New Mexicon in Focus previews 2026 Legislative Session

This week on New Mexico in Focus, host Nash Jones speaks with three seasoned statehouse reporters about the upcoming legislative session.

Jones asks the panel how lawmakers plan on balancing the state's $11 billion budget during the short 30-day session. Also, with this being the last regular session for the termed-out Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the panel considers how the outgoing governor will push to pass policies before her time in Santa Fe ends.

Last week, Democratic House Speaker Javier Martínez spoke with Nash Jones about what his caucus expects to get done in the upcoming session. This week, Martínez gives NMIF an update on how a few bills lawmakers passed last year and the year before, are showing up today.

For years as a reporter for Capital and Main, Jerry Redfern has documented the short lives of oil and gas reform bills introduced at the Roundhouse. This year, Jerry will continue his coverage with the news site, while also joining NMIF each week to keep viewers updated on his reporting in Santa Fe. This week, Jerry tells Executive Producer Jeff Proctor what he expects to see at this year's session.

As NMIF explores the final regular session for Gov. Lujan Grisham, it also looks out the long list of candidates who have filed to succeed her.

NMiF airs on NMPBS 5.1 (KNME HD) on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 18 at 7 a.m. and streaming on the PBS video app. Involved, informed, in-depth media: watch New Mexico in Focus again online shortly thereafter.

Host
Nash Jones

NMiF Segments
2026 Session Preview: State Budget and Policy Priorities
and
2026 Session Preview: Gov. Lujan Grisham's Final Regular Session
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guests
Julia Goldberg, editor-in-chief, Source New Mexico
Daniel Chacón, state government reporter, Santa Fe New Mexican
Dan Boyd, capitol bureau chief, Albuquerque Journal

Speaker Martínez on Fate of 2025 Legislation
Correspondent
Nash Jones

Guest
NM Rep. Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque; House Speaker

Oil and Gas Reform Bills Expected in 2026 Session
Correspondent
Jeff Proctor

Guest
Jerry Redfern, oil and gas reporter, Capital and Main

New Mexico in Focus is the New Mexico PBS prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. NMiF takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic health, education, and art issues and explores them in-depth with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment."

NMPBS Executive Producer, Public Affairs is Jeff Proctor. New Mexico in Focus's senior producer for public affairs is Lou DiVizio. Host and producer of New Mexico in Focus is Nash Jones. Producer is Antonio Sanchez. Multimedia journalist is Cailley Chella.

Funding for New Mexico in Focus is provided by the McCune Charitable Foundation and Viewers Like You. Funding for the Your New Mexico Government Project comes from the Thornburg Foundation and New Mexico Local News Fund. Funding for Our Land: New Mexico's Environmental Past, Present & Future is provided in part by the Neeper Natural History Programming.