Lundstrom prefiles trade port,
law academy bills
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
Before the legislative session starts Jan. 21, the Sun sat down with Rep. Patty Lundstrom to talk about her priorities for the session.
Lundstrom is sponsoring two bills this session — House Bills 19 and 48. She prefiled them before the session began. The deadline for legislators to pre-file bills is Jan. 17.
TRADE PORTS DEVELOPMENT ACT
HB 19 is the Trade Ports Development Act. The bill will open the opportunity to become a trade port to more cities across New Mexico, including Gallup.
In an interview with the Sun, Lundstrom explained why trade ports could be beneficial for New Mexico.
“We’ve had a lot of trouble over the years, and even still do today, with supply chain distribution,” she said. “We have to figure out a way in this country where we can unload and distribute cargo coming from outside the U.S. quicker than we currently are.”
Lundstrom sees the Trade Port Development Act as an economic development driver. She said that Doña Ana and Bernalillo counties are also looking at becoming trade posts.
To become a trade post, an area must have interstate access, railroads and airports.
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING
HB 48 serves as Lundstrom’s attempt to decrease crime rate in the area.
She hopes to bring back the law enforcement academy to Gallup. The University of New Mexico-Gallup’s satellite academy closed in 2001 due to a lack of funding. Gallup Police Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo and McKinley County Sheriff James Maiorano III were both part of the academy’s last graduating class.
“Our answer to some of the public crime issue is to try and get more police on the street,” Lundstrom explained. “We [can do that] by getting that academy back up and running.”
UNM-Gallup partnered with the City of Gallup to fund the academy. Now, UNM-Gallup’s Chancellor Sabrina Ezzell is supporting Lundstrom’s efforts to bring the program back.
Lundstrom said she is also expecting other crime-related bills to be discussed and voted on in the beginning of the session.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called for a special session in July to discuss public safety and ideally pass some bills related to that issue. But the legislators were only in session for six hours, and they ultimately decided not to pass any of the governor’s crime bills.
Lundstrom said she expects the situation to be a bit different this session. She said the governor has probably gotten legislators to back her public safety bills, and so those are more likely to pass this session.
The 2025 Legislative Sessions begins Jan. 21 and will end March 22. The governor will have until April 22 to sign and approve any legislation that arrives on her desk.
