NM GOP convenes new legislative health care task force ahead of special session
鈥擯atrick Lohmann,
Republicans in the New Mexico Senate announced this week that they鈥檙e convening a legislative task force to tackle the state鈥檚 health care challenges, saying their Democratic colleagues have 鈥渞efused to take action,鈥� according to a Tuesday news release.
The task force will meet on Sept. 29 in the Sandoval County Commission chambers in Rio Rancho. According to an , the three-hour meeting will address medical malpractice reform and elicit testimony from local hospital leaders, government reform groups and patients. New Mexico Health Secretary Gina DeBlassie will also speak.
The meeting 鈥渋s a direct response to ongoing public interest and concern regarding New Mexico鈥檚 deteriorating access to quality healthcare,鈥� according to a news release from the Senate GOP. 鈥淔urthermore, this hearing was organized in large part due to the fact that despite official requests from Republican legislators, Democrats in the legislature have refused to take action or host meaningful discussions on this topic during the interim legislative committee process.鈥�
The hearing will occur two days before a focused on anticipated federal cuts to Medicaid, among other topics. Republicans previously called on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, agenda, though she has not done so. They subsequently of the special session and requested additional topics, including interstate medical compacts, which would allow health care workers licensed in other states to practice in New Mexico.
Think New Mexico, a nonpartisan policy organization, found in that New Mexico has one medical malpractice lawsuit for every 14,000 New Mexicans, more than twice the national average. Also, a spate of high-dollar judgements has raised costs of medical malpractice insurance, sometimes by as much as 500%. The organization also has said high medical malpractice insurance costs are a to a statewide doctor shortage.
Think New Mexico, whose leaders are scheduled to speak at the GOP hearing on Monday, also advocates for the state to join more interstate medical compacts to address health care worker shortages,, could put the state鈥檚 rural hospitals at risk.
The state鈥檚 health care labor landscape came up Tuesday during a meeting of the Legislative Finance Committee, during which analysts released . LFC analysts called 256 primary care physicians and 259 doctors for behavioral health care appointments under Medicaid. They found it took six phone calls, on average, to secure an appointment.
The GOP task force meeting Monday will also be . Sen. Craig Brandt of Rio Rancho will chair the task force. Other Senate Republicans on the force are Nicole Tobiassen of Albuquerque, Anthony 鈥淎nt鈥� Thornton of Sandia Park, Jay Block of Rio Rancho and Pat Woods of Broadview.
New Mexico鈥檚 second plague case of the year reported in Bernalillo County
鈥�Natalie Robbins,
New Mexico public health officials have announced the second confirmed case of human plague in the state this year. The Albuquerque Journal鈥檚 Natalie Robbins reports a 77-year-old man from Bernalillo County has tested positive for the disease.
That diagnosis comes about a month after a 43-year-old Valencia County man was diagnosed with the plague after a camping trip in Rio Arriba County. New Mexico Department of Health staff say both men were hospitalized and later released. State officials say this week鈥檚 case is the first in Bernalillo County since 2016.
The plague is caused by bacteria. The disease affects humans and other mammals. The plague can be fatal, but it can be cured with antibiotics, if treated in time. In the United States, the disease is found more frequently in the west, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Humans can contract the plague by being bitten by an infected flea or rodent, or by handling an infected animal.
Master planner opens conversation about fairgrounds future in first public meeting -
Dozens of people gathered for a contentious meeting Monday to consider what should be done with the 236-acre tract of land that houses the annual New Mexico State Fair.
The meeting, held by Stantec Consulting Services Inc., the company tasked with creating a master plan for the site that鈥檚 been slotted for redevelopment, drew both support and criticism from local residents and advocates.
Stantec representatives said the master plan would not include options of where the fair would be hosted if it is moved.
鈥淚 know that there鈥檚 some controversy around the topic, we hear you,鈥� said Nancy Locke, the project lead for Stantec.
Some residents saw the proposal as an opportunity to start fresh and uplift Albuquerque鈥檚 economically disadvantaged International District through new development. Others feared gentrification, wasted taxpayer dollars and a stalled project leaving residents in limbo.
鈥淚鈥檒l probably be dead before the first shovel hits dirt,鈥� local resident Charlie Bennett said Monday.
Bennett recalled the two previous attempts to redevelop the fairgrounds and clutched to his chest a white binder filled with the neighborhood鈥檚 suggestions for Gov. Bill Richardson, who attempted the revitalization in 2008. He asked, 鈥淲hat makes Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 attempt any different?鈥�
鈥淭he difference is dramatic,鈥� said Martin Chavez, former Albuquerque mayor and adviser to Lujan Grisham, wrote in a statement Tuesday. 鈥淔or the first time, there are real dollars and serious representation regarding the initiative.鈥�
In December, Lujan Grisham announced plans to put mixed-use development and affordable housing on the state-owned land between San Pedro and Louisiana. In March, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 481 to raise funds, an estimated $12 million, to cover initial costs.
In June, the state announced a $850,000 contract with Stantec to develop a master plan by February 2026 that will make suggestions for the land鈥檚 use.
Monday鈥檚 meeting was the first of three events held to allow the public to comment on the master plan, Stantec speakers said. The second meeting will be held sometime in late October to early November and is yet to be announced.
Master planner Locke said food deserts, excessive heat and lack of green spaces are all problems in the surrounding neighborhoods. The new development could be a remedy, Locke said, bringing parks and commerce, as well as affordable housing.
Stantec speakers presented a wide variety of development plans in addition to new housing, including a new multi-use arena for concerts and sports, medical facilities, offices, retail and public parks. Stantec planners also suggested that the State Fair might not have to move but may be able to continue operating on a smaller area within the plot of land.
Stantec speakers, like Locke, were frequently interrupted by residents who voiced concerns about everything from crime to homelessness to nostalgia for the State Fair鈥檚 historic home.
During a question-and-answer period, community members passed around the microphone, primarily to criticize the project.
鈥淵ou want to further take the economics from this part of the community, but not put anything back into the community 鈥� it鈥檚 a failure,鈥� said former resident Willie Williamson. 鈥�... You want to address the optics of this neighborhood but not address the actual problems.鈥�
To Williamson, the redevelopment would end major events held at Expo New Mexico, beyond just the annual fair, and plunge the neighborhood into greater economic disparity at a time when major retailers like Walmart and Walgreens have already fled.
Williamson grew up in the International District, became entangled with drugs and gangs as a teen, he said, and years later made the decision to raise his kids elsewhere to save them from a similar fate.
Williamson worries that without solving the surrounding area鈥檚 issues with drug use and crime first, any affordable housing project will fail.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e talking 10 to 15 years of adverse childhood experiences for these people that you are not addressing,鈥� Williamson said.
Panelists chosen by Stantec 鈥� a collection of local residents, nonprofit organizers and law enforcement 鈥� tried to rally the crowd to think about the future, though even their opinions about the project were split.
Natalie Vargas, from the Southside Neighborhood Association, said she鈥檇 like to see the fairgrounds stay, though she recognized how development could improve the neighborhood she grew up in and where she now raises her kids.
鈥淚t鈥檚 where rural and urban kids come together and learn from each other and dream big,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e need to protect spaces that educate, connect and inspire. The fair is one of them.鈥�
Albuquerque Police Department Cmdr. Josh Richards, who runs the Southeast Area Command, raised questions about what jurisdiction the development would fall under, given that it鈥檚 within city boundaries but owned by the state.
Adding more population density to an area command that is already overworked and understaffed could drain resources and make policing the area more difficult, he said.
鈥淎dding 240-some acres of housing is a big pull for us,鈥� Richards said.
Meanwhile, Ahdohny Routheni, a panelist and founder of numerous local nonprofits, implored the audience to be forward-thinking and not let nostalgia for the fairgrounds prevent positive change for future generations.
鈥淚 really would love if the community thought long and hard 鈥� is it really for y鈥檃ll or is it for them?鈥� Routheni said. 鈥淎re we going to be people that tear down trees, or are we going to plant a tree so that next generation can eat off that fruit?鈥�
NM delegation wants Trump administration to exempt state from proposed rollback of Roadless Rule -
All five members of New Mexico鈥檚 all-Democratic Congressional delegation have signed on to a to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that requests the state be excluded from the Trump administration鈥檚 proposed repeal of the so-called Roadless Rule.
The 24-year-old Roadless Area Conservation Rule was implemented to restrict road construction and timber harvesting on over 58 million acres of federal Forest Service land across 38 states. This includes about 1.6 million acres of land in New Mexico, which of the state鈥檚 national forests. However, the Gila National Forest has the most protected acreage.
Rollins the proposal to rescind the rule in June during the Western Governors鈥� Association meeting held in Santa Fe, and contends the rule change will give state and local experts the freedom to make decisions about forest management and allow the logging industry to grow.
New Mexico鈥檚 Congressional delegation sent a letter to Rollins on Sept. 19, after three weeks of public comment ended. The delegation asked the secretary to exclude New Mexico from the rollback, citing negative impacts to the state鈥檚 vulnerability to wildfires, public safety and the outdoor recreation economy.
鈥淣ew Mexico is particularly vulnerable to wildfire,鈥� the letter reads,鈥� with a risk profile higher than 82% of the United States. Multiple studies, including those conducted by the federal government, have confirmed that wildfires are much less likely to ignite in roadless areas.鈥�
According to the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, about 1,000 wildfires have been reported in 2025 as of September, impacting more than 197,000 acres of land. Communities across the state are still recovering from wildfires in recent years, which exacerbate conditions and landslides, disproportionately affecting rural and lower income residents, the letter states.
The delegation also pointed to the disruption of wildlife movement and habitat conservation by road construction, as well as outdoor recreation, which they said generates 鈥�$3.2 billion in New Mexico and supports nearly 30,000 jobs.鈥� Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) recently to provide public input on the proposed rule change.
鈥淭his is being imposed鈥y people in the White House, who frankly have never harvested a bull elk or [caught and] released a native trout,鈥� he said on the U.S. Senate floor. 鈥淭he truth is that the roadless rule protects us from wildfires, it ensures clean drinking water for communities, and it sustains wildlife habitat for wildlife and for sportsmen.鈥�
Last week鈥檚 letter noted that road construction in backcountry areas is linked to an increase in dust and runoff and will negatively impact watersheds that provide water to multiple cities in New Mexico and could pose a threat to native aquatic species. The delegation also pointed out that the Roadless Rule already allows for timber harvesting for purposes of 鈥渆cological or wildfire mitigation purposes.鈥�
According to the national environmental law nonprofit organization Earthjustice, more than half of the responses received by the USDA the proposed rule change. The organization noted in a statement that other members of Congress have also asked for more time for the public to provide comments.
鈥淢any of the submitted comments centered on how irresponsible this rollback would be considering the trend of hotter and more severe wildfires that have plagued national forests in recent years,鈥� the organization stated.
NM Gov will add vaccine policy to Oct. 1 special session agenda -
New Mexico state Democratic leadership plans to bring forward at least four bills for the Oct.1 special legislative session 鈥� including one intended to insulate the state from federal changes to vaccination policies.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and said it would be geared primarily at addressing impacts from the Congressional Republican spending bill . The session start date coincides with a . State Republicans have to include topics such as interstate medical compacts,
However, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) told Source NM in a call Tuesday that one of the bills that leadership intends to bring will allow the New Mexico Department of Health to 鈥渟et their own standards.鈥�
That move comes as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
鈥淭he federal standards are being thrown all over the place,鈥� Wirth said. 鈥淎s we go into COVID season and flu season, we鈥檝e got to make sure vaccines are available based on the recommendations of our health folks, not tied to the federal standards.鈥�
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 Deputy Communications Director Jodi McGinnis Porter confirmed to Source NM in an email that vaccines will be on the agenda for the special session.
鈥淲e can confirm that it will be on the call,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淏ut we don鈥檛 have the exact language yet.鈥�
Additional bills, Wirth said, will include ones replacing a federal tax credit poised to end at the end of the calendar year; making changes to the state鈥檚 rural health care fund; and a general budget bill including money for state agencies and public media stations.
In his first interview with Source NM since , Wirth said no additional security measures will be in place for the upcoming session, noting the Roundhouse bans weapons and requires people to enter through metal detectors.
鈥淚 certainly feel safer here, and I know the public does as well,鈥� Wirth said. 鈥淗aving said that, though, this is a challenging time and we鈥檙e certainly gonna be vigilant. 鈥�
Wirth also held firm in his opposition to adding medical compacts to the Oct. 1 session.
鈥淚 do support the medical compacts 鈥� I think that鈥檚 priority number one, and we鈥檙e going to get that done in January and work hard between now and then to make it happen,鈥� Wirth said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 just not ready to go at this point in the special session.鈥�
The exact timing for Oct. 1 special session is variable, but he hopes to gavel out 鈥渋n a couple of days.鈥�
A closer look at the proposalsFor the targeted tax credit, lawmakers would appropriate about $177 million in order to try to prevent rising health insurance costs from a tax credit under the Affordable Care Act, Wirth said, which is also being .
鈥淲e can try and hold New Mexicans harmless, and what I mean by that is keep them in the same place they would be if this tax credit weren鈥檛 being rolled back,鈥� Wirth said.
The second bill would make some changes to the state鈥檚 , established in 2023, and paying out $80 million between 2024 and 2026 for new services in counties with a population fewer than 100,000.
Wirth said the changes would allow for the fund to support current health care programs and allow for greater participation by removing the population limit.
鈥淭here鈥檚 lots of rural pockets and larger counties, and we want to make sure that those funds can be used for that rural health care,鈥� he said.
Finally, the budget bill will include at least a $20 million appropriation to the New Mexico Health Care Authority for technology upgrades and to address the new federal requirements.
A variety of other appropriations remain that lack solid figures, Wirth said, including funds to address changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); in the courts; and funding for public television and radio stations after the federal cuts.
鈥淲hat you鈥檙e going to see in this special session is us stepping up to make sure that the basic support net stays in place, especially when it comes to food and healthcare,鈥� Wirth said.
The special session is only 鈥漵tep one鈥� and more priorities will be addressed in the regular January session, he said, such as juvenile justice and the medical compact questions.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be back in January for step two, and I think we鈥檙e going to be dealing with this in sessions for the next number of years to come,鈥� he said.