SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico’s state lawmakers are hitting the gas pedal on proposed solutions to some of New Mexico’s biggest issues. 

Those issues include public safety and behavioral health, but it was Paid Family and Medical Leave that secured the first big win this year.

A House committee approved a new version of the controversial proposal to establish a state-run employee leave program Monday morning, despite the expected backlash from business leaders.

“Another payroll tax might be the final straw, and they might just pack up shop and leave because they can’t afford to be in business anymore,” said Alison Riley, a public policy director of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.  

Gun safety was front and center for another House committee, approving bills to expand New Mexico’s red flag law, increase the punishments for school shooting threats and banning gun conversion devices on the state level.

“This is something that we are seeing across the state, and if you’re not seeing them in your community, you will. They’re too easy to get,” said Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story. 

An expansive plan to rework New Mexico’s criminal competency laws already cleared its first hurdle.

“This bill strikes an appropriate balance with looking at dangerousness and focusing to make sure those individuals are not let out on the street. But also providing treatment opportunities, enhanced treatment opportunities for individuals who are not competent but are charged with relatively low level crimes,” said state Rep. Christine Chandler. 

But bills working to expand behavioral health resources are still at the starting line, while juvenile justice reforms are nowhere on the agenda.

“But I’m told by the leadership that they’re happy to get that moving as fast as possible,” said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman.  

Meanwhile, a bill incentivizing public schools to adopt phone-free policies gained bipartisan support in its first committee

“The evidence seems clear, they make a significant impact not just on proficiency rates in the classroom, but teen mental health,” said state Sen. Crystal Brantley. 

But some lawmakers had to pause and focus on that temporary federal funding freeze in Washington.

“I don’t think over a long period of time, we could sustain floating, fronting the federal funds for all of these different programs,” said Charles Sallee, a Legislative Finance Committee director. 

House lawmakers are expected to spend even more time getting through another round of public safety bills next week, along with bills focused on the state’s cannabis industry.