New Mexico lawmakers are poised to consider two sweeping and dangerous constitutional amendments that would permanently upend how the state Legislature operates — and critics warn the proposals would crush transparency, overwhelm citizen legislators, and ram through controversial policies with little public input.
House Joint Resolutions 6 and 7, sponsored by far-left Rep. Matthew McQueen of Santa Fe, would fundamentally rewrite Article IV, Section 5 of the New Mexico Constitution. Together, the measures would abolish the state’s long-standing 60-day and 30-day legislative session structure and replace it with two 45-day sessions every year, while simultaneously removing all subject-matter limits on what bills can be introduced in short sessions.
Under current law, New Mexico holds a 60-day session in odd-numbered years to address major policy issues, while even-numbered years are limited to a focused 30-day budget session. That balance exists for a reason: New Mexico’s Legislature is made up of unpaid, part-time citizen lawmakers with limited staff and resources.
HJR 6 would blow that structure apart.
Instead of focused sessions with clear guardrails, lawmakers would face nonstop 45-day sessions, beginning earlier in January and colliding with federal holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day — all while attempting to process hundreds, if not thousands, of bills.
Even worse, HJR 7 removes all restrictions on bills in even-numbered years, meaning lawmakers could introduce legislation on any subject — from tax hikes to gun control to sweeping regulatory mandates — during what was once a limited budget session.
Legislative analysts themselves warn this would dramatically increase workload pressures. Historically, sessions without subject-matter limits see nearly double the number of bills introduced, overwhelming committees, staff, and the public alike.
The resolutions would also make it easier for lawmakers to revive failed or vetoed legislation from prior sessions and push override votes long after the original debate has ended, further eroding accountability.
Despite claims that the changes would “balance out” costs, fiscal reports show taxpayers would still be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars per constitutional amendment for ballot printing, newspaper publication, voter guides, and expanded ballots statewide.
Perhaps most troubling, these amendments would permanently lock these changes into the state constitution, making them extremely difficult to undo — even if the experiment fails.
The House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee will hear HJR 6 and HJR 7 on:
Monday, February 2, 2026
8:30 a.m.
Room 305 (Roundhouse)
New Mexicans can also join remotely via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87880458384
Citizens concerned about transparency, legislative overload, and radical constitutional changes are urged to call and email committee members immediately and strongly oppose HJR 6 and HJR 7.
Once these amendments are in the constitution, there is no easy way back. It’s also worth noting that McQueen will be leaving the Legislature after this current session, so he would be crippling the current process for future lawmakers — fleeing a sinking ship of his own creation.
Once again the marxists are subverting established norms of
governance . These marxist will not stop until they have total
control, democracy be damned !
NM cannot survive more legislative sessions. every session is a tax hike, regulation hike, liberty killing nightmare. what is going on in santa fe is a fiefdom where a select few rig the state government to provide them with unlimited power to crush us financially and eliminate our rights. if this more government proposal would go to a public vote, the public will vote YES because they vote YES for every stupid idea the democrats propose. Its bad in NM and its getting worse quickly. NM is last in EVERYTHING yet still striving to push LOWER. The politician featured in this story has a history of pushing gasoline tax hikes, more taxes, more regulation. why do the morons keep voting for him ?
I pray for a Republican to come in and veto 9 out 10 bills and re- write ANY law pushed by Loserjan and her regime!
Another lawyer in the legislature twisting government to meet his thirst for more control. why in the hell do people vote for lawyers who care only about themselves and how rich they can become ? NM deserves to be last. NM learns nothing from each and every failure democrat they elect into office. 8 years of MLG and we have nothing to show for it except a bloated state govt and a state budget that has ballooned 70 percent from when she took over. talk about malfeasance.
The play book they are using is Rules for Radicals. They are Marxists and to them only their opinion matters. And because of New Mexico’s structure and history it is the best model for all these communist ideas. People don’t realize that this state has been used for decades as a testing ground for many far left ideas because the democrat base is so gullible.
While I may agree that the 30 day session being extended to 45 days I do not agree with changing the the 60 day session, lowering it to 45. Even with adding those 15 days to the short session, the rules on what can be brought forward should not. Additionally, the legislature should receive a compensating pay to off set what they loose from having to take time off from their regular jobs. I know legislative staffers and I know the work they have to do. Lets not continue to over load these invaluable and dedicated people that are who actually do the work of running this state. What McQueen is pushing is totaly unacceptable.
more legislative sessions to push more gun laws until the only ones with guns are the criminals. thats the democrats plan. after that non stop green bills to get you in an electric car and an electric house. then declare a climate emergency to limit your travel. total control by govt. of course NM voters will take the bait. they always do.
Another plague on NM, besides abortion, crime, poverty.. Only through
God will there be hope and freedom. In the meantime, spirit of darkness
over the land until the people come to Jesus and repent…just saying.
Please remember this jackass is running for the land commissioner position on the democratic side. If he is elected he will have control of the biggest money fund in NM. He will shut down oil and gas production in the state and he will siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars to democratic causes. We will be bankrupt after four years of his reign. If he gets elected he can make decisions and rules without the legislature’s blessing. Remember this in June and November. The SLO position is just as important as the governors race this year.
And the evil corruption continues. Someone said “democracy be dammed” but we all must remember, we are a “Republic” guided by the Constitution of the United States. And Federal law supersedes state law. Democracy is “mob rule” which is what all the far left so called legislators are all about. I hope and pray the NM will wake up before it is too late (if not already). We need to keep praying for the corrupt to fail and fall into oblivion! Not holding my breath for these corrupt individuals (MLG’s comrades) will see the truth and stop their determination to totally crush New Mexico and her citizens, Time will tell and I know that the truth shall prevail for God is still in control. God have mercy.
Tom Houlton – No Republican can veto and STOP any bill. They do not have the numbers. We all need to remember this when we vote for so-called “conservative” Democrats. All we do is make it where a Republican has absolutely no power.
I am not addressing the current topic but I am encouraging the readers to read this past Sunday journal, the Opinion section on the excellent article “Bergman is misleading New Mexicans about the law”.
This read is part of the democratic left and their propaganda machine, as is the current subject matter on Mr. McQueen agenda… wise up New Mexico voters..oops I forgot the wise and common sense voters are leaving our state….God help us.
Agreed!
We need to focus on voter fraud which is rampant in NM.
While some idiots still vote Democrat, I do not believe the majority of NM citizens are voting for these Marxist/Communists like McQueen. Keep an eye on what is being exposed in the recent raid on the Fulton County Election Center in GA. Thousands of fraudulent votes in the 2020 election by means of phony ballots, double counting, machine ‘malfunctions’, duplicate Mail in ballots not on voter paper, under age voters, etc.
If the Trump Admin can prove the fraud in GA happened, hopefully all machines will be banned in future elections across the country.
NM has these machines and the Secy of State is bought and paid for by Soros. As Stalin said, (para phrasing) it’s not who votes, but who COUNTS the votes that decides an election.
Our elections have been decided for us for many decades, as the NM legislature has been majority Democrat for 80+ years!
Matthew McQueen needs to be totally stopped and the only way is to keep him out of ANY office that he wants to get into. He is evil and does not care how things affect regular people. I think people like him think that these rules and regulations will not affect them and when the rules and regulations do catchup to them they will cry but who will hear. Democrats need to wise up and so do Republicans, there are too many wolves and snakes on both sides!