Senate To Return Saturday, But Fate of Session Uncertain
By Barry Massey/
Associated Press
SANTA FE — Gov. Bill Richardson's hopes for a successful special session will be put to the test when the Senate returns to the Capitol on Saturday.
The House pulled an all-nighter and recessed early Thursday after approving nearly all the proposals sought by the Democratic governor.
Now it's the Senate's turn to consider the measures, and it appears some senators aren't in a mood to reconvene for very long — let alone give final approval to bills passed by the House.
The Senate adjourned a few hours after the special session started Tuesday.
Under the state Constitution, senators must return by Saturday because the House stayed in session and continued to work.
"We're coming back on Saturday,'' Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, said Thursday. "The votes are there to sine die (adjourn) again. And the votes are there to table everything that came across. Those are options that obviously will be discussed.''
Senate President Pro Tem Ben Altamirano, D-Silver City, said he's asked senators to convene Saturday morning.
"I am going to advocate that we take the bull by the horns, and listen to the bills and vote them up or down, which is what the governor has always asked,'' said Altamirano.
He speculated it could take Saturday and Sunday if the Senate agrees to consider the measures.
"I'm going to tell them, 'Let's do it and get it over with and be done with it,''' said Altamirano.
On Tuesday, senators contended there was no emergency to justify calling lawmakers back to work within days of the end of the 60-day session. The governor has asked lawmakers to pass measures that the House and Senate didn't agree on during the past two months.
Senate GOP Whip Leonard Lee Rawson of Las Cruces said Thursday he detected no change in the Senate from earlier in the week.
"My expectation is that if we do go up on Saturday we'll turn around'' and leave, said Rawson. "There is no sense in passing any of it. There is nothing that can't wait.''
But there's always a chance the political environment could change if Richardson can persuade enough senators to remain in session and support his legislation.
"The stage is set for the Senate to return to work and give an up-or-down vote to these important initiatives. I plan to meet soon with the Senate leadership to discuss the next steps,'' Richardson said in a statement.
The governor was to return to New Mexico Thursday night after raising money for his presidential campaign bid during stops in Los Angeles and Phoenix. However, he was to head back out on the campaign trail for a labor union event Friday night in Las Vegas and the next day was to be in Nevada and California.
Richardson is scheduled to appear at a forum Saturday with other Democratic candidates in Las Vegas and speak to the Stonewall Democrats, a gay rights group. He is the keynote speaker Saturday night at a gala dinner for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization.
Richardson's campaigning has become an issue for critics of the special session.
Rawson contends that Richardson called the session because approval of some bills, such as a domestic partnership measure, might help his presidential bid.
"I think it's pretty clear that the motive was to further his presidential agenda and campaign,'' said Rawson.
The House recessed after passing all but one of the bills sought by Richardson. Members can be called back into session at any time at the request of House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Santa Fe. If the Senate adjourns again on Saturday, it's possible the House could remain in session — forcing another showdown with the Senate over whether its members would return to the Capitol.
The House, in a contentious, seven-hour floor session that started after midnight, passed bill that:
_Give domestic partners — gay or straight — the same rights as married couples. The vote was 30-23, with critics arguing it opened the door to gay marriage.
_Provide $208 million for 118 local and tribal government highway projects, including $25 million for road work at the southern New Mexico spaceport that GOP critics objected could be the "road to nowhere'' if local support for the spaceport doesn't materialize. The vote was 42-16.
_Increase domestic violence penalties, including mandatory jail time as of a second offense, and mandatory treatment for offenders. The vote was unanimous.
_Outline procedures for cleaning up former meth labs and creating a registry for them. The vote was unanimous.
_Expand public financing of elections — which now applies only to the Public Regulation Commission — to include candidates in contested state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court races. The vote was 35-21.
_Create an ethics commission to investigate complaints against state officials, state employees, judges, government contractors and lobbyists and recommend disciplinary action. The vote was 38-16.
The House didn't act on a measure that would limit campaign contributions, which are currently unrestricted for nearly all offices. Lujan said there hadn't been enough time to scrutinize the bill.
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