Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced a special legislative session will be called. The governor's office says the special session will address additional public safety protections for New Mexico. The special legislative session will begin on July 18 and could last for several days. This is the 5th special session called by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.House Democrat Leaders statement“We anticipated this announcement, and we share the Governor’s commitment to ensuring all New Mexicans can feel safe in their homes and communities. We also want all of our neighbors to be able to get the help they need when they or a loved one are struggling with mental or behavioral health issues.In the coming weeks and months, it will be critical for us as elected leaders to work together with stakeholders and experts to develop meaningful solutions to these challenges. In order to be responsible public servants and stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must enter the special session with a set of achievable goals that will genuinely make our communities safer, improve access to healthcare and services, and protect the rights of New Mexicans.In recent sessions, we have made significant progress toward making our streets safer and addressing the root causes of crime. We look forward to building on that progress in this special session, as well as in the upcoming 60-day legislative session, which is just around the corner.”Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 NewsRepublican Party of New Mexico statement"When New Mexicans hear that Gov. Lujan Grisham is calling a special session to address public safety, a chill runs down their spines because her past actions prove that she is not interested in taking measures against criminals, but rather against law-abiding citizens.The Democrats are totally to blame for New Mexico's out-of-control crime. They need to explain why public safety their priority during the previous legislative session wasn't despite holding a majority in both chambers of the state legislature.During the last session, Republicans proposed several bills aimed at increasing penalties for multiple crimes, ending catch and release, and securing the border. Democrats killed every single one.Recently, the Governor expressed her intention not to take additional measures to secure New Mexico’s Southern border, even if she were to call a special session. She cannot claim to care about public safety while ignoring the numerous problems stemming from our open border, including the rampant influx of fentanyl, alarming prevalence of human trafficking, and criminal cartel activity.Despite this, the Governor is planning to spend hundreds of thousands of New Mexicans' tax dollars to convene an additional session that could result in another waste of time or in law-abiding citizens' rights being infringed upon.For the sake of New Mexicans, I hope that the Governor will engage in meaningful conversations with Republicans and heed their advice on addressing the criminal issues plaguing our state to ensure that this special session will be productive."Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.