The 2009 New Mexico State Legislative Session

On Tuesday, January 20, 2009, Governor Bill Richardson gave his State of the State address in the House of Representatives, initiating the 60-day Legislative Session that will end at noon, March 21, 2009.  This session faces huge challenges -- the most serious of which are huge projected shortfalls in the remaining portion of the 2009 budget, which ends on June 30, 2009 and the 2010 budget that begins on July 1, 2009.  Early projections of the two shortfalls total about $900,000 million, but some in both parties believe it will be substantially greater.

No elected official in New Mexico looks forward to having to deal with such huge budget deficits or making the critical decisions that will be necessary to deal with these budget shortfalls.  Difficult choices are going to have to be made over the next 60-day session.  

Your input in the process can make a difference!  To get involved, I invite you to visit your State Capitol in Santa Fe to see state government in action.  The public is invitied to sit in the gallery overlooking the Senate Floor to observe, there are many committee meetings that are open to the public also for observation.  Also, if there are issues that you would like to discuss, my office hours are 8am to 5pm.  My staff and I would be happy to take the time to meet with you.  My office is in Room 416-D of the State Capitol Building.  The phone number to my office is 505-986-4859. 

If you are unable to come to Santa Fe, you may email me during the sesssion at tim.eichenberg@nmlegis.gov or my administrative assistant at Jennifer Roybal at jkrobal@gmail.com.