02-03-2025
Lujan Grisham talks crime, homelessness at business luncheon
Mar. 2—With less than three weeks left in this year's legislative session, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham attended an Albuquerque luncheon Wednesday to thank business leaders for supporting her public safety initiatives and commit to getting more done.
Along with dropping news that she'll likely call a special session later this year to address proposed federal budget cuts and repeating similar sentiments that she wants more crime bills on her desk, Lujan Grisham hinted at more state involvement in transitional housing programs for people experiencing homelessness.
Lujan Grisham brought up $110 million included in this year's budget bill for transitional housing and homelessness, adding that although she's a little nervous about it, the state could take more of a heavy-handed effort in the matter.
"I think the state is likely to become the provider, and we will set the evidence-based standards for every single provider — including shelters — in the state," she said. "You want money? You've got to come through me. This is how you do it."
Her thoughts on public safety and crime remain the same: Legislators need to send more bills to her desk on the fourth floor of the Roundhouse.
"My expectation is that every good idea gets upstairs, and there are many," Lujan Grisham said. "There is no reason not to have racketeering. There is no reason not to have felon in possession."
She was referring to Senate Bill 70, which would amend the state's Racketeering Act to add offenses like criminal exploitation of children, and a slew of other bills to increase the penalty for felons who have firearms, which is illegal. None of those measures had been heard by any committees as of Thursday.
The Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the luncheon, supports both efforts, as well as pretrial detention — making it easer to hold felons in custody pending trial — and more aggressive penalties for juvenile offenders, said chamber CEO and President Terri Cole.
In opening her speech, Lujan Grisham said she made everyone nervous when she called a special session over the summer to address crime issues, but she calls the sessions when necessary. The governor added that the Albuquerque chamber put the state in a good position to implement more evidence-based policies to prevent crime and hold criminals accountable.
"Crime and public safety have needed New Mexico's attention for well more than a decade," Lujan Grisham said.
Cole said despite a lack of progress in the five-hour-long special session, that's what pushed legislators to address public safety in the ongoing regular session. Lujan Grisham on Thursday signed a six-part crime package into law.
The governor said she expects more crime-related bills to land on her desk before the end of the session, which is March 22.
Cole said other chamber goals include reducing tax burdens, strengthening public education and attracting medical professionals to the state.
She added that one of her biggest concerns is so few lawmakers have experience running businesses. Cole has been attending many committee hearings to fight against bills, including measures to tax employees and employers to provide workers with paid medical leave and increase the state's minimum wage to $17 starting next year.
"Competition is a choice, and in New Mexico's case, it will require leaders to prioritize and address a set of serious challenges that currently put our state at a competitive disadvantage," she said.
Megan Gleason is a business editor for the Albuquerque Journal. She also covers energy, utilities and government. You can reach her at mgleason@
