Priorities for legislative action

New Mexico’s 2026 legislative session runs from Jan. 20–Feb. 19. The League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, has identified the following priorities for legislative action. 

Healthcare: Increase New Mexicans’ access to healthcare. 

New Mexico has a shortage of healthcare professionals, and the crisis is growing. Between 2019 and 2024, New Mexico lost 248 Primary Care Physicians and between 2017and 2021, 22% of OB-GYNS. Lack of healthcare access hurts our residents and discourages people from staying in or moving to NM.

Water: Address the growing water shortage crisis.

New Mexico needs accurate state-wide information of current water resources and the tools to manage the state’s limited water resources for regional water planning, aquifer resilience, and compliance with the Rio Grande Compact.

Pro-democracy reforms: Pay our state legislators a salary for their public service.

Paying legislators a fair salary for their public service will help increase the diversity of the pool of future candidates and will attract and help retain qualified, committed legislators.

Immigration: Guarantee public oversight of all immigrant detention facilities.
All people deserve fair and humane treatment under the law. Privately operated New Mexico detention facilities have been reported as understaffed, unsafe, and unsanitary. ICE currently contracts with three New Mexico counties who subcontract with private contractors to operate detention facilities. ICE uses local governments as pass-throughs for no-bid contracts with private detention operators. This impedes public oversight and transparency in the operation of privately operated federal detention facilities.

Education: Ensure that all LCPS students who want to participate in approved after-school activities will be able to do so.

After-school programs are extremely important to provide a well-rounded education and are especially vital for supporting students identified in the Martinez/Yazzie Court findings.

Housing: Support safe, affordable housing in Las Cruces.

The Las Cruces Affordable Housing Investment Strategy (2024) found that 51% of renters in Doña Ana County earn less than 50% of Area Median Income. To provide long-term, affordable units for low-income households, the City of Las Cruces can leverage a larger share of federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits for developers by providing a local match to help construct Peachtree Phase II, Paseos Verdes, Royal Crossing or other eligible projects.

Libraries: Expand and improve public library facilities in Las Cruces.

Public libraries play a foundational role in supporting a strong, viable, and sustainable democracy and are free and welcoming public spaces for all area residents to gather, learn and enjoy a wide range of intellectual, cultural, civic, and recreational activities. Growth in our city and county has outpaced the 1979 library facility, and resources. The City of Las Cruces is looking to invest millions for Phase I facility renovation/expansion, but additional state funding will be necessary to complete the project in a timely fashion.

We encourage all citizens to contact their state senators and representative to advocate on behalf of the issues they believe should be addressed.  

Lynda St. Clair is a member of the League of Women Voters of Southern New Mexico and President of the Friends of Thomas Branigan Memorial Library. She earned a PhD from the University of Michigan and taught management and leadership courses for 15 years at Bryant University in Rhode Island before retiring to Las Cruces. She loves libraries, learning, and liberty.