NMiF previews upcoming legislative session

30-day session begins Jan. 21

This week on New Mexico in Focus, it’s a preview of the upcoming legislative session. Lawmakers are already at work in the Roundhouse, and the full Legislature returns Tuesday, Jan. 21, to begin the 30-day session.

Ahead of the State of the State address, NMiF Senior Producer Matt Grubs sits down with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a preview of what to expect when the governor delivers her official call to legislators for her second session as chief executive. The governor has already introduced a budget that will create a trust fund for early childhood development, and create a state department for the same purpose. But Lujan Grisham has different ideas than lawmakers about how much money the early childhood effort will take.

Gene Grant and The Line opinion panel delve into the governor’s plans to add their insights and informed opinions to the conversation. The group also gauges the mood at the Capitol as the Legislature arrives to another year with hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue, thanks to the oil boom in southeast New Mexico.

Correspondent Gwyneth Doland talks to members of the Capitol press corps for their views on what to watch for as the session begins. While the budget is the first priority in the “short” sessions for New Mexico, lawmakers will introduce hundreds of bills in the hope of getting approval from the governor to add their issue to the agenda. Among the controversial bills expected are a “red flag” law that would temporarily seize guns from suspected domestic abusers after a court hearing, and a measure to legalize recreational cannabis.

New Mexico in Focus is involved, informed, in-depth media airing weekly on New Mexico PBS. The program debuts Friday nights at 7 p.m. on NMPBS 5.1(KNME-HD) and appears online shortly thereafter. The show rebroadcasts on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME-HD) Sundays at 7 a.m. and on NMPBS 9.1 (WORLD) on Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.    

Studio Guests

  • Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
  • Dan Boyd, capitol bureau chief, Albuquerque Journal
  • Trip Jennings, executive director, New Mexico in Depth
  • Christian Marquez, digital editor, Searchlight New Mexico

Line Panelists

  • Martha Burk, political psychologist and women’s issues expert 
  • Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group PR
  • Serge Martinez, professor, UNM School of Law
  • Kristelle Siarza, Siarza Social Digital

Correspondents

  • Gwyneth Doland
  • Matt Grubs

Host

  • Gene Grant

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest.

NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and art issues, and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them context beyond the “news of the moment.”

The producer of New Mexico in Focus is Matt Grubs, with Kathy Wimmer, associate producer. The NM PBS Public Affairs executive producer is Kevin McDonald.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and viewers like you.

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