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

New Mexico Environment Department to hold hearings on Project Jupiter air quality

Published

7 hours ago

March 26, 2026

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New Mexico Environment Department to hold hearings on Project Jupiter air quality

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New Mexico

UNM plans to build new gates along Central

Published

19 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

UNM plans to build new gates along Central

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico plans to build new gates at four campus entrances along Central that will close nightly.

The gates will replace manual barriers in a project expected to cost about $1.5 million.

The Board of Regents approved the security upgrades for the UNM campus.

University officials said the gates will automatically close nightly from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The gates will go in near Princeton Drive, Stanford Drive, Yale Boulevard and Terrace Street on the south end of campus.

A current rendering shows the gate completely blocking the road. Officials said the change will reduce unauthorized traffic and allow police officers to focus more effectively on prevention and response.

Construction will start in May. University officials hope to finish the project by September.

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New Mexico

9-year-old who pleaded to go to spelling bee is released from ICE detention

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

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9-year-old who pleaded to go to spelling bee is released from ICE detention

A 9-year-old boy who begged to be released from an immigration detention center so he could attend his state spelling bee has been freed with his family, their lawyer said Wednesday.

Deiver Henao Jimenez made the plea during a video call this month with children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso.

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Deiver said on the call, which was later shared on Accurso’s social media pages. “Nothing is good here.”

He and his parents, asylum-seekers from Colombia, had been held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas since early March, when they were detained during a routine immigration check-in in New Mexico, according to their lawyer, Corey Sullivan Martin.

ICE freed the family on humanitarian parole Wednesday, about a week after Martin filed a request for their release and days after NBC News reported on their case.

Deiver Henao Jimenez finished third in a Spanish spelling bee organized by Las Cruces, N.M., Public Schools.Las Cruces Public Schools

His elementary school principal wrote a letter in mid-March supporting the family’s release, which was later delivered to immigration officials, describing Deiver as “a dedicated student with excellent attendance and high marks.”

Sullivan Martin said Deiver is eager to return to school, rejoin his gifted and talented classes and get back to practicing his spelling words.

“I don’t see how it was necessary at all to detain a child who was doing exactly what we want children to do,” Sullivan Martin said.

The family planned to return to New Mexico, she said, where they will continue checking in with immigration officials while their case proceeds.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Deiver was released a day after ICE freed another child whose case drew widespread attention following a video call with Accurso. Gael, a 5-year-old boy with developmental disabilities, had experienced worsening medical issues while he was detained at Dilley, his parents said.

The facility has faced growing scrutiny from immigration lawyers and advocates, who say children there have struggled to access adequate medical care and education in an environment where lights remain on around the clock and officers stand guard. Some families have described poor food and long waits for medical attention.

DHS has disputed those accounts, saying families are provided appropriate care in a facility designed for their needs.

After her video meetings with the children, Accurso — known for her signature pink headband and singsong delivery — called for Dilley to be shut down and for families to be returned to their communities.

During their conversation, Deiver told Accurso he missed his friends and said the food at Dilley made his stomach hurt. But he was most worried about getting out in time to compete in New Mexico’s state spelling bee in May after he earned a spot by placing third at a regional competition.

“We’re trying to get a child out of a jail to do a spelling bee,” Accurso said last week. “I just never thought those words would go together.”

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