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Halfway Point at the 2023 Legislative Session, Navajo Nation President’s First Month & Youth Activists Call for Action on Climate

This week on New Mexico in Focus, Gene Grant and the Line Opinion Panel take a close look at a bill that would recreate a statewide board of education. Our panelists explore whether the partially elected body would be more or less effective than a single appointed official. Gene and the Line also examine the Governor’s recent announcement, revamping the state’s Children youth and Families Department. The number one question at hand: will these changes help create a safer environment for children in state custody? 

With less than 30 days left in the legislature’s 60-day session, Gene catches up with the Albuquerque Journal’s Dan McKay who’s been covering the Roundhouse for decades. McKay explains how things have changed since the pandemic years and if we should believe the bipartisan gestures we’ve seen to this point in both chambers.  

New Mexico in Focus Political Correspondent Gwyneth Doland heads back to the legislature to ask lawmakers about several good governance bills, including open primaries and tweaks to campaign finance laws.  

Correspondent Antonia Gonzales catches up with Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, just over a month into his first term. Nygren updates some of the action he’s taken and lays out plans in the coming months for tribe.  

Youth activist Jonathan Juarez-Alonzo talks with Our Land’s Laura Paskus about what a new coalition is asking of New Mexico’s political leaders, including action on our crude oil production, which is responsible for vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, both in the production phase itself and in the downstream use of petroleum.

Host: Gene Grant 

The Line opinion panel:
2023 Legislative Session Halfway Point 
Correspondent: Gene Grant 
Guest: Dan McKay, Albuquerque Journal Staff Writer 

Good Governance Bills in the NM Legislature 
Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland 
Guests: St. Rep. Natalie Figueroa, (D) NM District 30 – Albuquerque 
St. Sen. Gregg Schmedes, (R) NM District 19 – Tijeras 
St. Sen. Bill O’Neill, (D) NM District 13 – Los Ranchos de Albuquerque 

Navajo Nation President Assesses First Month on the Job 
Correspondent: Antonia Gonzales 
Guest: Buu Nygren, Navajo Nation President 

Youth Climate Activists Call for Immediate Change 
Correspondent: Laura Paskus 
Guest: Jonathan Juarez-Alonzo, policy lead, Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA)