Legislature 2025 is Now History
The results are in, and it’s a decidedly mixed bag. This time, I give the legislature a B, and the Governor a D-.
Friday was the last day the Gov. had to sign or veto the 195 bills (out of about 1200) that passed the 2025 legislature. She vetoed 35, not counting pocket vetoes and the line-item vetoes she made on many bills, including the budget and capital outlay appropriations. It’s one of the largest percentages since Gov. Gary Johnson (a.k.a. Governor NO). Many of the vetoes (like the one that cut funding for oversight of CYFD) protect her departments’ independence or her own power (like the one to allow her to hire and fire Game and Fish Commissioners). Most maddening was her veto of a lobbyist transparency bill, which, as sponsor Rep. Sara Silva said ironically, would have allowed us to see which lobbyists were lobbying her against this bill!
Here's my tally of the Good, the Bad and the Unfinished.
The Good:
Health Care
The best part of the session was the speed at which both houses created a plan to reconfigure our failing behavioral health system and create a behavioral health fund to stimulate and organize services for people struggling with addictions and mental health. The package also included several crime bills—one deals with people too incompetent to stand trial. Another one increases penalties for fentanyl-related crimes. The bipartisan measures came after last year’s catastrophic special session on crime and were passed by mid-session. This is the way it’s supposed to work!
The legislature also created a Medicaid Trust fund to hedge against the looming loss of federal funds, which cover 2/3 of the cost of medical services to over 40% of our citizens.
Protections for Medical Providers, Women, Immigrants
More than most states, New Mexico protects its most vulnerable. Women can get abortions; trans people are treated like human beings and immigrants live in “immigrant-friendly” cities. But the long arm of the Trump administration is coming for them. Senate Bill 57 will protect the privacy of doctors and medical providers at UNM who may be called upon to perform abortions for out-of-state women and SB 36 prevents state employees from sharing sensitive information with anyone outside the agency (like ICE) who might come knocking in search of suspicious people.
Environment
A big win happened here thanks to the persistence of Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard and others who finally convinced lawmakers to increase royalty rates on prize oil and gas leases on state land to a reasonable rate (SB 23).
Other wins include a Strategic Water Supply (HB 137); protection against PFAS chemicals (HB 212); a Community Benefits Fund that will invest $210 million in clean energy projects and jobs (SB 48) and revamping the Game and Fish Department into the Wildlife Department (HB 5).
Good Government
•Open Primaries will allow registered independents (DTS) to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries. This bill will enfranchise thousands (many of them young people) who could not vote before in important elections where the winner is often decided. A long time coming!!!
•A constitutional amendment to end the “Pocket Veto” will be on the ballot in 2026. This time the Governor rejected 17 items passed by the legislature by simply failing to sign them, without explanation. Under the proposed amendment, an unsigned bill would become law, and the governor would be required to give reasons for all vetoes.
Guns
• Expansion of red flag warning law to allow law enforcement to require those who pose an imminent danger to relinquish their guns if they have been deemed by the courts, families or law enforcement too dangerous.
The Bad:
We are now experiencing a remarkable failure to address an undeniable NM crisis: the shortage of medical providers of all kinds. How long have YOU had to wait to get an appointment? This failure is due to continued conflict between trial lawyers and the doctors over malpractice insurance rates and attorneys’ fees. About ten other measures suggested by the Santa Fe nonprofit Think NM to allow interstate compacts, tax reductions, and more failed as well. Shameful.
SB 4, the Clear Horizons bill, sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart, would have established in law greenhouse gas emissions limits that would put us on pace for zero carbon emissions by 2050. Its defeat in the Senate Finance Committee by a few powerful Democrats was the biggest loss of the session.
For the third year in a row, taxes on alcohol escaped a long-overdue hike. HB 417, which brought together alcohol tax approaches in one bill, was turned down in the House Taxation Committee. Then, an overall tax package, which contained an alcohol tax increase, was vetoed by the Governor.
The Governor’s veto of $80 million appropriated to build affordable housing in Bernalillo County. The unified city-county plan depended on this funding, particularly in the wake of expensive cuts from Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The veto will have drastic implications, just as the city is beginning to make progress on the issue.
The Unfinished:
The lack of measures to address juvenile crime became glaringly obvious on the session’s last day when a mass shooting occurred in Las Cruces. The Governor has threatened to call another special session to deal with this and other crime measures.
The Medical Malpractice problem is an open wound and must be dealt with or the patients (i.e., us) will die.
Modernization measures to amend the constitution and provide a salary to NM’s volunteer legislators and lengthen the sessions failed once again. Although advocates saw their efforts to get staff for legislators bear fruit this year, we are still in the basement when it comes to having a professional and representative body.
CYFD continues to be a big problem for NM’s kids, and the Governor is resisting help and oversight from the legislature and now, the Attorney General. She vetoed the funding and other measures for CYFD oversight.
My biggest disappointment was the veto of the lobbyist disclosure bill I had been promoting to shine some light on the activities of professional lobbyists. Lobbyists outnumber legislators in Santa Fe, sometimes by as many as 10 to 1. This year, they spent about half a million to wine and dine legislators this session, to what end…nobody knows. Lobbying reform might happen next year, as the Governor’s message indicates that she will support a bill next session if some of the details are changed.
Save the Date.
Sunday May 4 4:00 p.m. A Root Beer Float Party to gather signatures and $5 contributions for Tim Keller for Mayor. It will be at my place, 1821 Meadow View Dr. NW. Come by to get some face time with the Mayor and support public financing! Bring a mug.
Bill O’Neill: Senate District 13 will miss his Door Knocking, Artistic Flair
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