NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Many newly elected officials rang in the new year getting sworn into their positions, including Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for her second term. In the historic Lensic theatre in Santa Fe today, Michelle Lujan Grisham held the inauguration ceremony for her second term as governor of New Mexico.
“An act of imagination in no longer required to visualize a thriving New Mexico, we are living it,” Governor Lujan Grisham said. Today she shared accomplishments of her previous term…during which the state saw unprecedented wildfires and a global pandemic.
The governor spoke on her efforts to bring universal childcare to the state. Governor Lujan Grisham touted the opportunity scholarship, which has increased the number of people enrolling in college in the state. Moving forward, the governor says she wants to tackle the state’s housing crisis, including homelessness and improving mental health and addiction help.
She also laid out her priorities for the upcoming legislative session, like creating a health authority to expand access to services, and for the public education budget to cover premium healthcare costs for school employees.
Lastly, the governor vowed to protect reproductive healthcare for women. “Meanwhile no matter what threats arise in our country or in the world we continue to stand for freedom and choice opportunity and safety I vow today we will codify roe v wade as the law of the land within our borders.”
Alongside the governor, lieutenant governor Howie Morales and secretary of state Maggie Toulouse Oliver were sworn in for their second terms. At the state’s round house, former Bernalillo County district attorney Raul Torrez was sworn in for his new role as attorney general.
In a unique way of taking office, Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen was sworn in at midnight January 1st, at a DWI check point, to show solidarity with deputies. Sheriff Allen says his goals include creating a better relationship between BCSO and the community it serves. “We’re all going through this crime crisis. We all are going to have something to deal with in a department. I want to make sure that I’m always open and transparent with people. So that’s what I look forward to,” Sheriff Allen said.
And after what was a tight race for New Mexico’s second congressional district seat, Gabe Vasquez was sworn in last week
