Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called a special legislative session on matters of public safety that is set to begin Thursday, July 18. Legislative leadership from her own party Monday announced they are not in agreement on the proposed legislation and are concerned the session could cause more harm than good.
House Speaker Javier Martinez said at a news conference that he and his colleagues agree with the governor that public safety is an urgent matter, but disagree that the proposed policies are what is needed.
“We have deep concerns about the potential impact these proposals will have on New Mexicans, especially the most vulnerable among us,” he said.
Those proposals include expanding who could be involuntarily committed to mental health facilities, increasing penalties for possessing a gun after being convicted of a felony, and criminalizing panhandling in some cases.
Martinez said, generally, special sessions are meant for emergencies with straightforward solutions. When proposals are as complex as those put forward, he said the session could drag on for “an indefinite number of days.”
“We do not want to do that,” he said. “It’s not a good use of taxpayer dollars. It is not a good use of time for any of us if there’s not a deal on the table.”
Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth also warned the session would not be productive without more vetting and agreement among lawmakers.
“Special sessions only work when the bills are cooked,” he said. “We have worked hard to try and find bipartisan consensus on the bills that were proposed. We’re just not there.”
Last week, 41 advocacy organizations urged the governor to call off the session for fear that the proposals could be detrimental. Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart said these kinds of “critical voices” have yet to be consulted.
“Moving forward hastily and without their support would be foolish,” she said.
Stewart stressed that lawmakers should continue to work on getting proposals ready for January’s regular session, rather than having to “unwind and repair” any damage done this month.
Martinez said it is “premature” to say how it will play out if the governor moves forward with this week’s special session as she has indicated, since it will depend on what legislation she officially calls for in the proclamation.
Source New Mexico contributed to this report.
