New Mexico legislators are convening at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe for a Special Legislative Session to discuss bills aimed at public safety. The proposed legislation includes measures on involuntary commitment, firearm possession as a second-degree felony, and criminalizing homelessness under "pedestrian safety" in high-speed areas. Critics argue these approaches focus on coercion and punishment rather than effective solutions.

Equality New Mexico, alongside 40 other community groups and experts, urged Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to cancel the session. The Governor dismissed their request, stating they proposed “doing nothing” during an urgent time. Equality New Mexico contends that policies developed without community input are ineffective, emphasizing their long-standing advocacy for solutions like affordable housing and Behavioral Health Centers.

The organization argues that addressing behavioral health, housing, poverty, and crime requires understanding complex root causes such as oppressive structures and social failings. They advocate for policies informed by values and common sense rather than punitive measures.

Equality New Mexico highlights the need for accessible voluntary treatment over coercion. They criticize mandatory minimum sentences for firearm possession by individuals with past felony convictions as ineffective in deterring crime. Instead, they suggest community violence intervention programs.

Regarding homelessness, the group argues against punitive measures that push unhoused people out of sight. They assert that housing is the solution to homelessness.

The organization calls on the Governor to collaborate with them during the full 2025 legislative session to revisit these issues comprehensively. They emphasize their readiness to contribute expertise from mental health, homelessness, addiction, civil liberties, and LGBTQ+ rights sectors to develop effective legislation.