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On this week's episode, we’re joined by New Mexico House Minority Floor Leader Ryan Lane, an attorney who represents San Juan County. We’ll be talking about how he is approaching this year’s 60-day session of the New Mexico Legislature. We’ll take a look many of the big-ticket items lawmakers are discussing as lawmakers set about crafting an historically large budget.
Totaling $9.4 billion in recurring spending — an 11.9% increase from the last fiscal year — there is no shortage of ideas on how to best spend that money. And that doesn’t include the one-time, nonrecurring funds that will be doled out this year.
Unlike 30-day sessions, which happen in even-numbered years and are focused nearly exclusively on the state’s budget, 60-day sessions allow any legislator in the House or Senate to introduce any bill they’d like. As a result, many are pitching their ideas to address some of the state’s most pressing issues — education, public safety, early childhood development, bail reform, water conservation and energy, just to name a few. We’ll talk to Minority House Floor Leader Lane about all of those things and more.
We’ll also talk about the state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund — sometimes referred to as the “rainy day fund” — which has long been closely guarded by legislators, though that may be changing. Well, maybe a little, anyway.
Lane, who has served in the legislature since 2021, currently serves as a member of the House Education, House Judiciary, House Printing & Supplies and House Rules & Order of Business Committees.
This week, we're appreciative to have House Minority Floor Leader Lane joining us.