The Legislative Session has begun, and Governor Susana Martinez’s State of the State address…

This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, the legislative session has begun. The Line opinion panel will analyze reaction to Governor Susana Martinez’s State of the State address. Then, the group digs in to education proposals as it asks where lawmakers can get the most policy bang for their buck.

NMIF gauges the Democratic response to the governor’s agenda with two “IN FOCUS” segments. Newly elected Speaker of the House Ken Martinez sits down together with Senate Majority Floor Leader Michael Sanchez to talk about the upcoming session. Representative Martinez takes the post held by his father decades before and most recently by the late Ben Lujan. Senator Sanchez is coming off a victory in a rough-and-tumble election where his challenger was heavily supported by Governor Martinez. Together, the two control the ebb and flow of legislation.

State Senator Mary Kay Papen charted a path to power for herself as she defeated the early choice of fellow Democrats, Pete Campos, to win the post of senate president pro tempore. Now, the Southern New Mexican will push for better representation of rural parts of the state, as well as her hometown of Las Cruces, the state’s second largest city.

GUESTS:
Ken Martinez, D–Grants, Speaker of the NM House of Representatives
Mary Kay Papen, D–Las Cruces, President Pro Tempore of the NM Senate
Michael Sanchez, D–Belen, NM Senate Floor Majority Leader

LINE GUESTS:
Diane Denish, Former Lieutenant Governor
Whitney Waite, The Waite Company

LINE PANELISTS:
Jamie Estrada, Agenda Global
Sophie Martin, Editor in Chief, New Mexico Law Review

CORRESPONDENT: Matt Grubs, NMiF Producer

HOST/COMMENTATOR: Gene Grant

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Matt Grubs. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation. Subscribe to the New Mexico in Focus Podcast on iTunes.

Episode 629 for air January 18, 2013