Sen. Wirth & Speaker Martinez

There's already some good news from the Roundhouse even as the first day of the 30 day legislative session is gaveled to order. After productive bargaining between the Governor, legislators, trial lawyers and doctors, those interstate compacts that aim to ease the state doctor shortage by allowing out of state licensed physicians to see patients here--mostly through telehealth--are a done deal and will get early approval, report legislative leaders. 

That's the easy part. The high hurdle is substantial medical malpractice reform which is likely to fall short in the short session.  

The intense debate has been fruitful and has made clear that reasons for the doctor shortage are multi-facted. Some capitol Wall-Leaners believe the best approach may be an omnibus health bill that includes malpractice, tax relief, student loan forgiveness, higher Medicaid reimbursements and doctor recruitment. 

Similar to the negotiations over the compacts, ideally the bill could be worked on in the interim with a special session later in the year.  

MLG, anticipating trouble for malpractice reform, has already signaled a possible special but insiders warn of any session where she bangs heads to try to strike a deal especially in her final year as Governor. Agreement beforehand and a short special would be the most optimistic if not realistic scenario but hope is always in the air at the start of a session. 

THE POSTER BOY 

It appears Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman and Las Cruces attorney Joseph Cervantes will once again be made the poster boy for any failed malpractice or crime bills. It's a role he doesn't relish but neither does he reject it. 

Unlike another powerful Dem Senate icon--Sen. Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith whose rural-based conservatism was a minority view and who was primaried out of office in 2020--Cervantes' views represent a substantial--perhaps a majority of Democratic voters--who are genuinely torn on malpractice reform and selective crime proposals. 

If and when the wind blows strong enough, opposition will yield on a bill. A case in point is the medical compacts, early versions of which Cervantes viewed with skepticism but are now about to become law with his support.

The other session headliner is the difference in funding proposals for MLG's universal child care program. Having the wealthy get free daycare for their kids isn't sitting well with lawmakers and they seem inclined to put a ceiling on the funding. But the vast majority of children would remain eligible for free child care.

MLG has won the war on this. Universal child care--or very close to it--may be remembered as her landmark achievement--whether she prevails or not in this funding skirmish. 

MOVE OVER CRIME 

GOP Leader Armstrong

All crime all the time has had its day and then some and now has company. House GOP Leader Gail Armstrong and her colleagues are going to have to consider that. . . 

Crime rates here and elsewhere have dropped considerably the past few years, albeit from historically high levels. Healthcare, housing affordability and household budgets now have larger seats at the table.

House Speaker Javier Martinez has already signaled that the get tough on juvenile crime bills are again not going to make it up to the Governor. He prefers to reform CYFD because so many of the kids in juvenile justice have prior CYFD contact, making agency reform essential for root-cause solutions. 

Martinez tells us he remains supportive of Rep. Eleanor Sanchez's proposed constitutional amendment to create an independent commission to run the long-troubled agency and finally get a handle on repeated failures there. Such an amendment would bypass the Governor and go to the voters after legislative approval.

MLG has appointed attorney Dawn Walters to head the independent child welfare watchdog office established by the legislature last year. This position is attached to the attorney general's office and will investigate complaints for children in custody and families dealing with CYFD. 

Walters, while getting solid reviews from the committee that recommended her, is still a gubernatorial appointee and a CYFD insider who already heads the CYFD Office of Advocacy. The attorney general is a political position. CYFD reformers want more separation.

STILL TOUGH 

(Moore; Journal)

MLG will still tout a tougher approach on crime as she did in her surprising post-mayoral election criticism of freshly re-elected Mayor Tim Keller. That brings this from reader Alan Schwartz: 

According to MLG, "New Mexico’s criminal justice system too often allows serious offenders back on the streets within days or even hours of an arrest." The criminal division of the 2nd Judicial District court has twelve judges who hear all felony cases. A review of the twelve current occupants of those positions reveals that nine were appointed by MLG. Ten of those attended the same local liberal UNM law school. Not clear how Mayor Keller is supposed to deal with that. 

STATE OF THE STATE  

As for the constitutional reason for the 30 day session--the crafting of a state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1--it appears mostly routine. That's cause for relief and minor celebration because it shows the state's financial position is solid and that the oil boom in the SE, while mildly receding, continues delivering outsized contributions to the General Fund. 

MLG will deliver the traditional state of the state address early this afternoon (widely available on social media). 

Joe Monahan

Overall there is cause for New Mexicans to feel better about their lot. After years of struggle there has been a remarkable change in the narrative over the childhood crisis in education and care--major reasons behind our generational poverty and other extreme social ills that hamper advancement. 

The amount of funding being put into these efforts is astounding; the continued commitment to reforming CYFD--despite setbacks--is invigorating. The problem now is not money or willpower but effectively administering all the new programs--a problem much preferable to the apathy and inaction of the past. 

From our perch we are finally beginning to see the outline of a different and more robust New Mexico in the years ahead, one when the next generation collects the harvest from the many seeds planted by the people of today. 

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.