Latest news with #LujanGrisham
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico governor goes globetrotting as she nears final year in office
Jun. 5—SANTA FE — With her second term as governor nearing its final stanza, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been here, there and everywhere. Since the 60-day legislative session ended in March, the governor has spent more time outside New Mexico than she has in the state, with trips to Asia, Maryland, Los Angeles and the Kentucky Derby. Specifically, the governor has spent 40 of the 76 days since the session ended on March 22 fully or partially out of state, according to a Journal analysis of her official calendar and shared records. Just this week, Lujan Grisham led a state delegation to Alaska, where she met with Trump administration officials and attended an energy summit. The Governor's Office says the trips are in the interest of the state by forging possible business partnerships and advocating for federal resources. "The governor's travel is of significant benefit to New Mexico's economic development, efforts to secure federal funding and other policy initiatives," said Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Jodi McGinnis Porter. "Each trip is strategically planned to deliver tangible results for New Mexico families and businesses." She also told the Journal the Governor's Office is in regular contact with Lt. Gov. Howie Morales about the governor's travel schedule to ensure state business is unaffected and agencies are ready to respond in case of emergency. Per the state Constitution, Morales serves as acting governor while Lujan Grisham is out of state. He said in April he was in frequent communication with the Governor's Office when he signed more than 30 executive orders freeing up state funding for recovery efforts connected to damages from flooding and wildfires. With most of New Mexico currently experiencing drought conditions, McGinnis Porter said the governor is staying up to speed on the latest risks even when traveling outside New Mexico. "The governor ... maintains full engagement on wildfire preparedness from any location while staying informed on fire activity throughout the state," she told the Journal. Longtime New Mexico political observer Brian Sanderoff said out-of-state travel by elected officials can sometimes be fodder for criticism by political opponents. But he said Lujan Grisham might feel more freedom to travel with her tenure as governor winding down. "The governor can not seek a third consecutive term, so she's going to feel a lot less constrained politically about travel, both nationally and internationally," said Sanderoff, who is the president of Albuquerque-based Research & Polling Inc. The costs for the governor's busy travel schedule have been paid for by a mix of state and outside groups, depending on the trip. For instance, her Alaska trip was paid for with taxpayer dollars, while her travel to Chicago for last year's Democratic National Convention event was covered by her political action committee, according to the Governor's Office. Meanwhile, Lujan Grisham's trade mission to Japan and Singapore in April — and a similar trip to India last year — were paid for by the New Mexico Partnership, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit group that focuses on business recruitment efforts. Lujan Grisham also traveled out of state extensively last year, including a trip to Mexico. She also crisscrossed the country last fall to stump for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. The governor, who will finish her second term in office at the end of 2026, has increasingly clashed with Democratic lawmakers over crime and public safety issues in recent years. She said at the end of this year's session she planned to call lawmakers back to Santa Fe this year to tackle legislation dealing with juvenile crime and firearm restrictions, but later said no such special session was imminent.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor travels to Alaska to attend energy summit, meet with federal officials
Jun. 2—SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is racking up frequent flier miles, as she departed Sunday for a three-day energy summit in Alaska. The governor, who led a two-week trade mission to Japan and Singapore in April, will meet with top Trump administration officials while attending the sustainable energy conference in Anchorage. Specifically, she plans to meet with Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin about possible partnerships between the federal government and New Mexico, according to the Governor's Office. "New Mexico's thriving economy is powered by our leadership in advanced energy and manufacturing," Lujan Grisham said in a statement, citing New Mexico's efforts in the areas of geothermal and hydrogen energy, along with steps aimed at reducing carbon emissions. The state recently passed North Dakota to become the second-highest oil-producing state in the country — behind only Texas — and is also a major exporter of natural gas. In recent interviews, the governor has made it clear she intends to forge relationships with Trump administration officials when possible, even while criticizing Republican-backed plans to trim spending on Medicaid and other programs. While in Alaska, the governor will lead a delegation that also includes state Economic Development Secretary Rob Black, Environment Secretary James Kenney and Caroline Buerkle, the deputy chief of operations for the Governor's Office. As an official state trip, the delegation's travel costs will be paid for by taxpayer dollars, said Lujan Grisham spokeswoman Jodi McGinnis Porter. The fourth annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference will also feature speeches by officials from several national laboratories, including both Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, according to the conference's website. Per the state Constitution, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales will serve as acting governor until Lujan Grisham returns to New Mexico on Wednesday.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
MLG joins other Dem governors to decry proposed Medicaid cuts in nation's most-reliant state
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, top right, joined other Democratic governors in Michigan and Kansas to decry the proposed Medicaid cuts. (Screenshot from DGA Zoom call) New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday called on Congress to halt its effort to cut Medicaid, joining a handful of other Democratic governors to decry the cuts as a giveaway to the ultra-wealthy on the backs of the working poor. As Lujan Grisham noted in the call with the Democratic Governors of America, 840,000 New Mexicans are on Medicaid, which is more than 40% of the state. That's the highest per capita rate of Medicaid coverage in the country, according to recent estimates. In addition to people losing their healthcare, she predicted the cuts would spell the closure of several hundred hospitals nationwide. In New Mexico, which already faces healthcare shortages particularly in rural areas, that will result in less access to care, she said. 'That means you're driving not one hour or two hours for care,' she said. 'It means that you're likely driving four or five hours for care.' NM reps say GOP bill will gut Medicaid and also reduce oil money that could help state save it According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, more than 10 million people would lose Medicaid coverage by 2030 under the current version of the spending bill making its way through Congress. The bill also would impose work requirements for those receiving Medicaid. The other Democratic governors on the call, including Jared Polis of Colorado, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Laura Kelly of Kansas, had slightly different takes on what the work requirements could mean. Polis, for example, said the American people would be fortunate if Medicaid work requirements emerged as the worst thing to come out of Congress, so long as states had flexibility in how to administer it. Lujan Grisham spoke up after Polis' comment, saying that Medicaid work requirements are 'tried, not true,' and would ultimately impose a heavy administrative burden on states without spurring an increase in employment. 'You have many working poor people on minimum wage in any of our states, whether that's a state minimum wage or the federal wage, it's not enough to afford health insurance,' she said. 'This notion that you've got all these folks who aren't working, who willingly choose that, is also a false narrative.' The governors expressed alarm at the proposed cuts, and said their states can't afford them. A recent state estimate said New Mexico received nearly $9 billion for Medicaid in 2024. That's equal to more than 80% of the state's newly passed, record operational budget of $10.8 billion. 'We want every American to understand what this really means, and not let Congress off the hook in the dark of night to cut a backroom deal with this president on the backs of working American families, on the backs of New Mexico working families,' Lujan Grisham said. 'Let's tell Congress what we think of these outrageous cuts to basic necessities for everyday, hardworking families.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Mexico governor authorizes $2.25M for National Guard operation in Albuquerque
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – It's been over one month since New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the New Mexico National Guard to support the Albuquerque Police Department fight crime. Since the initial announcement, the governor has signed off on $2,250,000 in emergency funding to support Operation Zia Shield. The funding has been authorized in three executive orders issued by Gov. Lujan Grisham, each order designating $750,000 for the National Guard. APD reports 933 total arrests in 2025 so far Some National Guard personnel have already reported for duty, and others are expected to report for duty this Memorial Weekend, according to New Mexico National Guard Public Affairs Director Hank Minitrez. They will assist in areas including: Prisoner Transport Unit: Administrative intake of prisoners, to include property booking and paperwork, at the downtown Prisoner Transport Center. Field Ops: Traffic control, running paperwork, outer perimeter security for major crime scenes & critical incidents. (This is the only time the guardsmen will actually perform duties outside an office environment, according to Minitrez.) APD Real Time Crime Center: Drone launch and recovery, drone footage, license plate reader tracking, traffic camera tracking, shot spotter tracking. Fusing all-source crime data for dissemination to field units. (These guardsmen were the first to report for duty, about one week ago.) The deployment aims to improve public safety and support APD by allowing the department to reallocate resources to enforcement while still maintaining essential services. Overall, the goal is to reduce crime from downtown east through the International District. KRQE News 13 asked the governor's office if she plans to issue more executive orders authorizing emergency funding for this National Guard operation. Gov. Lujan Grisham's Communications Director, Michael Coleman, responded via email, 'Yes, as necessary but it's unclear how many more at this time.' To view the executive orders issued for Operation Zia Shield as of May 19, click the links below. Executive Order 2025-080 Executive Order 2025-116 Executive Order 2025-209 Per state law, the governor can allocate emergency funding in increments of up to $750,000. There is no limit on how many executive orders can be issued for one emergency. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Governor authorizes more funding for National Guard mission to Albuquerque
May 15—SANTA FE — With the launch date of a New Mexico National Guard deployment to Albuquerque approaching, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has freed up more funding for the close-to-home operation. The governor issued an executive order last week that authorizes up to $750,000 in additional funds for Operation Zia Shield, which was announced last month as a way to allow Albuquerque police officers to focus more on fighting crime. The order follows an initial order issued April 9 that authorized a similar funding amount, bringing the total amount available to $1.5 million. Both orders stipulate the funds should be spent for the purposes of protecting public health and "avoiding or minimizing economic and physical harm." Lujan Grisham spokesman Michael Coleman confirmed Thursday the latest order was directed at providing more funding, while indicating more orders could also be forthcoming. "The governor will provide additional executive orders, as necessary, to ensure adequate funding to support the mission," Coleman told the Journal. New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Miguel Aguilar said last week 71 guard members will be deployed as part of the mission, which was authorized by the governor in response to a request from Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina. The National Guard members deployed on the mission will not carry guns, wear fatigues or be authorized to make arrests, state and local officials have said. But they will carry pepper spray for self-protection and Narcan, which can be used to reverse an overdose of fentanyl or other opioids. The bulk of Operation Zia Shield is scheduled to begin on Memorial Day weekend, though some work is already underway. The mission has no current deadline, but Aguilar indicated it's likely to last for at least six months. The Albuquerque police chief has said the deployed guard members will be assigned time-consuming tasks — like directing traffic and securing crime scenes — so officers can focus on other duties. But they've also undergone training in self-defense and crisis intervention techniques. The deployment is expected to be focused on Albuquerque's International District along East Central that has seen high rates of open-air drug use and homelessness in recent years, though National Guard members could also be sent to other locations in the city. Meanwhile, the governor's authority to issue orders authorizing appropriations of up to $750,000 per order comes from a state law that has been largely untouched over the last 60-plus years. That funding limit has led to large amounts of such orders being issued in recent years, like the 139 orders Lujan Grisham issued for wildfire response efforts during the 2022 budget year.
