What's the status of all those bills? Here's where things stand as signing deadline nears

SANTA FE — New Mexico lawmakers passed 195 bills during the 60-day legislative session that ended March 22, out of nearly 1,200 bills that were introduced. But Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had only acted on 26 of those bills as of Friday. And the governor's deadline to act on legislation is just one week away.

When is the bill signing deadline? Per the state Constitution, the governor has 20 days after the end of a legislative session to act on any bill that arrived at her desk during the final three days of the session — or after it ended. This year, that date falls on April 11.

Most recent governors, including Lujan Grisham, have operated on the assumption the bill signing deadline is at noon, since legislative sessions are required to end at noon.

What happens if the governor doesn't act on a bill?

If a bill approved by the Legislature is not either signed or vetoed by the governor before the statutory deadline, it is automatically vetoed under what's known as a pocket veto. Such vetoes do not require an explanation from the governor.

Interestingly, lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment during this year's session that would — if approved by statewide voters next November — do away with the pocket veto. But that would not apply to Lujan Grisham, since the governor is term-limited and barred from seeking a third consecutive term in office in 2026.

Which bills are still in limbo?

Among the 169 bills still awaiting final approval from the governor are a $10.8 billion spending plan for the budget year that starts in July and a tax package approved by lawmakers during the second-to-last day of the session.

High-profile proposals dealing with independents voting in primary elections, increased lobbyist disclosure requirements and the creation of a state-run psilocybin program for medical patients are also awaiting the governor's signature.

Here's a full list of all bills approved by lawmakers this year.

Can the governor partially veto bills?

Yes, but only certain bills. The state Constitution gives the governor the authority to line-item veto any bill "appropriating money." That definition covers the annual budget and capital outlay bills, and it's common for governors to use their authority to axe certain spending provisions or budget language they don't agree with.

But Lujan Grisham has also line-item vetoed other bills in recent years, including a measure overhauling New Mexico's Game and Fish Department last month, while arguing that fees or other money-related provisions in the bills open the door for her to partially veto them. Those vetoed have not been challenged in court, though some advocates have considered such action.

Which party passed the most bills?

Not surprisingly given the fact that Democrats hold a majority in both the House and Senate, most of the bills approved this year were sponsored by Democratic lawmakers. Of the 195 total bills passed, 156 were sponsored by a Democrat — or about 80% — while 39 were sponsored by a Republican legislator, according to Legislative Council Service data.

By chamber, slightly more House bills were approved than Senate bills, as 104 House bills made it through both chambers to arrive on the governor's desk compared to 91 Senate bills.