While proclaiming this the most successful legislative session in the state’s history, Gov. Bill Richardson announced less than an hour after its end that he will call lawmakers back to Santa Fe on Tuesday for a special session that will deal with a number of issues, including ethics reform.
“I want to do what’s right, and we’re on a roll, so let’s continue,”
The Legislature approved a gift ban and amendments to the Governmental Conduct Act, but on a vote of 21-20 the Senate killed a proposal to limit campaign contributions minutes before the end of the session. In addition to that proposal,
And, he said, he might add a couple more items to the list before the Legislature convenes at noon on Tuesday.
The road bill includes $25 million to create a highway from Interstate 25 to Spaceport America.
“Voters in Southern New Mexico want assurances that the state is keeping its commitment to build a road to the spaceport,”
A collective, exhausted, sigh
At the news conference, officials didn’t sound too happy about the special session, but pledged to work with
“I look forward to it. I think I look forward to the special session. Let me say that with a little more gusto,” Lt. Gov. Diane Denish said, before repeating herself with more enthusiasm.
A number of lawmakers are leaving the state or country this afternoon. House Minority Whip Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, said lawmakers are exhausted following the 60-day session and many plan “some serious R and R.”
“It’s probably not the best timing in the world,” he said. “I’m pretty tired.”
No one wanted to predict how long the special session will last.
“My hope is it will be just a few days,”
Matt Brix, executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, said in an interview that he believes the public will be disappointed by Legislature’s failure to act on many ethics reform proposals. He said the special session “is a very good thing.”
“We barely took a baby step,” he said about the ethics reforms approved during the regular session.
All agree session was productive
Regardless of what’s left to be done, a bipartisan group of lawmakers agreed with
Taylor and Minority Whip Dan Foley, R-Roswell, also spoke with pride about the housing authority overhaul. Their work to keep the proposal alive was critical to the compromise.
That was one of several issues on which House Republicans exhibited incredible organization and cohesiveness that allowed them to play a key role in many issues this year.
“Without question, the biggest accomplishment for us was to get our caucus together,”
Foley agreed.
“No one doubted that we have the ability to put up a fight,” he said. “Now we’ve shown them that we have the ability to work together.”
Speaker of the House Ben Lujan and others said that aided negotiations on the housing overhaul and a number of other issues.
“I agree that we have accomplished the most ever,” he said. “It hasn’t been easy. We’ve had our share of challenges and differences. … We prevailed by working together.”
Senate President Pro Tem Ben Altamirano,
“I was very happy about what happened this session,” he said.
Signs that all is not well?
While about a dozen House members attended the governor’s news conference, Altamirano was the only senator who was present. He made reference to not knowing about it in time to make an announcement before the Senate adjourned, but the absence of senators was even noted by Denish in her remarks. It raised the question: Did Richardson not invite senators because he was upset that they failed to approve many of the initiatives he wants in the special session, or did they stay away because they don’t support the special session?
Or was their absence only a sign that they are tired and didn’t want to stick around?
“There seemed to be some senators who didn’t want to take a vote on (the road bill),”
He also expressed disappointment in the Senate for not approving more ethics reforms.
Will gestures of goodwill pay off?
Several lawmakers, most notably Taylor and Foley, noted that Richardson and his staff were easier to work with this session. Several mentioned the fact that
“I wanted to create goodwill, and capital outlay is very important to legislators,”
Taylor said that, in light of Richardson’s presidential run, “it was evident that he was focusing on issues this year” and paying less attention to capital outlay, and said that made it easier to deal with Richardson.
“That changes the tone,”
In the House, many Republicans voted to approve a number of the ethics reform proposals. It was in the Senate that a bipartisan group of lawmakers stalled them.
Brix said ethics reform is necessary not necessarily because there is rampant corruption, but because “the public wants it and because it’s the right thing to do.”
“There is support for ethics reform around the state,” he said.