New Mexico In Depth • 2022 Legislative special edition
Introduction
Big dollars, hot energy debate and COVID Dear Readers,
the summer and winter of 2020 to adjust to new Here we are, a second financial realities. This year into a pandemic year’s budgetary outlook is that has killed more than bright. 6,000 New Mexicans and Thanks to an oil and hoping 2022 will bring Trip Jennings gas boom and a massive relief from a historic infusion of federal dollars, plague. the state’s financial picture Like 12 months ago, COVD-19 is so gilded that policy makers looms over this year’s session, but are blue skying how to address unlike in 2021, when the Roundlong-standing, systemic challenges house was closed to the public, it’s — public education and the state’s open this year. But COVID-19 has digital divide. There likely will be left its mark. Visitors must show a push to address the state’s lack proof of vaccination and walk of housing for low-income New through metal detectors before Mexicans from some lawmakers, entering. The precautions liketoo, but its success isn’t assured. ly mean the usual crowds won’t At the same time, a recent trend swarm the Roundhouse over the by the state to increasingly use next month. Instead, thousands no-bid contracts to spend public of New Mexicans are expected to dollars exposes New Mexico to tune in to senate and house floor greater risk of waste and fraud, sessions and legislative committee according to analysts, who repeatedly have warned of the rising meetings via ZOOM. My, what danger. Why haven’t state lawmakchanges COVID-19 has wrought. ers exerted their oversight powers, Until a few years ago many lawmakers resisted webcasting legisla- and what will they do this session? tive business. You’ll find a story in this edition For the second year in a row, that poses those questions. webcasting will be the default Another story showcases Gov. method for following the state’s Michelle Lujan Grisham’s push business. to make New Mexico into a clean Another change from last year is energy state. She envisions the financial. A year ago, New Mexstate’s ample natural gas reserves ico was overcoming a disastrous as a foundation for converting global economic shutdown that the state into a hub for hydrogen forced the Legislature to meet in production. Hydrogen is expected
to become a major source of energy in the 21st century. But many environmental organizations aren’t on board, saying her plan to use oil and gas to produce hydrogen doesn’t move the state quickly enough into a cleaner energy future. Expect a robust debate. Beyond those stories, you’ll find eight guest columnists. They cover disparate subjects: the state’s finances; the importance of the state’s public schools becoming multicultural institutions receptive to wisdom and knowledge from New Mexico’s tribal communities; what to learn from two years of education innovation; why the state should require public servants to publicly disclose more about their personal finances; and the significance of protecting the state’s new ethics commission’s funding and improvements to state election laws. In addition, there also are dueling essays on the merits of Lujan Grisham’s hydrogen hub vision. We hope this publication helps you understand the disorienting world in which we find ourselves as well as some of the key issues lawmakers will be grappling with over the next several weeks. Thanks for reading. We hope you’ll follow along with us during the session, at www.nmindepth. com.
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