Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks to people assembled in the Rotunda at the state Capitol in honor of Women’s History Month Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham speaks to people assembled in the Rotunda at the state Capitol in honor of Women’s History Month Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican Staff:
State’s court highest upholds most of governor’s emergency orders on guns, drug use: The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday ruled Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s emergency orders on gun violence and drug abuse were largely permissible under state law.
The governor declared public health emergencies in September 2023, restricting carrying firearms in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County; requiring testing of public school wastewater to detect illegal drugs; and suspending the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, a program designed to help lower-risk youth avoid juvenile incarceration by allowing them to await trial at home.
The court determined the governor’s actions did not violate the separation of powers doctrine but that her suspension of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative was improper because the emergency failed to establish how suspending alternatives to juvenile detention were related to reducing gun violence or drug abuse.
The public health directives were in effect for more than a year but expired in October 2024, although the scope of the gun restrictions was limited by a federal court not long after the order was issued. The state court’s decision provides “important clarity” on how the executive should respond to “serious threats to public safety and health,” Michael Coleman, a spokesperson for Lujan Grisham, said in a statement.
“We appreciate the Court’s thorough consideration of these important constitutional questions, and we remain focused on building safer, healthier communities across New Mexico,” Coleman said.
The Republican Party of New Mexico, Republican legislators and gun rights advocates, who filed the suit in September 2023, framed Lujan Grisham’s behavior as “unconstitutional overreach” and slammed the court’s decision as setting “a dangerous precedent”.
“Democrats have shown their hand. They’ll keep expanding executive power, eroding your liberties, ignoring the Constitution, and they’ll go even further than Lujan Grisham if we let them,” state GOP Chairwoman Amy Barela said in a statement. “Republicans are your shield against this tyranny.”
The majority opinion argues the governor’s orders were consistent with the Public Health Emergency Response Act’s broad definition of public health emergency. Justice C. Shannon Bacon wrote that definition applies to public health emergencies that are either “happening currently or happening soon”.
“The Legislature meant to delegate considerable authority and discretion to the executive branch to declare a public health emergency,” the majority opined.
Justices Michael Vigil and Briana Zamora each wrote dissenting opinions.
“Extraordinary powers are given to the Governor to be exercised in extraordinary circumstances,” Vigil wrote. “… The majority opinion sets the bar far below what the Legislature requires for the exercise of those extraordinary powers.”
Women in power: Lujan Grisham addressed advocates for the New Mexico Historic Women Marker Program during a Thursday afternoon news conference at the Roundhouse in honor of Women’s History Month.
Lujan Grisham praised the organization, which has established more than 100 markers honoring women who made history in New Mexico throughout the state, for its work. She joked she might get in trouble for saying it but encouraged the group to keep asking for more money and support from the Legislature.
Lujan Grisham also appeared to criticize the Trump administration for efforts to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, noting New Mexico continues to stand up for equality, “including reproductive freedoms.”
“Erasing history has become a constant threat of too many folks who were elected at the national level,” she said.
While she described New Mexico as a leader when it comes to having women in power, the governor said more work needs to be done and asked the audience to hold her and her Cabinet accountable “in the context of what we stand to lose” if the state does not continue to protect women’s rights.
Vehicle choice bill tabled: Lawmakers hit the brakes on a bill to bar state and local governments from enforcing rules to limit the delivery, sale or use of vehicles, particularly those that take gas.
House Bill 270, which also would have prohibited government entities from enforcing rules mandating car dealers and others have specified percentages of vehicles delivered or sold based on their energy source, was tabled by the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday.
The panel voted 6-4 along party lines, with Republicans against tabling the bill.
HB 270 was a response to the state’s new motor vehicle emissions standards, which call for manufacturers to deliver more zero- or low-emission vehicles each year. By the 2031-2032 calendar year, 82% of light-duty cars and trucks should be electric vehicles or plug-in electric hybrids.
“This is about choice. This bill is not about electric vehicles,” said Rep. Gail Armstrong, R-Magdalena, one of the sponsors. “… The government is trying to tell New Mexicans what vehicles they should be driving.”
Rep. Meredith Dixon, D-Albuquerque, acknowledged electric vehicles may not be for everyone right now. However, she said the state’s motor vehicle emission standards were important to addressing larger climate issues.
“I think the climate crisis is a very unique situation,” Dixon said. “And I have certainly advocated for policies that allow the government to impact [that] directly, and I think that this is a policy that does that.”
Honoring Bill Richardson: Former Gov. Bill Richardson, a giant in New Mexico politics — and really, around the world — will be honored Friday in the state Senate.
Richardson, who died unexpectedly in September 2023 at age 75, served as governor from 2003 to 2011.
Sen. Joe Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, is sponsoring a certificate of condolence in memory of Richardson, who not only served as governor but as a congressman, U.S. energy secretary and U.N. ambassador.
“I think we’re going to have Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, along with [his widow] Barbara Richardson and the Richardson family,” Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said Thursday. “That’ll be a big, big thing for us and the family.”
Quotes of the day: “The good thing is, we get to keep the trophies for another year.” —Rep.Raymundo Lara, D-Chamberino, after announcing the cancellation of Thursday’s House versus Senate Hoops4Hope charity basketball game, which was canceled due to weather. He framed it as a “win by default” for the House, which won last year’s game.
“I think that the House was worried about the game tonight, and they called in some markers from [Public Service Company of New Mexico] to make up some story about that the winds were going to be too high to play a basketball game indoors. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. … That’s my theory, and I’m sticking to it.” —Sen. Bill Soules, D-Las Cruces.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sits in the front row before speaking in the Rotunda at the state Capitol in honor of Women’s History Month Thursday, March 6, 2025. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
