Governor meets with lawmakers
Discussing agenda, issues
krqe.com
Reporter: Katie Kim
Updated: Thursday, 15 Sep 2011, 6:36 PM MDT
Published : Thursday, 15 Sep 2011, 4:21 PM MDT

Video @ link

SANTA FE (KRQE) - Gov. Susana Martinez is meeting with all legislators to garner support for items she placed on the special session agenda.

Those bills include a measure to end social promotion, to repeal the law that gives driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, to fund statewide projects, to give in-state businesses an advantage when bidding for contracts and to grant authority to local governments to ban fireworks during dry seasons and several others.

"We're just pushing to make sure there's a vote so New Mexicans can get back to work and start getting our kids educated better," said Martinez.

None of her agenda items have been heard in committees, but the governor said she is confident lawmakers will take action on the issues before the special session ends. Legislators are scheduled to recess by Sept. 26.

"At the end of the day, we're going to have these bills heard in committee and voted on the Senate and House floors," said Martinez.

On Thursday morning, Martinez met for an hour with a group of three Senate Democrats, including Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, who has been critical of the governor.

Both Ortiz y Pino and Gov. Martinez described the meeting as cordial.

"Well, we don't agree on everything, but we were able to find some common ground and hopefully keep the door open to reaching compromise, which is the nature of government," Ortiz y Pino said. Thursday's meeting was the first time he's met the governor face-to-face, he added.

Many Democrats have criticized the governor for placing too many items on the special session agenda when lawmakers are supposed to be focused on redistricting.

"Because of some of (the items) are so contentious, I don't know if this is the right setting," said Ortiz y Pino. "We don't have staff here to do the background work.

"It really does hogtie us when you don't have the right personnel to help you make these decisions."

But Ortiz y Pino said his meeting with the governor was "a good step forward."

By Monday, the governor's spokesman Scott Darnell said Martinez will have met with 90 percent of all representatives and 81 percent of all senators.

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