to cancel special session of New Mexico Legislature – Carlsbad Current-Argus

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus

A coalition of mental health groups sided with Republicans in opposing policy proposals by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a special session the governor planned for July 18.

The governor announced the session earlier this year as targeting “public safety” on the heels of the 2024 Legislative Session where several public safety bills failed to materialize by the February end date.

Two Democrat-backed gun bills passed both chambers after amendedments through negotiations with Republican lawmakers. Lawmakers passed a bill to institute a seven-day waiting period for firearms purchases after shortening the period from 14 days and adding an exemption for concealed carry holders. Lawmakers also added the exemption to another bill to ban firearms at polling places before it passed.

GOP members were likely to strongly oppose any additional gun bills from Democrats during the special session, instead calling for tightened border security measures and enhanced crime penalties. Rep. Jim Townsend (R-55) of Artesia suggested a bill to fund businesses damaged by the South Fork and Salt fires in Ruidoso by. Lawmakers did not introduce such as bill as of Tuesday.

What did Republicans propose?

Ahead of the session, Sen. Cliff Pirtle (R-32) announced a bill to increase penalties for looting, specifically from homes and businesses evacuated in areas where an emergency declaration is in place, as with the fires in Ruidoso.

The GOP also proposed expanding the list of crimes prosecuted under the state’s Racketeering Act to include human sex trafficking and “sexual exploitation of children.”

Lawmakers will “improve public safety” if the governor deems the GOP’s proposals germane, said Rep. Larry Scot (R-62). He also supported New Mexico tapping into a camera system at the U.S.-Mexico border already put in place by the State of Arizona,

“I’m not as optimistic about the governor’s bills,” Scott said. “If the GOP’s bills are deemed not germane, it will be a waste of time.”

Mental health groups want session halted

Despite the plans announced by legislators in the months ahead of the session, the ACLU and 40 other groups and nonprofits argued in a June 9 letter to Lujan Grisham that calling the session in less than two weeks would not allow enough time to develop policies adequately addressing New Mexico’s mental health issues.

The groups expressed concerns for several of the governor’s announced priorities for the session, including civil commitment legislation that would broaden the definition of “harm to self” or “harm to others,” effectively making it easier for the state to commit people to mental institutions or incarcerate repeat offenders for longer, the letter read.

Competency legislation could require involuntary commitment for those with mental health problems in criminal court, which the groups argued would remove authority from prosecutors and the courts themselves to make such decisions on a “case by case basis.”

And legislation framed as improving “median safety” could increase penalties to people who are unhoused, but would not address issues of homelessness in New Mexico, the letter read, or “meaningfully” mitigate danger to pedestrians. Such a bill could also lead to more criminal records and debt for the unhoused, read the letter, adding obstacles to them seeking work or shelter.

“As organizations who work for and with individuals and communities most impacted by these struggles, we share the urgent desire to bring these solutions to bear,” the letter read. “However, with less than two weeks to go before session is slated to begin and an obvious lack of consensus between lawmakers on the (continually shifting) legislative proposals, there is simply no way to achieve the solutions New Mexicans deserve.”

Scott said the state lacked the facilities and staff to hold repeat offenders or those with mental illness “against their will.”

“You order them into treatment, and what happens then?” Scott said. “What we are talking about is a statewide mental health hospital system. Absent a more comprehensive plan, we aren’t going to make any progress.”

Calling off session ‘not an option,’ governor says

Lujan Grisham said lawmakers needed the special session to add to public safety legislation passed during the regular 30-day session, arguing it would allow lawmakers to approve bills to make the state “safer.”

“The special session in July will enable us to deliver additional statutory changes that reduce the danger and risk New Mexico communities face every day,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “The best proposals for making our state safer will be under consideration, and I welcome input from my colleagues in the legislature.”

Press Secretary Michael Coleman said Tuesday New Mexico’s criminal justice system was in need of the reforms proposed by the governor. He said the governor also asked lawmakers to pass legislation that would increase penalties for convicted felons possessing guns.

Coleman said the median safety bill would address New Mexico’s status as having the highest rate of pedestrian deaths in the U.S., and another proposal would call on law enforcement to collect better crime data to inform state-wide strategies.

“While the governor appreciates input from mental health and social justice advocates, calling off the special session and doing nothing is not an option,” Coleman said. “The status quo is not working in New Mexico, and every day that the root causes of crime and other public safety challenges go unaddressed is another day that New Mexicans are placed at risk.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 734-972-6855, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Source link

New Mexico

Route 66 stamps will make their debut later this year

Published

1 hour ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Route 66 stamps will make their debut later this year

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The U.S. Postal Service is commemorating the centennial anniversary of Route 66 with a set of eight stamps.

The stamps feature eight different photographs from each state that Route 66 runs through. For New Mexico, a photo shows a old Grants Cafe sign.

Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps and stamp pane using existing photographs by David J. Schwartz.

The stamps will make their debut at the National Postal Forum, also known as the NPF, at the Phoenix Convention Center on May 5. The event will be free and open to the public.

Route 66 was established on Nov. 11, 1926. It originally stretched about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Dubbed “The Mother Road” by author John Steinbeck, Route 66 became a national symbol of freedom and adventure.

News of the stamps is being shared online with the hashtag #Route66Stamps.

Lowrider stamps

In another nod to local car culture, the USPS will begin issuing its Lowrider Forever stamps in sheets of 15 beginning Friday.

Source link

New Mexico

Federal court orders New Mexico prison officials to allow magazine’s delivery

Published

13 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Federal court orders New Mexico prison officials to allow magazine’s delivery

State

Zip Code

Country

Source link

New Mexico

Tanya Tucker to perform at New Mexico State Fair

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Tanya Tucker to perform at New Mexico State Fair

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Tanya Tucker will perform at the 2026 New Mexico State Fair, officials announced Tuesday.

Tucker will take to the stage Friday, Sept. 18, after the Chevron PRCA rodeo. The Grammy Award-winning icon has racked up 10 No. 1 country hits since her first hit, “Delta Dawn,” at age 13.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring the legendary Tanya Tucker to the New Mexico State Fair,” said Dan Mourning, general manager of the New Mexico State Fair. “Tanya is one of the greatest icons in country music history and is the perfect fit for the Fair.”

Tucker has 23 Top-40 albums and 56 Top 40 singles on the Billboard country music charts. She has won two Country Music Association awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, three CMT Awards and two Grammys for Best Country Album and Best Country Song.

Tickets are set to go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m.

Here is the full 2026 New Mexico State Fair rodeo-concert lineup:

Friday, Sept. 11

Turnpike Troubadours with Chevron PRCA Xtreme Bulls

Saturday, Sept. 12

Ian Munsick with Chevron PRCA Xtreme Bulls

Wednesday, Sept. 16

Chevron PRCA Standalone Rodeo

Thursday, Sept. 17

Everclear with Chevron PRCA Rodeo

Friday, Sept. 18

Tanya Tucker with Chevron PRCA Rodeo