NM Infrastructure Priorities, Controversial Child Welfare Bill & Transparency in State Government

This week on New Mexico in Focus, our state is wrestling with how to spend nearly four billion dollars in federal infrastructure money. But, what exactly is the process and how will potential projects be prioritized? Correspondent Gwyneth Doland sits down with Infrastructure Adviser Martin Chávez to get some answers and let New Mexicans know how they can follow the progress.  

Next week is Sunshine Week, a celebration of open government and access to public information started more than 15 years ago by the News Leaders Association. Transparency and public access were once again front and center in the recently completed legislative session. Shannon Kunkel of the Foundation for Open Government discusses where we are, as a state, in terms of transparency and identifies areas where there is plenty of work still to be done.  

Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez recently expressed concerns about the under-utilization of a criminal diversion program aimed at non-violent offenders. Instead of putting them straight into the criminal justice system, the program is designed to shift them towards mental health, drug treatment and housing services. The Line opinion panel discusses why the program may not be flourishing and if changes need to be made. The group also weighs in on the potential fate of a bill awaiting the governor’s signature that would change how the state addresses child abuse and neglect cases. 

Host: Gene Grant

The Line opinion panel:
Edmund Perea, attorney and public safety consultant 
Michael Bird, fmr. president of the American Public Health Association 
Julie Ann Grimm, editor, Santa Fe Reporter

Segment(s):

Infrastructure Priorities  

Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland 
Guest(s): Marty Chávez, New Mexico Infrastructure Adviser 

Transparency in NM Government

Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland 
Guest(s): Shannon Kunkel, executive director, NM Foundation for Open Government