Special session gets underway

The special session of the Legislature that Gov. Bill Richardson called for several issues including health-care reform and tax relief is underway.

The Senate convened briefly today before taking a break, but senators plan to return at 2:30 p.m. According to The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Kate Nash, Majority Leader Michael Sanchez said on the floor that the Senate also plans to work on Saturday. The House is in recess but might return to work around 3 p.m., the New Mexico Independent is reporting.

There apparently aren’t the votes in the Senate to defy the governor and adjourn sine die, so expect something to happen this session. But expect it to happen quickly. There are a lot of events around New Mexico in the coming days that many lawmakers want to attend.

• Hillary Clinton will be in Española on Sunday.

• Barack Obama will be in New Mexico on Monday.

• The Domenici Public Policy Conference will be held Wednesday through Friday at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces and will bring together a host of state and national elected officials.

• The Democrats’ presidential nominating convention starts Aug. 25 in Denver.

Richardson released his formal agenda for the session today. Here it is:

Health-care reform
• Reform insurance by requiring providers to hold down rising rates, ensure that premiums go toward health care and cover 50,000 uninsured children.
• Cut bureaucracy and eliminate waste by replacing multiple boards with a new Health Care Benefits Administration.
• Guarantee patient privacy by putting in place new standards to assure that medical records become electronic and remain private.

Tax relief
• Cost-of-living tax rebate: $120 million
• Working-families tax credit: $7.8 million
• Tax holiday for the holidays: $2.5 million
• Increase child care assistance eligibility: $13.2 million
• Home heating assistance: $4 million
• Weatherization funding: $2 million
• School bus fuel assistance: $3.2 million

Richardson also wants to spend $200 million on completing outstanding highway projects (with $50 million of that subject to available funding later in the year and next year), $3.6 million on bridge and road repair following recent flooding in Ruidoso, and $1.6 million to cover anticipated additional costs stemming from the November general election.

Many lawmakers remain skeptical that there’s money to do any of it. Stay tuned.

By the way, the libertarian-leaning Rio Grande Foundation has unveiled a new Web site to help the public track bills and the votes of lawmakers. Check it out by clicking here.

Update, 8:45 p.m.

The Senate is scheduled to be back at work Saturday at 10 a.m. The House is scheduled to return at 11 a.m. Tonight lawmakers are at a reception hosted by the governor.