SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico’s 54th Legislature is meeting for the third time this year, this special session of the legislature will be specific to relief from the pandemic.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a proclamation to have a special session on Monday, “The simple fact is New Mexicans need the absolute maximum support that government can provide right now… We can do a lot of good when we work to gether and when our priorities align. In this moment of crisis, we will, and we must forge ahead together for the good of the people of our great state.”
The governor’s plan moves around millions of dollars, but it may not hurt the state as most of the allocated money in this package comes from the $1.25 billion granted to New Mexico from the federal government. This money, if not spent or allocated by the state, will be returned to the US Treasury.
“The reason this special session is so urgent is we need to get this money out to people who need it, lest it revert to the federal government,” Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives Brian Egolf (D, Santa Fe) said in a briefing to the press.
COVID-relief
The plan opens $194 million to give $1,200 in additional unemployment benefits for up to 160,000 unemployed New Mexicans.
$100 million would be appropriated to create grants for small businesses across New Mexico.
$15 million would be appropriated to help New Mexicans meet their rent or mortgage payments.
The bill allocates $10 million to the New Mexico Department of Health to help pay for the vaccine distribution and additional contact tracing.
Much like the federal government did, the bill would give $750 to households that are considered “low-income” or “gig-economy” households. This is for households that did not receive a federal stimulus check earlier in the year.
Lastly, $200,000 will be allocated for the court system as they take on addi tional work due to the health orders.
Speaker Egolf explained that he hopes this legislation can be passed in a single day, since the Democrats hold not only a majority in both chambers of the legislature, but also a perfect trifecta of state government, meaning that they have a majority in all branches of government.
Second special session
This is the second special session of the legislature this year, Governor Lujan Grisham said that she called this session to order after the most recent Public Health Order which closes non-essential businesses to help provide assistant to those New Mexicans who might suffer under the order.
The governor had called the legislature back to Santa Fe in June, where they allocated the federal money that came from the CARES Act passed by congress.
To watch this second special session of the legislature, go to https://www.nmlegis.gov/ and click on “webcast.”