Pub. 17 2020 Issue 4

6 O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S — H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE JOHN W. ANDERSON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT New Mexico Bankers Association The Governor’s annual State of the State speech, which historically marks each legislative session’s commencement, was not scheduled. The Governor indicated that the speech would be delivered remotely in the near future. Visit our website at: www.nmbankers.com T he 2021 sixty-day legislative session opened Tuesday, Jan. 19, under the most unusual cir- cumstances. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the state capitol is off-limits to the public and lobbyists for the entirety of the session. Only legislators, certain media members and legislative staffers are admitted to the capitol. The Governor’s annual State of the State speech, which historically marks each legislative session’s commencement, was not scheduled. The Governor indicated that the speech would be delivered remotely in the near future. However, one week into the session, the Governor recorded remarks from her office in the state capitol. She opened with an announcement that schools will be able to open effective in February. In the 25-minute speech, she called on the 2021 Legislature to do the following: • Dedicating at least $200 million in the capital outlay package-half of lawmakers’ allocation-to broadband investment. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the lack of technological infrastructure in parts of the State. Nearly one-quarter of New Mexico’s students lack access to the internet at home; • Increase spending on suicide prevention by 800% as part of a plan to improve men- tal health care; • Establish an ombudsman’s office to focus on the special education needs of students and families; • Send voters a proposed constitutional amendment that would withdraw an extra 1% from New Mexico’s largest per - manent fund to pay for early childhood education programs. The Governor also said New Mexico “will enact the country’s toughest methane and air pollutant rules in the oil and gas industry, fi - nally cracking down on waste and pollution in a way that is not punitive but innovative” and creates more revenue for schools. Lujan Grisham also renewed her request for the legalization of marijuana for adults. She described it as a way to bolster an economy now heavily dependent on oil and gas produc- tion, a volatile government revenue source. “I have no interest in another year of thousands of New Mexicans eager to get to work and make their future in this industry being told ‘no,’ just because that’s easier than doing the hard work to get to ‘yes’” Lujan Grisham said. “When we emerge from this pandemic, we can have the same old economy with the same old boom-and-bust future, or we can roar back to life, breaking new ground and fearlessly in- vesting in ourselves, in the limitless potential of New Mexicans.” The Governor's priorities for the 2021 Leg- islature include: Helping the New Mexico Economy Pandemic relief for small businesses: • Modifying the Small Business Recovery Act of 2020 to ensure the state funding is accessible to more New Mexico small businesses. The act, approved by the Legis- lature in the summer 2020 special session, 2021 SESSION OFF TO UNUSUAL BUT FAST START