Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler, left, and New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard take a moment to chat during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session Tuesday in House Chambers at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dist. 5 Sen. Leo Jaramillo-D, Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and Santa Fe greets colleagues as he enters House Chambers for the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session Tuesday at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Former United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland at the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session Tuesday in House Chambers at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse OIiver delivers the Oath of Office to newly re-elected House Speaker Javier Martinez at the start of opening day at the 2025 Legislative Session Tuesday at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Speaker of the House Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, jokes with House members following his re-election Tuesday at the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Lt. Gov. Howie Morales enters House Chambers for the opening Tuesday of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham commended Morales, at the start of her State of the State Address, calling him ‘The best Lieutenant Governor in the nation’. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, right of center, greets attendees as she enters the House Chamber Tuesday to deliver her 2025 State of the State Address. Her husband Manny is standing behind her. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

At center Dist. 40 Rep. Joseph Sanchez-D, Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel and Taos, mingles with guests and colleagues Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, left, chats with Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler, resting against her desk, chats with Los Alamos Daily Post Publisher Carol A. Clark and Santa Fe New Mexican Publisher Patrick Dorsey during a break in proceedings Tuesday at the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session in House Chambers at the Roundhouse. Courtesy photo

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller Tuesday at the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session in House Chambers at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

View of a packed House Chambers Tuesday at the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

American Federation of Teachers-New Mexico President Whitney Holland and AFT-NM State Affiliate Political Organizer John Dyrcz at the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session Tuesday at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dist. 41 Rep. Susan Herrera-D, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Taos, left, chats with Dist. 46 Rep. Andrea Romero-D, Santa Fe County, Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Presentation of Colors Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session in House Chambers at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler-D, Los Alamos, Sandoval and Santa Fe, takes the oath of office Tuesday during the opening of the 2025 Legislative Session at the Roundhouse. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

Several of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s specific proposals for the 60-Day Session that she shared in her 2025 State of the State Address Tuesday include: 

Public safety: 

• Updates to criminal competency laws to ensure individuals repeatedly cycling through New Mexico’s courts receive treatment instead of being released. 
• Stronger penalties for convicted felons in possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime. 

Housing and homelessness: 

• Establishing a state Office of Housing supported with funding and expertise.  
• $50 million in development subsidies to build houses for people who are priced out—making homebuying more affordable in New Mexico. 
• $50 million to fight homelessness with dedicated services that lift individuals up and help them become stable, productive members of society. 

Climate and energy: 

• Updates to the Oil and Gas Act. 
• Establishing a state-sponsored fire insurance program outside the private market to protect families and their homes – and to help make people whole when tragedy strikes. 
• A strategic water supply for clean energy projects, advanced manufacturing, and even putting out wildfires. 

Economic development: 

• Providing $20 million to assist in expanding or relocating qualified business entities that are stimulating economic development and producing public benefit. 

Health care, behavioral health & child well-being: 

• Establishing an independent Child Protection Authority, jointly appointed by the legislature and the executive, that ensures CYFD adequately resolves all complaints from families and foster parents.
  
• Moving the responsibility for CARA—the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that helps pregnant mothers and newborns affected by substance abuse—to the Department of Health. 
• Investing an additional $50 million in the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund and $100 million in behavioral health expansion. 
• Establishing a state-sponsored medical malpractice program. 

Education: 

• Making the new Office of Special Education permanent in law—establishing consistent statewide standards for all K-12 special education students. 
• Establishing a $50 million annual investment in the Indian Education Fund. 
• Creating a comprehensive math and STEM program to match our strides in literacy.