Our wrap on the '25 state legislative session was bumped earlier this week because of our coverage of the mass shooting in Las Cruces. Here's that report.

It was finally a legislative session steeped more in the everyday realities of the state.

The behavioral health bill, the tax code revision that eliminated the state income tax for minimum wage workers and beefier oversight for the troubled CYFD all address deep-seated ailments. The outlier was crime legislation where only relatively minor bills passed.

The behavioral health revamp has been delayed ever since it was wrecked by false allegations of fraud from Gov. Martinez. The approved bill--after a too long delay--begins to put the state back in the game as drug and alcohol addiction, suicides, domestic abuse, homelessness and crime continue at high rates. The bill was a bipartisan recognition of the crisis.

At the start of the session House Speaker Martinez pledged a cut to state income taxes for those on the lower rungs, accurately reading the results of the November election and also seeing the unfairness of billions of dollars piling up with taxes still being needlessly collected on over 100,000 New Mexicans. The bill could have gone much further by broadening the cuts with little fear of the state running out of money. But the compromise does move the state toward more tax relief in a time of massive oil surpluses and the rising cost of living.

An outright elimination of the personal income tax for households and individuals making less than $45,000 a year would give better definition to the party's message as well as reconcile the state's immense reserve funds--now $62 billion and growing--with a declining or stagnant standard of living for a large swath of the state's workforce.

The Legislature could have taken the wrecking ball to the troubled Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) but the political will was not there. Instead they passed a long-sought Child Advocate bill that will provide more oversight of the agency scandalized by horrific child abuse cases and incompetence. The Advocate, placed in the AG's office, will only see the results of the department's mistakes. Avoiding them will take more work to change the CYFD culture. (The Governor was none too happy about the encroachment on the executive branch but did sign the bill.)

OTHER ACTION

On the political front, there was the surprising approval of the open primaries bill that will permit 330,000 independent voters to participate in primary elections conducted by the Democrats and Republicans. When it comes to voting, the more the merrier. This change could generate more interest in state governance. Shout out to former state Rep. Bob Perls who labored for years to get it across the finish line

A major reform of the state's Game and Fish Department (soon to be the the Department of Wildlife) made it to the Governor. Proponents said they could live with her veto of a provision dealing with appointment of Game and Fish commissioners because of the other major changes approved.  

NOTABLE DEFEAT

A notable defeat of the session was the paid family and medical leave bill that was a bridge too far for moderate lawmakers. Everyone thought the defeat of several moderate House Democrats at last year's election would finally pave the way for the measure. It as a small but needed win for the small business community. A satisfactory solution has been found in other states so it's back to the drawing board to find one that fits here. 

DEFICIENCY ADDRESSED

One deficiency that has been more than fully addressed in this and other recent sessions is early childhood funding. Now the onus is on state government to see that money effectively deployed and demonstrable progress achieved. You could say the same about the planned rejuvenation of behavioral health. 

CRIME BILLS AND CRUCES

For those rejecting the session as a failure because it did not produce major breakthroughs on crime bills, keep in mind that addressing the holes in behavioral health and early childhood needs is fighting crime. 

And it's not all about repeat offenders. It's also about interrupting the creation of new criminals. The abhorrent murder by automobile of an ABQ bicyclist allegedly by three youngsters--one only 11--and the mass shooting at a public park in Las Cruces Friday night that claimed the lives of three and wounded many more is a bleak reminder of that. 

The Governor said in the aftermath of the Las Cruces shootings the Legislature "should expect" another special legislative session focused on crime. The one she called last year ended in failure. She declared:

The reluctance to have even one productive debate on reducing juvenile crime is shameful,When New Mexicans are demanding action, and we're seeing tragedies like what happened in Las Cruces, policy makers must respond with urgency and resolve.” 

Legislative leaders Wirth and Martinez disagreed with MLG's call for yet another special session, with Wirth indicating that unless legislation was agreed to before such a session, it will again end in failure. 

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Garcia Richard

The spring winds are kicking up and the legislative session is over, reliable signs encouraging next year's political hopefuls to come out of hibernation. 

The latest to emerge is State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard who announced for the '26 Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and made no secret that she sees the office as a stepping stone to becoming Governor:

I do have designs on (being) governor some day, but right now it seems the best path forward for me, and the next logical step, would be as lieutenant governor.

Unfortunately for her, the office of lieutenant governor has been a hindrance to winning the top job.

In the 1990's under Gov. Bruce King, it was Lt. Gov. Casey Luna trying and failing to become Governor. He was followed by Republican Lt. Gov. Walter Bradely under Gov. Gary Johnson. He also failed to win his party's nomination for governor.

In this century Lt. Governor Diane Denish under Gov. Bill Richardson sought the Dem Guv nod and won  but lost that 2010 election to Republican Susana Martinez. 

Under Gov. Martinez, Lt. Gov, John Sanchez did not try to succeed her but in 2012 he did briefly run for an open US Senate seat only to lose.

Before Garcia Richard is inhibited by that history, she must first win the office that has proved so luckless to those with higher ambitions.

Her candidacy may have been better off if Sen. Martin Heinrich had decided to go for Governor. Garcia Richard would have balanced the ticket by gender and ethnicity.

That would also be the case if BernCo District Attorney Sam Bregman, who is busy making plans to run for Governor, captures the Dem nomination. But the front-runner for the '26 nomination is former Sec. of Interior Deb Haaland who, like Garcia Richard, is a woman of color. Haaland and Garcia Richard would be two very woke progressives running together.

For now, Garcia Richard remains the sole candidate for the #2 spot. After two successful statewide elections for Land Commissioner, her chances of victory seem reasonable. 

OTHER NAMES

Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima says he is looking at running for Governor but he might want to take a look at lieutenant governor since he would provide a good balance for either Haaland or Bregman. (Mostly for Haaland since Miyagishima leans to the moderate side like Bregman.)

As for Howie Morales, the current Lt. Governor, he is not expected to seek the governorship but as we reported in February he is hoping to become the next president of Western New Mexico University. 

Maybe someday Howie could run for Governor from that position. History says his chances would be better making a bid from there than as lieutenant governor.

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John Ortega, mayor of the Village of Questa in northern New Mexico, writes of police understaffing issues that the Las Cruces police chief said played a part in that shooting spree:

Joe, My first priority after being elected in 2022 was to bring back the Questa Police Department, that my predecessor let go of. It took a year to hire a Chief and four officers, but we were able to do it. Even at only five officers in Questa, it has been a struggle to maintain that staffing level. I would venture to say that there a very few if any Law Enforcement agencies in the state that are not struggling with staffing. We are all always in a bidding war to see who can pay a higher wage to keep our certified officers and attract others as well. Questa is a small municipality, but a Chief and five officers is still not enough with the crime that is going on. We do not have the budget in our small municipality to hire additional officers. I would love to have additional officers and the means to pay them to stay long term and I believe all Mayors in the state feel the same way, it's just been extremely difficult. 

Michael Hays of Las Cruces writes: 

Joe, LCPD Chief Story is whining. Many police departments are understaffed. At the same time, they have data which shows “hot spots." The problem of understaffing is addressed by the prioritization in the allocation of resources. I am sure that the LCPD and Story know that Young Park is one “hot spot.” He should have had one or two police cars present at or cruising around Young Park and able to call in additional cars if needed. The LCPD needs a leader who understands how to manage the personnel and technical  resources available. 

State Senator and Judiciary Committee Chairman Joseph Cervantes of Las Cruces writes:  

Critics have misrepresented what I've said about crime. I've never said crime is an Albuquerque only issue. What I've actually said is Albuquerque crime requires Albuquerque solutions. And requires leadership there. I've met repeatedly with Las Cruces Chief Story and he now gets it after being used as a prop in the past. His candor should be praised and is a step in the right direction toward real progress. To his credit Chief Story attended the Governor's Town Hall, but then came to mine which followed. He now understands why the Legislature is not going to pass the unconstitutional laws touted by uninformed and short sighted critics. And he now understands the crime crisis is not the result of an absence of laws.  

I don't know of a single legislator from Albuquerque who has condemned the DWI corruption ring, which now extends beyond APD to BCSO and State Police. Probably the worst police corruption scandal since days of Al Capone ad Chicago.  

ABQ reader Ron Nelson writes: 

Joe, I’d like to see your research that backs up this statement that you made Monday

“ The people of New Mexico do not have "blatant disregard" for the rule of law and order. Over 99 percent of them obey the law each and every day.” 

Granted, there are many that don’t go out and commit serious crimes - but look at how many laws are broken by the drivers in this community, and get yourself a ring camera, and personally observe the petty larcenies that neighbors commit against each other

Larry Gioannini of Las Cruces writes:  

Joe, you did a good job of identifying the proximate causes of the tragic shooting and deaths in Las Cruces. But unmentioned was the root cause: Americans' uncritical acceptance of the universal availablility of firearms of all types, including military-style weapons, to the entire population. The context justifying the Second Amendment disappeared at least a hundred years ago. 

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Here it is as relayed by Las Cruces Chief of Police Chief Jeremy Story at a Saturday news conference:

In a perfect world where I had 220 police officers like I’m supposed to, it probably would have been different last night, but I had no units available for most of the night prior to the shooting.

The obvious point being that if LCPD was adequately staffed (and managed) there would have been a good chance that the bloodshed at Young Park that shocked the state and nation could have been avoided.

Even as the Governor melodramatically calls for yet another special legislative session on crime and  in particular juvenile crime, she nor legislators in the now concluded 60 day session discussed the staffing and management of the state's largest police departments. In fact, there was very little mention of even the historic DWI bribery scandal engulfing the ABQ police department.

A tough on crime package alone is not going to inhibit crime if our police agencies do not have an adequate presence which they don't and which has been the case in ABQ and Las Cruces for some time.

One state legislator, freshman Dem Rep. Sarah Silva, is one of the few to get that following the Las Cruces violence.

Rep. Silva

Last summer my family and I attended a concert in that park. After the concert, we saw the same type of gathering. People were doing donuts in the parking lot. . . It was not a situation police or our community should stand for. I have questions about why the Las Cruces Police Department has allowed these large, unmonitored gatherings. . .at Young Park where people are driving dangerously. I believe police have the tools to break up or at least monitor these un-sanctioned gatherings — perhaps if that had happened we would not be mourning this tragedy. I’m pretty upset about it.

She should be. Tough crime laws aren't going to do the jobs of our police agencies. Local officials must step up and provide policing that is present and felt in the community and that inhibits lawbreaking. Longtime APD watchdog Dan Klein says:

LCPD and APD need state audits to analyze their staffing and management to determine if they are correctly staffing their field patrol units and not wasting money on fluff. That the LCPD Chief admits that proper staffing would probably have prevented this tragedy is the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Indeed. So why does the city of Rio Rancho, the state's third largest, not have the staffing issues of LCPD and APD. More from Klein:

That mayor, city council and police chief there have made uniformed patrols the top priority. That is staffed before anything else. That's why they don't have the lunacy we are seeing in other cities. Police departments statewide need to have a clear understanding that the number one priority is staffing uniformed patrols with enough officers to always quickly respond to a 911 call with a well-trained officer.

BASHING CERVANTES

Las Cruces state senator and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Cervantes was excoriated on the socials (and among some blog readers) following the mass shooting. They said he has bottled up tough on crime legislation and has wrongly stated that crime is an "Albuquerque problem." 

Okay, Las Cruces has a crime problem, too. But Cervantes' contention that the solution largely rests with local police departments and their political leadership still resonates. 

The Governor exclaims that Las Cruces has seen an alarming 46 percent increase in violent crime compared to last year. That leads back to the stone unturned--the management of our police departments. 

Why would crime soar by such levels now? Was there no officer shortage a year ago? No. As far back as 2021, the city was offering thousands of dollars in incentives to hire more cops to resolve a shortfall.

Mayor Eric Enriquez took over in 2024 after Ken Miyagishima finished 16 years at the helm. Does that have anything to do with the stunning crime increase? Chief Story took over in mid-2023. 

SONG AND A DANCE

We would be remiss to not discuss these comments made by the Chief at his news conference:

This horrendous, senseless act is a stark reminder of the blatant disregard  people in New Mexico have for the rule of law and order. It's also a reminder of the utter lack of fear and accountability in New Mexico. As angry as I am. . .this news conference will not be political. There will come a time to talk about the failures that led to this tragedy and so many others in New Mexico. . .

What a song and dance act. Did Chief Story get lessons from APD Chief Medina?

The people of New Mexico do not have "blatant disregard" for the rule of law and order. Over 99 percent of them obey the law each and every day. 

After noting the lack of fear and accountability among the criminal class, the Chief goes into finger-pointing mode, saying there will "come a time to talk about the failures that led to this tragedy." Does that include possible failures of the Chief, his department and the political leadership of the city of Las Cruces? 

His statement doesn't indicate that the lack of introspection among our exceptionally well-funded police agencies is about to dissipate which is precisely the problem when it comes to the state confronting the crime crisis in totality. The focus is entirely on crime and punishment and hardly any on the mechanics and effectiveness of the actual crime-fighting.

It would be an honor to the memories of those murdered Friday night if that deficient and harmful narrative is reversed and that all those responsible for the public's safety are held accountable for the jobs they are performing.