Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) and legislative leadership planned an agenda for a special session that began this week. Their goal is to deliver economic relief to households across the state, as inflation and prices remain high nationwide. 

Lujan Grisham said in a press release that the administration and lawmakers will support New Mexico families by offering relief to help ease the financial pinch squeezing many residents. 

“Our state is in a good position financially, and we should do all we can to ensure that New Mexicans are feeling that success too,” she said. “Every New Mexican is feeling it: at the pump, at the grocery store, and paying the power bill. Coupled with the relief we provided during the regular session through rebates and tax cuts, these common-sense efforts will make a real difference in the lives of New Mexicans around our state.” 

Lawmakers are offering financial relief to New Mexicans by delivering $500 checks to single tax filers and $1,000 to joint filers. The press release indicated that the checks would be sent out twice, once in the spring and again in the fall. 

“Despite the record revenues to our state, too many New Mexicans are still struggling to make ends meet,” Speaker of the House Brian Egolf said. “This special session allows us to build on the work we did in the regular session to ensure the people of New Mexico benefit from state revenues by investing in critical projects that will benefit communities across the state and providing much-needed relief in the face of rising fuel costs.”

Over 1.4 million residents will also receive a relief check valued up to $1,500 in July to offset rising gasoline and grocery prices. Lujan Grisham approved the legislation last month. 

As gasoline prices continue to increase, lawmakers are considering reducing ticket prices for the Rail Runner in order to offer alternative, more affordable transportation options, according to the press release from the governor’s office.