Jan. 16—A sure sign it’s the New Mexico Legislature’s opening day: The Capitol parking lot was full by 9 a.m.

This year’s legislative session, which starts at noon today, is 30 days long and will focus primarily on creating an operating budget for the coming fiscal year.

But already it’s clear lawmakers also will try to tackle the state’s crime problem, work to bolster the public education system and explore for ways to make housing more affordable for New Mexicans.

The main event today will be Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham‘s State of the State address, in which she is expected to revisit accomplishments of the past year and lay out her goals for the session.

She usually takes takes the stage in the House of Representatives about an hour or two after the session starts.

The Capitol was abuzz by 8 a.m. as legislative aides and sergeants-at-arms gathered for last-minute talks about procedures and policies for supporting lawmakers through committee hearings and floor sessions.

Some New Mexico State Police officers patrolled the halls of the Capitol while security personnel greeted visitors and ushered them through metal detectors at the east and west entrances to the downtown Roundhouse.

Gregorio Gonzales played an opening morning tune on his guitar — “Así es Nuevo México,” the state’s official Spanish state song — in the Rotunda as a few early birds walked by.

Gonzales, who works for the state Department of Cultural Affairs, said he likes to visit the Rotunda every morning during legislative sessions and play a song or two to start the day.

“It’s important to play on the first day of the session,” he said. “It reminds us New Mexico has a deep history steeped in cultural traditions.”

During a morning news conference, some House Democratic leaders emphasized their desire to focus on and invest in affordable housing initiatives, expand career technical education programs and — in a state that ranks high, per capita, in gun violence — find ways to battle crime.

Noting the state is awash in record revenues, leading to both the executive and legislative branches proposing $10 billion-plus budgets for the coming fiscal year, House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, said that money equates to “great opportunities” for making legislative inroads on issues impacting New Mexicans.

Usually 30-day sessions focus primarily on the budget, but governors have the right to approve any non-budget related legislation. Lujan Grisham is proposing a 21-bill public safety package and calling once again for legislation to ban or limit the sale and use of assault weapons. Asked if House Democrats support that bill — similar proposals have failed in the past in part because enough Democrats have joined with Republican lawmakers to stall such bills — Martínez said that initiative “like all bills, will be considered” during the legislative hearing process.

“As a House, as Democrats, we are laser focused — continuing to be laser focused — on solutions to” combating crime, he said.

“Now, whether or not our caucus will solidly stand behind all 21 proposals, we shall see,” he continued. “That’s why we have a committee process. A committee process that will vet the legislation. A committee process through which we will take public comment and come up with the best possible solutions. And those solutions that are ready for prime time, that are ready to go to the floor, that are ready to go to the other chamber, we will absolutely get behind.”

Martínez said there’s no “silver bullet” to dealing with crime and noted trends over the last few months show a decrease in crime rates.

“There’s a difference between some of the areas that we’ve led on, like violence intervention programs, which we know are impacting communities in a very positive way and then the sound bites of ‘I’m going to get tough on crime, I’m going to throw everybody in jail and throw away the key,'” he said.

As Capitol watchers packed the House gallery in anticipation of the governor’s speech, various interest groups sent out statements outlining their hopes for the upcoming session. The Natural Resources Defense Council wants lawmakers to take action on passing new electric vehicle tax credits, matching federal funds to get money for infrastructure and green energy and modifying the state’s Oil and Gas Act.

“As everyone knows, the state has a sizable budget surplus, largely from rising oil and gas revenues that are tied mainly to booming production in the Permian Basin,” regional director James Povijua and senior advocate Alexis Mena wrote in a blog entry. “But those revenues are projected to decrease over time. That’s why this legislative session should include wise investments and policies that build a safer, cleaner, healthier future for all New Mexicans, especially those living on the frontlines of pollution and climate impacts and who struggle to pay bills to take care of their families.”

National Federation of Independent Business state director Jason Espinoza called on lawmakers to “keep local job creators’ interests in mind and reject policy proposals that escalate the cost of doing business.

“Escalating costs continue to take a toll on small business owners and the hardworking New Mexicans they employ,” he said in a statement. “We urge lawmakers to reject harmful policy proposals that will make energy unaffordable, staffing a nightmare, and frivolous litigation even more likely.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.