Gov. Susana Martinez
Out of 284 bills that require action by Gov. Susana Martinez from the legislative session that ended Saturday, approximately 80 have made it to her desk.
Martinez has 20 days from the last day of the session to act on the bills. So far, she’s signed nine and vetoed one.
Among the bills that hasn’t yet made it to the governor’s desk is the big one – the state appropriations act.
The bills that still haven’t made it to the governor’s office for consideration are in various stages of being enrolled and engrossed – a sometimes lengthy process that includes proofreading. Others are awaiting signatures that are required before they head to the governor.
For example, Lt. Gov. John Sanchez is in Washington, D.C. today attending a meeting of the National Lieutenant Governor’s Association and talking with media about his potential U.S. Senate campaign. Sanchez spokesman Mark Van Dyke said the lieutenant governor signed 15 bills that were ready for his signature Wednesday afternoon before he left the state.
As of 1 p.m. today, 37 bills were waiting for Sanchez’s signature before they could be sent to the governor. Van Dyke said Sanchez will sign those and any others that are ready for him when he returns Friday.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez said legislative staffers are planning to work Saturday and hoping to get all bills to the governor by Wednesday.