Bill Sharer, the minority leader of the New Mexico State Senate, issued a news release in response to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's call for a special legislative session. Sharer said that Senate Republicans remain focused on restoring community safety and safeguarding vulnerable children.
"We appreciate any opportunity to provide real solutions for New Mexicans," said Sharer, Senate Republican Leader. "Our efforts remain focused on restoring the safety of our communities, protecting our state's vulnerable children, and improving our access to quality health care. Democrats in the legislature have opposed our common-sense proposals to improve public safety, including needed changes to juvenile justice laws and an end to the revolving‑door release of repeat violent offenders. We remain hopeful that Democrat lawmakers will decide to come to the table... rather than engage in unproductive political theater."
Governor Lujan Grisham announced the special session, scheduled for October 1, 2025, as a reaction to significant federal cuts affecting Medicaid, food assistance programs (SNAP), and public broadcasting. The governor explained that the session aims to "shield New Mexicans" from the financial impact of recent federal policy changes enacted under the "One Big Beautiful Bill." This marks the seventh special session of her administration, highlighting increasing policy volatility and legislative urgency in New Mexico, according to reporting by the Abiquiú News.
Senate Republicans are preparing targeted legislation to address public safety issues. Their plans include reforms to juvenile justice and measures to end the release cycle for repeat violent offenders. In an official statement, they also called for accountability within the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), citing child deaths under state supervision. Additionally, they pressed for reforms related to medical malpractice liability and licensing barriers for doctors. These proposals were outlined by Sharer and other Republican legislators, as reported by the Grant County Beat.
The federal budget passed earlier this year—referred to as "One Big Beautiful Bill" by House sponsors—includes substantial reductions in Medicaid reimbursements. These cuts particularly affect states with rural and tribal populations like New Mexico. The New Mexico Human Services Department estimated that up to 200,000 residents could lose Medicaid coverage without state intervention. These developments prompted the upcoming special session, according to reporting by the NM Political Report.
Sharer was a lead co-sponsor of Senate Bill 3, a bipartisan behavioral health initiative passed during the 2025 regular session. The package restructured access to mental health and addiction treatment services across New Mexico. He described the law as a "framework to define what needs to be done" and positioned it as a rare point of agreement between parties, as reported by KSFR, Santa Fe Public Radio.
Sharer has served in the New Mexico State Senate representing District 1 (Farmington) since 2001 and became Senate Minority Leader in January 2025. A graduate of New Mexico Military Institute and New Mexico State University, he also served in the U.S. Army before entering politics.
